Explore the best rated trails in Rochester, NY. Whether you're looking for an easy walking trail or a bike trail like the Hojack Trail and Ontario Pathways Rail Trail. With more than 22 trails covering 554 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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When complete, the Erie Canalway Trail will run for 360 miles in upstate New York—from Buffalo in the west to Albany in the east—linking many other communities along the way, including Rochester,...
The Erie Attica Trail lies in the Finger Lakes region of New York along the former railroad for which it's named. A glimpse of this past can be seen in the beautiful truss bridge that spans 220 feet...
The North Branch of the Lehigh Valley Trail connects the campuses of the University of Rochester and Rochester Institute of Technology. The trail’s northern terminus is where the Erie Canal Heritage...
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The Pittsford Trail System, also called the Railroad Loop Trail, provides access to the Erie Canal, town of Pittsford, and shopping and business district in the quaint New York village. A short...
The Manchester Gateway Trail is a scenic route used by walkers and cyclers that follows the Canandaigua Outlet through Manchester. It has also been used for skiing during winter months. The trailhead...
The Keuka Outlet Trail offers a sinuous route of nearly 7 miles between Penn Yan and Dresden in New York’s Finger Lakes region. The rail-trail follows a railroad corridor that traced a former canal...
Brickyard Trail offers a pleasant north-south route through the Town of Brighton, which sits on the southeastern outskirts of Rochester. Its name is a nod to the town's brickmaking industry dating...
Snaking along the shoreline of Lake Ontario, the Irondequoit Lakeside Multi-Use Trail provides a smooth journey infused with the region’s rich natural and cultural heritage. The nearly 7-mile trail...
Travelers on the Lake Ontario State Parkway Trail will enjoy scenic views of wooded areas, surrounding bodies of water and wetlands. The trail parallels the north side of the Parkway, which runs along...
The I-390 Bike Path is a 5-mile paved trail starting in Greece and ending at the Island Cottage Woods Preserves just south of Lake Ontario. The trail starts just after crossing Route 104 using the...
Two former rival railroad corridors that crossed in Buffalo’s eastern suburbs now form a nearly 18-mile paved trail system called Clarence Pathways in Clarence, Newstead, and Akron. Five trails...
The Cayuga-Seneca Canalway Trail is a 5-mile pathway beginning in Waterloo, New York and terminating at Seneca Lake State Park. The roadbed it uses was constructed by the Seneca County Railway...
By the early 1800s, Rochester had earned the nickname of Flour City because of its numerous mills that allowed the young town to rapidly become the largest flour producer in the United States. The...
The El Camino: Butterhole-Seneca Park Trail (often more simply called the El Camino Trail) runs diagonally through a neighborhood and industrial properties in northeast Rochester on an abandoned CSX...
Travelers on the Lake Ontario State Parkway Trail will enjoy scenic views of wooded areas, surrounding bodies of water and wetlands. The trail parallels the north side of the Parkway, which runs along...
The Keuka Outlet Trail offers a sinuous route of nearly 7 miles between Penn Yan and Dresden in New York’s Finger Lakes region. The rail-trail follows a railroad corridor that traced a former canal...
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The Groveland Secondary Trail follows a portion of abandoned right-of-way of the old Groveland Branch of the Erie Lackawanna between York and Alexander. The York terminus begins just east of Main...
The Erie Attica Trail lies in the Finger Lakes region of New York along the former railroad for which it's named. A glimpse of this past can be seen in the beautiful truss bridge that spans 220 feet...
The Pittsford Trail System, also called the Railroad Loop Trail, provides access to the Erie Canal, town of Pittsford, and shopping and business district in the quaint New York village. A short...
The North Branch of the Lehigh Valley Trail connects the campuses of the University of Rochester and Rochester Institute of Technology. The trail’s northern terminus is where the Erie Canal Heritage...
The El Camino: Butterhole-Seneca Park Trail (often more simply called the El Camino Trail) runs diagonally through a neighborhood and industrial properties in northeast Rochester on an abandoned CSX...
The Cato-Fair Haven Trail (a.k.a. Cayuga County Trail) travels a little more than 14 miles through forest, wetland and tree farm.
Located in the majestic Finger Lakes region, the Lehigh Valley Trail is a well-used gem with a sparkling future. Wandering 16.4 miles through beautiful landscapes and rich greenery, the trail connects...
The Manchester Gateway Trail is a scenic route used by walkers and cyclers that follows the Canandaigua Outlet through Manchester. It has also been used for skiing during winter months. The trailhead...
There are so many reminders from the heyday of the railroad age on the nearly 10-mile Auburn Trail that visitors might imagine they’re chugging through villages and countryside at the throttle of a...
The Ontario Pathways Rail Trail is the crown jewel of the trail system managed by the organization for whom it is named in Ontario County, New York. Comprising two disconnected segments, including a...
The town of Perinton, New York, has been hard at work improving the Rochester, Syracuse and Eastern Trail, and it shows. Since 1996, when the American Hiking Society designated Perinton as a Trail...
The Cayuga-Seneca Canalway Trail is a 5-mile pathway beginning in Waterloo, New York and terminating at Seneca Lake State Park. The roadbed it uses was constructed by the Seneca County Railway...
The Genesee Valley Greenway rolls through towns and countless landscapes from Rochester south to Cuba, New York. The greenway is a work in progress, but there is a long, continuous segment (37 miles)...
This pleasant community trail connects suburban residences close to the shore of Lake Ontario with a school, a church and a commercial area in Webster, New York. Near the trail's northwest end, it...
By the early 1800s, Rochester had earned the nickname of Flour City because of its numerous mills that allowed the young town to rapidly become the largest flour producer in the United States. The...
Snaking along the shoreline of Lake Ontario, the Irondequoit Lakeside Multi-Use Trail provides a smooth journey infused with the region’s rich natural and cultural heritage. The nearly 7-mile trail...
Brickyard Trail offers a pleasant north-south route through the Town of Brighton, which sits on the southeastern outskirts of Rochester. Its name is a nod to the town's brickmaking industry dating...
The I-390 Bike Path is a 5-mile paved trail starting in Greece and ending at the Island Cottage Woods Preserves just south of Lake Ontario. The trail starts just after crossing Route 104 using the...
The Genesee Valley Greenway rolls through towns and countless landscapes from Rochester south to Cuba, New York. The greenway is a work in progress, but there is a long, continuous segment (37 miles)...
The Manchester Gateway Trail is a scenic route used by walkers and cyclers that follows the Canandaigua Outlet through Manchester. It has also been used for skiing during winter months. The trailhead...
This pleasant community trail connects suburban residences close to the shore of Lake Ontario with a school, a church and a commercial area in Webster, New York. Near the trail's northwest end, it...
The Cato-Fair Haven Trail (a.k.a. Cayuga County Trail) travels a little more than 14 miles through forest, wetland and tree farm.
The El Camino: Butterhole-Seneca Park Trail (often more simply called the El Camino Trail) runs diagonally through a neighborhood and industrial properties in northeast Rochester on an abandoned CSX...
By the early 1800s, Rochester had earned the nickname of Flour City because of its numerous mills that allowed the young town to rapidly become the largest flour producer in the United States. The...
The Erie Attica Trail lies in the Finger Lakes region of New York along the former railroad for which it's named. A glimpse of this past can be seen in the beautiful truss bridge that spans 220 feet...
Brickyard Trail offers a pleasant north-south route through the Town of Brighton, which sits on the southeastern outskirts of Rochester. Its name is a nod to the town's brickmaking industry dating...
The Keuka Outlet Trail offers a sinuous route of nearly 7 miles between Penn Yan and Dresden in New York’s Finger Lakes region. The rail-trail follows a railroad corridor that traced a former canal...
Located in the majestic Finger Lakes region, the Lehigh Valley Trail is a well-used gem with a sparkling future. Wandering 16.4 miles through beautiful landscapes and rich greenery, the trail connects...
The Ontario Pathways Rail Trail is the crown jewel of the trail system managed by the organization for whom it is named in Ontario County, New York. Comprising two disconnected segments, including a...
The Groveland Secondary Trail follows a portion of abandoned right-of-way of the old Groveland Branch of the Erie Lackawanna between York and Alexander. The York terminus begins just east of Main...
Snaking along the shoreline of Lake Ontario, the Irondequoit Lakeside Multi-Use Trail provides a smooth journey infused with the region’s rich natural and cultural heritage. The nearly 7-mile trail...
Two former rival railroad corridors that crossed in Buffalo’s eastern suburbs now form a nearly 18-mile paved trail system called Clarence Pathways in Clarence, Newstead, and Akron. Five trails...
There are so many reminders from the heyday of the railroad age on the nearly 10-mile Auburn Trail that visitors might imagine they’re chugging through villages and countryside at the throttle of a...
When complete, the Erie Canalway Trail will run for 360 miles in upstate New York—from Buffalo in the west to Albany in the east—linking many other communities along the way, including Rochester,...
The Pittsford Trail System, also called the Railroad Loop Trail, provides access to the Erie Canal, town of Pittsford, and shopping and business district in the quaint New York village. A short...
The I-390 Bike Path is a 5-mile paved trail starting in Greece and ending at the Island Cottage Woods Preserves just south of Lake Ontario. The trail starts just after crossing Route 104 using the...
Travelers on the Lake Ontario State Parkway Trail will enjoy scenic views of wooded areas, surrounding bodies of water and wetlands. The trail parallels the north side of the Parkway, which runs along...
The Cayuga-Seneca Canalway Trail is a 5-mile pathway beginning in Waterloo, New York and terminating at Seneca Lake State Park. The roadbed it uses was constructed by the Seneca County Railway...
Rode one way approx 7 miles starting in Amsterdam. While pedaling under the thruway overpass, it smelled like feces/urine. This area has an abandoned building and an adjacent overgrown wareyard with debris piles, junk and very weedy. Approx 1/3 mile past the overpass we stopped to look at map and weather app (the clouds were looking ominous) and I see a large man riding toward us (up until that point we saw no-one else on the trail). As he passed us grunting and snarling at us, I noticed he was filthy with dirty hair and face. He rode past us and less than 30 seconds later when I looked down the trail, he had disappeared into the brush (this is a straightaway section - you can see a long way). We turned around and within 10 minutes the downpour was upon us. We were soaked when we arrived back in am-dam.
My advice: do not pedal this section by the overpass alone. This man had no good reason to pursue us, then growl/grunt when passing us and then disappear back into the brush. If I had been solo riding, I can only speculate on a different outcome. He is living under/by the overpass. We apparently pedaled thru his "area".
Great surface! Connect from I 390 trail to go from Greece to Lake Ontaio pier. We enjoyed.
This is the first of a multi-part review, since the trail is so long. It takes me and hour and a half to drive from New Paltz, NY to one of the parking areas.
Last year I rode the section from the Corning Center in Albany along the Hudson River to end at a parking lot in Watervaliet. Right next to the the river, there is a lot to see and hear on this paved trail, as the highway is sometimes very close. There are plenty of areas to stop and touch the water while on a break. Just do it sometime anytime. I would like to revisit this section after the leaves have fallen, just before winter.
Last month I rode from the through the Albany suburbs of Watervaliet, Green Island, and Cahoes. Though it is fairly flat and well paved, it is totally on-street section of the trail. One nice side trip is north up to Waterford, which goes over several bridges to Van Schaich Island and Peebles Island. When you cross the steel bridge you can see the beginning of the actual canal and its first lock near the Waterford Harbor Visitor Center. Just go down Cannon Street.
Last week, Tuesday August 20, 2019 I went to the section that includes the towns of Latham and Colonie, turning around at Lock 7 on the Mohawk River. This is a very nice section of the trail, good pavement, mostly shady and offers a few nice views of the Mohawk River. There is a short on-road section in Dunsbach Ferry where you ride underneath Route 87. Then a significant hill back to the trail. Headed west, from the Lions Park in Niskayuna ( a good parking area) there is one very straight and flat section of about a mile or so for time-keepers and racers. Lock #7 is a pleasant park to stop for a break and watch the boats navigate the rise or fall of the lock, next to a waterfall.
It may take several years for me to complete the entire Erie Canal trail, but it is a fun goal.
We have been loving this trail from Herkimer ( starts at Movac parking lot rt 5s Mohawk) , past Fort Herkimer Church about 4 miles is paved and mostly flat. A beautiful ride. Will be great when the connection at rt 167 in LittleFalls is finished. The trail continues to be paved across rt 167 ( Little Falls). Mostly flat and very scenic. Turns to stone dust at Finks Basin rd. LF ( parking). Paved again@ STJ
This must be a beautiful trail most of the time. However, this morning (Aug. 18, 2019) when we were biking on this trail it was more like an obstacle course. We started out from Waterloo and headed towards Geneva NY and Seneca Lake. Between mile 1 and 1.5 there must have been about 20 downed trees. Not all were dead - many live trees were just snapped at the trunk and lay across the bike path. These trees need to be cleared if anyone will enjoy this bike path. Other that that, it is a lovely trail, next to the Seneca River.
My wife and I had a nice ride in spite of some on and off rain during our ride. The trail was well drained and it was not muddy. My only complaint is that there could be a little better signage on some of the road sections of the trail. As we traveled west out of Mertensia Park we had to guess which way to travel on the road when the trail hit the back of the golf course.
Biked down this trail this afternoon with my 5 year old, it was a very pleasant ride. Though we only scratched the surface, looking forward to riding again.
Started out in Canandaigua, rode our bikes to Stanley and back. This trail is actually what the title says, because there is a hint of manure smell throughout most of this trail (not too over baring though), as it goes through farms and ranches where cows are. There are also a bunch of signs that somebody hung up in the Canandaigua area with Winnie the Pooh comments on them, which were entertaining. Most of this path was wide enough to ride, but at every street that we came to, there was a gate that we needed to be very careful going through due to it being very tight. The scenery most of the past was pretty much the same until we came to the bridge that went over Flint Creek which was very surprising to see. It took us about 4 hours to ride approximately 25 miles (round trip) because the terrain went from gravel to dirt to grass and very bumpy due to roots. We hardly saw any wild life except for birds and bugs due to being 82° in the early part of August. Over all, it was mostly pleasant and only saw 2 other bikers, and 2 walkers. Yes I would ride it again in the future, but not too soon as we are exploring different paths to ride.
In mid July 2019 the trail was in excellent condition, and no longer ended at the busy state highway 96A. Ramps and a bikeway under the highway and over railroad tracks now take you into Seneca Lake State Park. It's another 2.7 miles to the western end of the park, which is lovely and mostly car free.
We startes in Amsterdam,we parked on a dirt section on Cleveland Ave,little further down is a bigger paved lot.We did a little detour on Bridge Rd,nice pedestrian bridge(flowers & a few interesting sculptures.) Rode into Riverlink Park. Small park,but a cute little detour. Most of the trail was paved,there was a section that was bumpy.Pretty flat. About 4-5 miles was crushed stone/dirt.If it rained heavy may get muddy.We enjoyed the trail,a few street crossings.Was a pretty quite trail on a sunday.Was a mix of shade & sun. We seen some wildlife,seen a fisher & what looked like a weasel,was so quick.,so that was cool!.We rode to Sparkers. There was a cooler of waters & there was bathrooms across the street.(Courtesy of the church)We rode about 44 miles there & back,with detour. The trail is broken up into sections,so we rode this section. Hope to ride the Buffalo section..
We rode this trail in two sections both in the Rochester New York area. Our first mini trip was a 20 mile run between Brockport and Rochester New York and the next day another mini run between Brockport and Albion New York. This trail rocks. Great views along the canal, Very friendly people in the many towns along the way who welcome cyclist. Many accommodations along the trail as well. Our favorite towns were Brockport and Albion. These are old canal towns that have kept there history. The trail offers great views is hugging the canal and offers some shade however the areas we rode were mostly open sunny areas. I have traveled on many canal trails and this trail did not fail. The trail is well marked has a town every 4 to 6 miles.We will return to do the entire trail soon.
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