Explore the best rated trails in Poughkeepsie, NY. Whether you're looking for an easy walking trail or a bike trail like the Tannersville Bike Path (Huckleberry Multi-Use Trail) and Walkway Over The Hudson. With more than 53 trails covering 352 miles you’re bound to find a perfect trail for you. Click on any trail below to find trail descriptions, trail maps, photos, and reviews.
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While not a "rail-trail," the Hook Mountain/Nyack Beach Bikeway is a very scenic trail along the Hudson River in Rockland County. The southern half of this trail is flat and runs right along the...
The Pequonnock River Trail is not a name you will see on the ground along this developing trail in southwestern Connecticut. Formalized in 2001 by the state, the regional trail pieced together...
The South County Trailway rolls 14.4 miles through one of the most densely populated parts of New York, but its route through pocket woodlots, parks, and golf courses and along riverbanks makes it...
The former “Old Put” commuter rail corridor that ran from the Bronx to northern bedroom communities in Westchester and Putnam Counties is popular once again, only this time it’s for people riding...
Paralleling the Connecticut and Massachusetts borders, which lie only a few miles away, the Harlem Valley Rail Trail is a beautiful paved wooded pathway along the former New York & Harlem Railroad...
The William R. Steinhaus Dutchess Rail Trail—named for the county executive who championed it—is a local treasure in the Hudson Valley region of New York. The 13.1-mile trail runs through what seems...
The Railroad Ramble occupies a corridor abandoned by the Central New England Railroad, which provided service from 1871 through 1967. In Lakeville, the trail can be found just off of Route 41 behind...
The Kingston Point Rail Trail will be a paved pathway stretching from Kingston’s midtown to the Rondout Creek waterfront, connecting important points in the community such as Kingston High School,...
Tallman Mountain State Park Bike Path is partially paved and bisects the Tallman Mountain State Park. The route provides a motor-vehicle-free way for bicyclists using US Route 9W to connect with...
You might expect a 4-mile rail-trail that passes through three downtowns to be excessively urban, but the quaint town centers on the Joseph B. Clarke Rail Trail are compact and surrounded by...
When completed, the Norwalk River Valley Trail will run from Danbury to Long Island Sound in southwestern Connecticut, for a total of about 27 miles. Currently, several disconnected sections totaling...
The Walden-Wallkill Rail Trail is built on a former Conrail right-of-way. Conrail and its predecessors, Penn Central, New York Central, and The Wallkill Valley Railway, provided service to farmers...
The Naugatuck River Greenway will one day span 44 miles from Torrington to Derby in western Connecticut, but is currently open in a few short disconnected segments totaling just over 5 miles. The...
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Built on the former Erie Railroad main line, the 15-mile Heritage Trail runs through the small Orange County towns of Goshen, Chester, Monroe, and Harriman. The shaded trail runs through different...
Connecting the Walkill River and Shawangunk Ridge, the aptly named River-to-Ridge Trail, which opened in September 2018, runs from New Paltz to the Mohonk Preserve. Begin at the Carmine Liberta Bridge...
The Bronx River travels from the mouth of the East River north to the Kensico Dam, providing views of the natural history of the area. Because the trail is under development, there are several gaps...
The Jones Point Path occupies an abandoned motor vehicle route (old US Route 9W). The path provides bicyclists with a relatively safe bypass to a dangerous section of busy US Route 9W near Bear...
The Klara Sauer Trail (formerly known as the Beacon Riverside Trail) runs for 1 mile along the Hudson River on the west side of New York's village of Beacon. The trail occupies the same corridor as...
The City of Port Jervis is the latest community to save a portion of the former D&H Canal and turn it into a greenway for use by residents and visitors. A section of the canal, which is approximately...
The Ramsey Bike Path is a recreational path built on the former Paterson to Suffern trolley line right-of-way. The path extends along a north-south route from one end of Ramsey to the other....
The Ashokan Rail Trail is an 11.5-mile multi-use trail that traces the northern edge of the Ashokan Reservoir, which provides a large proportion of New York City's drinking water. The trail sits on...
Paralleling the Connecticut and Massachusetts borders, which lie only a few miles away, the Harlem Valley Rail Trail is a beautiful paved wooded pathway along the former New York & Harlem Railroad...
This rustic unpaved trail, just over three miles in length, runs along a route formerly used by the New York, Ontario, & Western Railway's Main Line through Parksville in Sullivan County, NY. The...
Tallman Mountain State Park Bike Path is partially paved and bisects the Tallman Mountain State Park. The route provides a motor-vehicle-free way for bicyclists using US Route 9W to connect with...
A former right-of-way of the NY & NJ Railroad. Near historical Mount Ivy which was the center of a Quaker settlement in the 18th century. Hiking along railroad bed and wildlife observation and...
Open in several disconnected segments, the Billings Trail is a dirt path that traverses a lovely scenic and wooded landscape outside Norfolk in northern Connecticut. Built on the abandoned railbed of...
The South County Trailway rolls 14.4 miles through one of the most densely populated parts of New York, but its route through pocket woodlots, parks, and golf courses and along riverbanks makes it...
The Raymond G. Esposito Memorial Trail travels from one end of the village of South Nyack to the other in 1 mile but greatly expands its reach by connecting with the Old Erie Path and a new shared-use...
When completed, the Norwalk River Valley Trail will run from Danbury to Long Island Sound in southwestern Connecticut, for a total of about 27 miles. Currently, several disconnected sections totaling...
Owned by the Metro-North Railroad, the Maybrook Trailway starts at the Connecticut state line in Farringtons Park, and spans 5 miles into the town of Brewster. The trail follows what was once part of...
The Old Erie Path reveals spectacular views of the Hudson River Valley as the rail-trail rolls along cliffs that border the river’s western shore. Although fairly short, it joins two other...
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The Wood Duck Nature Trail, appropriately named for the secretive duck, was made possible through the hard work and dedication of refuge volunteers. This beautiful trail now extends about 1.5 miles on...
Fahnestock State Park is a relatively undiscovered gems in the New York State Park System. Located a few miles east of Cold Spring Village on Rt. 301 (Main Street), the park jurisdiction was recently...
The Liberty Rail Trail extends about 2.5 miles through the village of Liberty, NY, between Chestnut Street/SR 52 (near West Street) and the old rail trestle in Ferndale. The trail occupies a portion...
The 3.1-mile Kress Family Trail in Roxbury occupies the former route of the Shepaug Valley Railroad (the Shepaug, Litchfield and Northern Railroad). The railroad was famously known as the “crookedest...
The Pequonnock River Trail is not a name you will see on the ground along this developing trail in southwestern Connecticut. Formalized in 2001 by the state, the regional trail pieced together...
While the Wallkill Valley Railroad no longer carries fruits and vegetables from Ulster County to New York City, trail users can still discover small, family-owned farms and farmers markets serving up...
The William R. Steinhaus Dutchess Rail Trail—named for the county executive who championed it—is a local treasure in the Hudson Valley region of New York. The 13.1-mile trail runs through what seems...
The Bronx River travels from the mouth of the East River north to the Kensico Dam, providing views of the natural history of the area. Because the trail is under development, there are several gaps...
The Ramsey Bike Path is a recreational path built on the former Paterson to Suffern trolley line right-of-way. The path extends along a north-south route from one end of Ramsey to the other....
The Bashakill Wildlife Management Area is located on the Orange County-Sullivan County border just south of Wurtsboro, New York. It consists of over 3,000 acres of wetlands and uplands which were...
The Liberty Rail Trail extends about 2.5 miles through the village of Liberty, NY, between Chestnut Street/SR 52 (near West Street) and the old rail trestle in Ferndale. The trail occupies a portion...
The Ashokan Rail Trail is an 11.5-mile multi-use trail that traces the northern edge of the Ashokan Reservoir, which provides a large proportion of New York City's drinking water. The trail sits on...
The Kennedy Trail begins at the northwest corner of the 68-acre campus of John F. Kennedy Catholic High School in Somers. The town, which sits 30 miles from White Plains and 55 miles from New York...
The 3.1-mile Kress Family Trail in Roxbury occupies the former route of the Shepaug Valley Railroad (the Shepaug, Litchfield and Northern Railroad). The railroad was famously known as the “crookedest...
The Railroad Ramble occupies a corridor abandoned by the Central New England Railroad, which provided service from 1871 through 1967. In Lakeville, the trail can be found just off of Route 41 behind...
The Bronx River travels from the mouth of the East River north to the Kensico Dam, providing views of the natural history of the area. Because the trail is under development, there are several gaps...
The Wood Duck Nature Trail, appropriately named for the secretive duck, was made possible through the hard work and dedication of refuge volunteers. This beautiful trail now extends about 1.5 miles on...
While not a "rail-trail," the Hook Mountain/Nyack Beach Bikeway is a very scenic trail along the Hudson River in Rockland County. The southern half of this trail is flat and runs right along the...
The Kaaterskill Rail Trail offers a beautiful wooded walk through Haines Falls in eastern New York, nestled in the northern Catskills. It begins at the historical Ulster & Delaware Train Station,...
Connecting the Walkill River and Shawangunk Ridge, the aptly named River-to-Ridge Trail, which opened in September 2018, runs from New Paltz to the Mohonk Preserve. Begin at the Carmine Liberta Bridge...
The Naugatuck River Greenway will one day span 44 miles from Torrington to Derby in western Connecticut, but is currently open in a few short disconnected segments totaling just over 5 miles. The...
When completed, the Norwalk River Valley Trail will run from Danbury to Long Island Sound in southwestern Connecticut, for a total of about 27 miles. Currently, several disconnected sections totaling...
This rustic unpaved trail, just over three miles in length, runs along a route formerly used by the New York, Ontario, & Western Railway's Main Line through Parksville in Sullivan County, NY. The...
The Middlebury Greenway provides a paved, off-road option for a self-propelled journey across suburban Middlebury. The trail touches on several business districts and parks, ending at an amusement...
Owned by the Metro-North Railroad, the Maybrook Trailway starts at the Connecticut state line in Farringtons Park, and spans 5 miles into the town of Brewster. The trail follows what was once part of...
The William R. Steinhaus Dutchess Rail Trail—named for the county executive who championed it—is a local treasure in the Hudson Valley region of New York. The 13.1-mile trail runs through what seems...
The O&W Rail Trail provides a glimpse into the area’s history from the perspectives of both a historical canal and a railroad. The Delaware & Hudson (D&H) Canal carried coal from Honesdale,...
Just an hour north of New York City, the Timp-Torne Trail offers a scenic hike through Bear Mountain and Harriman State Parks with panoramic vistas of the Hudson River. The rugged blue-blazed trail...
The Ramsey Bike Path is a recreational path built on the former Paterson to Suffern trolley line right-of-way. The path extends along a north-south route from one end of Ramsey to the other....
Starting at Baldwin Place and headed south. Beautiful well maintained trail, all new surface. First few miles were downhill, so the finish of the return trip was a little tough. Nice places in Yorktown to stop for refreshments. Can’t recommend enough.
This is a great trail for any bike type but optimized for anything bulkier than "skinny" road tires. Great views and for parts of it you are literally right on the river.
About a third of the distance north from Nyack Beach State Park there is a trail intersection with a mostly paved road, including a tough little climb, that will take you to Rockland Lake State Park with its paved joint use trail that circumnavigates the lake.
North of the intersection the trail becomes more challenging with a few fairly steep uphills.
NOTE: The road down to the parking lot at Nyack Beach State Park has been closed to vehicles since last year due to a landslide. There is no information available on when it will be repaired. There is street parking a few blocks south of the Park entrance and at Rockland Lake State Park.
Rode this trail on 7/6/20, from the West Hurley trailhead to the end and back…about 23 miles. Trail is cinder/gravel, basically brand new since it was opened only last Fall. We were riding road bikes, one with 32c tires, one with 25 c… very doable, but I would say wider tires (trail or mountain bikes) are best here. It’s in pristine shape…about 80% shaded, nice diversity of trees on either side including pine, birch, oak. I counted four absolutely beautiful sections where you can see the reservoir (probably can see more in the Fall/Spring) and there are some nice raised boardwalks plus 2 or 3 bridges. My favorite parts of the trail were a long section along the water near the West Hurley trailhead, and the last section at the other end where you have expansive views of the water. So happy that this is now available to us all – kudos to everyone involved! Please also note that there is a wonderful waterfront walk/bike path, called the Promenade, on the other side of the reservoir…gorgeous views of the surrounding hills. Worth checking out as well!
Started at the western trailhead on Kettletown Road. Nothing but a single track -- including a climb down to Jeremy Swamp Road to cross and then a climb up the other side. Clearly, decades ago there was a rail bridge here, but it's gone. For a while, the trail is fine, but then another problem on this leg is that the trail becomes virtual impassible for bicycles -- you are trying to ride up a creek bed full of grapefruit sized rocks.
East of Strongtown/CT 188, there is a mix of beautiful gravel surface through the woods with some low spots/mud (we've had some rain). The route is wooded and quiet -- really nice ride. You will likely encounter horses (I passed a single rider and a pair on this ride). Etiquette is to be very careful and slow -- give them a shout as to which side they'd prefer you pass on. Also a lot of wetland. If you're moving fast on a bike, it's OK, but walking you're going to be dealing with A LOT of mosquitoes.
Summary -- with some investment this could be one of the prettiest rides in CT, but there are some real rough/muddy spots.
I can see where this could be a beautiful autumn ride. Will give it a few more tries this season.
Very nice trail Well kept and groomed. From 209 to Wurtsboro. Everything was well marked and groomed. Watch out for dogs near some of the farms near by. One of the dogs came at our party and almost bit one of the riders. The owner came out and later apologized.
A beautiful trail, level riding and scenic. Great rewards at the end, places to stop , eat and shop. Can park and lock your bike at trails end. Look forward to it’s completion.
My husband and I ride our bikes here and love it! Mix of shade and sun as well as beautiful changing scenery.
Perfect trail to go road biking on. This is as flat as you can find it around these parts with only 450ft of elevation over a round trip of about 30 miles. Perfectly maintained and paved tarmac. Not a single incline/decline above 1% gradient.
The closest official parking location on the Southern end of the track is at Orange and Rockland street long term parking lot. However, if you wish to start at there very tip of the trail, I recommend parking at River road and North Main Street in the town of Harriman (right next to Mary Harriman Park).
Great pathway to the Shawnagunk mountain area with very easy access from New Paltz and the Wallkill Valley Rail Trail. There are some hilly sections where you might encounter some slippage with a road bike. It was OK on my cyclocross.
The upper loop is on a mix of gravel farm and paved rural roads.
I've ridden this trail three times now on a loaded touring bike (rear panniers). Some of the rolling hills at the Nyack end definitely require some mettle and/or caution, but I never felt at risk of losing control. I think the "moderate" experience level is justified.
For reference, my bike was outfitted with 35mm tires. The first time was with moderately knobby tires (Schwalbe Mondials) which I decided were overkill for a mostly paved tour; the second time was with slicks and I felt no less confident. The weight of a touring load probably helps with traction regardless of the tire. Experience with changing your gears quickly and often is very helpful here. I was with friends who were on single speeds and they had to walk quite a bit of it :)
Very little elevation change. New section south from Wassaic station is very nicely done, but disappointingly short. Beautiful ride north from the station to Millerton.
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