Find the top rated trails in Rochester, whether you're looking an easy walking path or a long bike trail, you'll find what you're looking for. Click on a trail below to find trail descriptions, trail maps, photos, and reviews.
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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 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...
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...
The Cayuga-Seneca Canalway Trail is a 5-mile pathway beginning in Waterloo, New York and terminating at Seneca Lake State Park. The current stretch of trail kicks off near Lock 4 in Waterloo and...
The Irondequoit Lakeside Multi-Use Trail is currently open in two disconnected segments: one going east-west through Irondequoit and the other going north-south through Rochester. In Irondequoit,...
Four trails make up the Clarence Pathways trail system: the 3.5-mile West Shore Trail, 4.8-mile Newstead Bike Path, 6.1-mile Clarence Bike Trail and 2.3-mile Peanut Line Trail. The trails radiate...
The Lehigh Valley Trail is part of a developing system of rail-trails in western New York. The segment from Victor to Rush offers nearly 16 miles of serene wooded and rural areas. Plus, it is...
In the heart of New York's Finger Lakes Region is a rail-trail that is part natural wonder and part industrial archaeology, and the 7-mile trail Keuka Outlet Trail has a unique heritage. Technically a...
The Auburn Trail is a major cross-town, multi-use pathway, which provides connections to other trails and an up-close view of one of the oldest railroad buildings in the country. Start in...
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...
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...
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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 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 Genesee Riverway Trail links the area's vast array of recreational, historical, and cultural attractions. The Genesee Riverway Trail is popular for walking, jogging, bicycling, inline skating, and...
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 Lehigh Valley Trail is part of a developing system of rail-trails in western New York. The segment from Victor to Rush offers nearly 16 miles of serene wooded and rural areas. Plus, it is...
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, Syracuse, Rome,...
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...
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...
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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...
Shaped like a left-leaning V, the Ontario Pathways Rail Trail travels southeast from Canandaigua to Stanley, then shoots north to Phelps. The rural trail is the pride of an industrious community...
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 Irondequoit Lakeside Multi-Use Trail is currently open in two disconnected segments: one going east-west through Irondequoit and the other going north-south through Rochester. In Irondequoit,...
The Auburn Trail is a major cross-town, multi-use pathway, which provides connections to other trails and an up-close view of one of the oldest railroad buildings in the country. Start in...
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...
Four trails make up the Clarence Pathways trail system: the 3.5-mile West Shore Trail, 4.8-mile Newstead Bike Path, 6.1-mile Clarence Bike Trail and 2.3-mile Peanut Line Trail. The trails radiate...
The Cayuga-Seneca Canalway Trail is a 5-mile pathway beginning in Waterloo, New York and terminating at Seneca Lake State Park. The current stretch of trail kicks off near Lock 4 in Waterloo and...
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 Genesee Riverway Trail links the area's vast array of recreational, historical, and cultural attractions. The Genesee Riverway Trail is popular for walking, jogging, bicycling, inline skating, and...
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...
In the heart of New York's Finger Lakes Region is a rail-trail that is part natural wonder and part industrial archaeology, and the 7-mile trail Keuka Outlet Trail has a unique heritage. Technically a...
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 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 Cato-Fair Haven Trail (a.k.a. Cayuga County Trail) travels a little more than 14 miles through forest, wetland and tree farm.
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 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 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...
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 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 Irondequoit Lakeside Multi-Use Trail is currently open in two disconnected segments: one going east-west through Irondequoit and the other going north-south through Rochester. In Irondequoit,...
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 Cayuga-Seneca Canalway Trail is a 5-mile pathway beginning in Waterloo, New York and terminating at Seneca Lake State Park. The current stretch of trail kicks off near Lock 4 in Waterloo and...
The Auburn Trail is a major cross-town, multi-use pathway, which provides connections to other trails and an up-close view of one of the oldest railroad buildings in the country. Start in...
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, Syracuse, Rome,...
In the heart of New York's Finger Lakes Region is a rail-trail that is part natural wonder and part industrial archaeology, and the 7-mile trail Keuka Outlet Trail has a unique heritage. Technically a...
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 Cato-Fair Haven Trail (a.k.a. Cayuga County Trail) travels a little more than 14 miles through forest, wetland and tree farm.
The Genesee Riverway Trail links the area's vast array of recreational, historical, and cultural attractions. The Genesee Riverway Trail is popular for walking, jogging, bicycling, inline skating, and...
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...
Shaped like a left-leaning V, the Ontario Pathways Rail Trail travels southeast from Canandaigua to Stanley, then shoots north to Phelps. The rural trail is the pride of an industrious community...
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...
Four trails make up the Clarence Pathways trail system: the 3.5-mile West Shore Trail, 4.8-mile Newstead Bike Path, 6.1-mile Clarence Bike Trail and 2.3-mile Peanut Line Trail. The trails radiate...
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 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)...
I love nature trails! I came across this trail by chance when I was dog-walking. It's peaceful and quiet (at least when I went). It's a more nature-y alternative to the canal walk.
Last summer, a group of 10 friends did the trail from Buffalo to Albany. Before we started the trail in Buffalo, we ride our bikes to Niagara Falls in Canada. Great experience and wonderful ride, except for walking the bike over the border.
The "trail" between Buffalo and Albany has some gaps but in general is ok. There is a small section before Rochester where the trail is in horrible condition. The good thing is that there are good hotels in Albany, Buffalo, Syracuse and Rochester (Marriott) so you can accomodate your trip to stay in a nice hotel after a long ride. There is only one stop where you have to sleep in a run-down motel, but, hey! No trip is perfect!
Compared to other trails we have ridden on with our mountain bikes this one was very dug up and rocky.
This is a uniformly wide trail of hard packed stone and very little elevation change. 80 or 90% in the shade due to the very thick canopy running next to the canal that connects Seneca and Cayuga Lakes. The water itself is in view about 30 or 40% of the time and it is gorgeous. This will be a great trail to ride in the fall, just a few weeks from now. Note that the actual mileage is 4 1/2 miles and is really only accessible from the Waterloo entrance. Very large parking lot right next to one of the locks. Note that will be instructions say that you go down half Street after going over the bridge from the north, there is no Huff Street sign at the corner of Route 96 and 12 Huff but there is a round Cayuga Seneca trail sign pointing the way. Once this route connect to Seneca lake state park it will add about three more miles for a total of 7 1/2 one way or 15 round trip which will be great. Seneca Lake State Park and the Geneva waterfront are fully along the north end of Seneca lake right on the water
As other reviewers have noted, this is an absolutely beautiful shaded trail. It is slowly, ever so slowly, being developed by a not-for-profit organization of volunteers. These volunteers need someone to help them prepare grant applications to New York State's current method of funding, the Consolidated Funding Application as well as to private foundations making grants in New York State's Finger Lakes Region.
Without a significant infusion of funds this Trail has no chance of reaching its potential as a major tourist destination as well as an outstanding recreational facility for residents of Yates County.
Walking the trail is a wonderful experience biking it not so wonderful.
Some sections of the Keuka Outlet Trail are now single track and double track trail surfaces. Fine for walking, not good if you are bicycling on an non-suspension bicycle. The Penn Yan Rotary & other organizations have placed very nice benches along the KLOT/KOT.
I bicycled the entire Trail on a folding (20" wheels & tires with a well defined but not mtb tread) touring bicycle without suspension but I'm a very experienced bicycle who wears well padded bike shorts!
The Keuka Outlet Trail is much smoother, even in the gravel and single track sections than the NPS's C&O Trail between Cumberland MD & Hancock MD.
I recommend the KOT or KLOT as a walking trail with much to see (waterfalls, remains of mills) and admire along its route. Go to the Yates County Chamber of Commerce office for a map & brochure of the Trail. Make a contribution to the "Friends of the Outlet, Inc." to improve the trail surface. There are "lock boxes" along the Trail for you to make contributions but a nice sized check would certainly help.
Ran from the trail intersection and Freshour Rd to Canadaigua YMCA. Beautiful tree canopy made sun protection unnecessary. This portion of the trail was about 50/50 wide enough to run on the path vs. in the grass.
About 3/4 had a taste in the mouth manure smell. Not sure time of year, wind direction or weather its a common occurrence.
When biking from Utica to oriskany this trail hasn't been maintained at all.its to a point where I quit usuing this trail
I walked 1-3 miles of the trail 4 times from Penn Yan with cousins in mid-July. It was a great, well-shaded trail for walking with the chance to meet friendly bikers and walkers. It also reflected a heavy rain on the last day's hike; what had been a gentle shallow creek the first walks was a deep, surging, bank-full small river the last day.
Great trail for biking or walking. It was just my husband and I, but this trail is perfect for families with kids also. Well maintained and not too crowded
Very nice ride 28 mile round trip between Fair Haven and Cato. The air was sweet, lots to see and places to stop and sit. Look forward to it again. Would be a great way to take out of town friends for an ATV ride, walk , bike, whole family trail or beginners. Moved some downed tree branches and picked up trash. Wear appropriate attire, abandoned railway. Paid $30 dollars to the Oswego Valley ATV club to ride trail and for a parking pass, trail map and code of conduct papers. Walk, Bike for free,some horse traffic as well. On the whole I felt safe. and I felt the people that live on or near the trail were friendly good hearted hard working people.
Rode from Jefferson Rd (252) to the Lehigh Valley trail. Nice and flat. Just south of Erie Station Rd there are a few huge trees that came down obstructing the trail that you have to kind of climb through (watch out for poison ivy). Otherwise a very nice ride.
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