Find the top rated trails in Syracuse, 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.
_147636_st.jpg)
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 South Hill Recreation Way follows the southern rim of the Six Mile Creek gorge from the outskirts of southeast Ithaca to Burns Road, near the Ithaca Reservoir. The gravel path follows the former...
The Mohawk River Trail is a pleasant, shared use pathway connecting residential sites, local parks & schools, historical sites and business districts within the city of Rome, New York. At its southern...
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...
This unique in-city trail was built on portions of the former Ontario and Western Railway Line through the City of Oswego. The Ontario and Western Railway ran its last train in March of 1957. The...
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...
_147636_sc.jpg)
The Philip A. Rayhill Memorial Recreational Trail is part of the New Hartford & Whitestown Rail Trail system (NH & W). The 4-mile asphalt trail links the two towns and roughly parallels Route 840...
Verona Beach State Park is located on the eastern shore of Oneida Lake. Shaded picnic areas and the campground are adjacent to the beach with an excellent view of the water. The lake, Black Creek,...
The South Trail stretches over 2 miles between Ballina Rd. and New Woodstock in Cazenovia, New York. The trail sits on the former right-of-way of the Lehigh Valley Railroad. The rail-trail takes users...
The East Ithaca Recreation Way on East Hill is primarily built upon the rail bed of the old Ithaca and Cortland Railroad, which later became part of the Lehigh Valley Railroad. The trail skirts the...
The Oswego County Trail follows an abandoned right-of-way of the old New York Ontario & Western Railroad between Cleveland and Fulton. The trail passes among scenic countryside on a sometimes rough...
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 first mile of the nearly 12-mile planned Oneida Rail Trail opened in September 2014 between Hubbard Place and Lenox Avenue on the west side of Oneida. The trail runs through woodlands on an old...
The South Trail stretches over 2 miles between Ballina Rd. and New Woodstock in Cazenovia, New York. The trail sits on the former right-of-way of the Lehigh Valley Railroad. The rail-trail takes users...
The East Ithaca Recreation Way on East Hill is primarily built upon the rail bed of the old Ithaca and Cortland Railroad, which later became part of the Lehigh Valley Railroad. The trail skirts the...
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 Charlie Major Nature Trail follows an abandoned right-of-way that once carried trains along the old Skaneateles Short Line Railroad. The railroad served millworks in the area, including paper...
Verona Beach State Park is located on the eastern shore of Oneida Lake. Shaded picnic areas and the campground are adjacent to the beach with an excellent view of the water. The lake, Black Creek,...
The Mohawk River Trail is a pleasant, shared use pathway connecting residential sites, local parks & schools, historical sites and business districts within the city of Rome, New York. At its southern...
The South Hill Recreation Way follows the southern rim of the Six Mile Creek gorge from the outskirts of southeast Ithaca to Burns Road, near the Ithaca Reservoir. The gravel path follows the former...
The Gorge Trail is makes for a scenic walk or mountain bike ride near the town of Cazenovia. The trail runs between the old railroad buildings on William Street and Bingley Road to the north. From...
Black Diamond Trail will one day stretch 15 miles to link four state parks in the Finger Lakes region of New York. Currently, 8 miles of the trail are open, which follow the Lehigh Valley Railroad...
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 Philip A. Rayhill Memorial Recreational Trail is part of the New Hartford & Whitestown Rail Trail system (NH & W). The 4-mile asphalt trail links the two towns and roughly parallels Route 840...
This is a flat 1.6 mile trail through woods, wetlands and farmland connecting Rt. 34 in the Town of Fleming to Dunning Ave. in the City of Auburn. It is an easy walk or bike through a very scenic...
This unique in-city trail was built on portions of the former Ontario and Western Railway Line through the City of Oswego. The Ontario and Western Railway ran its last train in March of 1957. The...
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 Jim Schug Trail offers a short, sweet excursion in New York's Finger Lakes region. The trail was known as the Dryden Lake Trail until it was renamed in 2002 in memory of the late town supervisor...
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 Philip A. Rayhill Memorial Recreational Trail is part of the New Hartford & Whitestown Rail Trail system (NH & W). The 4-mile asphalt trail links the two towns and roughly parallels Route 840...
The Gorge Trail is makes for a scenic walk or mountain bike ride near the town of Cazenovia. The trail runs between the old railroad buildings on William Street and Bingley Road to the north. From...
The East Ithaca Recreation Way on East Hill is primarily built upon the rail bed of the old Ithaca and Cortland Railroad, which later became part of the Lehigh Valley Railroad. The trail skirts the...
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 Cato-Fair Haven Trail (a.k.a. Cayuga County Trail) travels a little more than 14 miles through forest, wetland and tree farm.
The Charlie Major Nature Trail follows an abandoned right-of-way that once carried trains along the old Skaneateles Short Line Railroad. The railroad served millworks in the area, including paper...
Verona Beach State Park is located on the eastern shore of Oneida Lake. Shaded picnic areas and the campground are adjacent to the beach with an excellent view of the water. The lake, Black Creek,...
This is a flat 1.6 mile trail through woods, wetlands and farmland connecting Rt. 34 in the Town of Fleming to Dunning Ave. in the City of Auburn. It is an easy walk or bike through a very scenic...
The South Trail stretches over 2 miles between Ballina Rd. and New Woodstock in Cazenovia, New York. The trail sits on the former right-of-way of the Lehigh Valley Railroad. The rail-trail takes users...
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...
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 Mohawk River Trail is a pleasant, shared use pathway connecting residential sites, local parks & schools, historical sites and business districts within the city of Rome, New York. At its southern...
The South Hill Recreation Way follows the southern rim of the Six Mile Creek gorge from the outskirts of southeast Ithaca to Burns Road, near the Ithaca Reservoir. The gravel path follows the former...
The Oswego County Trail follows an abandoned right-of-way of the old New York Ontario & Western Railroad between Cleveland and Fulton. The trail passes among scenic countryside on a sometimes rough...
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...
This unique in-city trail was built on portions of the former Ontario and Western Railway Line through the City of Oswego. The Ontario and Western Railway ran its last train in March of 1957. The...
The first mile of the nearly 12-mile planned Oneida Rail Trail opened in September 2014 between Hubbard Place and Lenox Avenue on the west side of Oneida. The trail runs through woodlands on an old...
Black Diamond Trail will one day stretch 15 miles to link four state parks in the Finger Lakes region of New York. Currently, 8 miles of the trail are open, which follow the Lehigh Valley Railroad...
The Jim Schug Trail offers a short, sweet excursion in New York's Finger Lakes region. The trail was known as the Dryden Lake Trail until it was renamed in 2002 in memory of the late town supervisor...
I am always leery of trails that don’t show ‘biking’ as an activity, just ‘mountain biking’. I have a trail near me that I detest that is maintained by atv people. It has rocks and mud puddles. So I read the few reviews about the trail and was skeptical, because no one said much about biking. But the photos made me hopeful.
The reviews made me realize what I saw as I passed a parking area and obvious trail crossing on Spring House Road just outside Dryden. This was the western/northern part of the trail that is not shown on Traillink, or even on Google bike map. To my east was a river of grass without any indication of roadbed, other than the tunnel of vegetation on both sides. To my west, it looked to be reasonable trek, with 2 visible wheel paths. I started to the west. You can travel the few miles to Freeville along this path.
This is like the unloved stepchild portion of the trail. The grass is mown. The tree limbs are cleared. There are even benches. But you keep asking yourself, ‘why couldn’t they just put down some stone here and make this a reasonable trail?’ The western/northern end alternates between grass, roadbed and the occasional muddy spot. I own a hybrid bike and still found this trail reasonable, but only because I started out early in the day, with the most energy. Slogging through grass saps your strength pretty rapidly.
Heading back to Spring House Road, I asked myself if I could tolerate the grass that lay to the east. I figured I had it in me, and that it would be no more than a mile to connect up to the mapped portion of this trail. That river of grass is probably a half mile (grass always seems longer!) till you indeed link up with the mapped portion. Initially, the trail is wide and obvious, but as you enter Dryden, you suddenly feel like you are in someone’s side yard. On my return trip, I noted that, if approaching from the south, you would have no idea this northern portion exists because of that side yard you find yourself in.
Nonetheless, I kept going …to find MORE grass along the mapped portion, for the first quarter mile. THEN it got decent.
The southern 3.75 miles of this trail are idyllic. The trail bed itself is reasonable for any bike and the scenery is varied and enjoyable. Numerous beaver dams are within feet of the trail. You’ve got lakes and streams and fields and forests. It has to be some of the most enjoyment I have had per mile.
So, highly recommended southern end…and a reminder that there is a western/northern end, if you are up for a challenge.
The name “Black Diamond” comes from the old railroad on which this trail resides. It is an amazing engineering feat how this trail provides a steady (easy) grade all the way up to the top of Taughannock Falls from lake level. The surface is crushed stone and the entire length is well maintained. It is a real delight (even on a hot day) due to the shade provided by the hillside trees. The trail goes North along the East side of the hill. There are several (8?) road crossings along the way that are well marked, although there is little road traffic.
Fantastic bike ride. The bridge is out near the end at Penn Yan, but you can work around it on the streets and jump back on the trail on the other side. Great recommendation.
Trail is CLOSED! About 1/2 mile from Pen Yan the trail is washed out and closed. I tried to find a way around the closed part without success.
The trail itself is great, especially the middle section from miles 3-5. There one can experience some of the wildness our country once had. Tall dead trees brought to life by ivy. Roads and 'civilization' not noticeable.
Signage not good, many intersections of 'Black Diamond' and 'Stop'. Mile markers every 1/4 mile are handy.
Main issue: finding the trail. The southern Cass end is somewhat obscure, but the northern Taughannock falls end is even worse. Need a detailed map to locate it.
The Black Diamond trail should be continued northward. It would run through a T'burg farmer's land (Black Diamond Farm), and could be extended all the way to Rochester?
Thanks to the new Lakefront Park in Geneva you can get a longer ride. We rode from the parking lot next to the Ramada through Seneca State Park and picked up the trail there. A wooden bridge was built under 96A from the park. The only issue is that it is not marked and difficult to find. I asked a local while walking in the park and they were kind enough to help me out. If you follow the park road towards the marina there is a maintenance gate with a small sign that says Maintenance Lane. Bike through the gate and stay to the right. This will lead you to the path under 96A. I agree with the previous reviewer. Nice trail!
Beautiful trail, pet friendly! Plenty of places for dogs (and people) to get in the water to cool off!
Although this Bike Path is scenic, it is NOT maintained, it is continues wide cracks in the pavement and huge bumps. I already saw a couple bickers fall because of the neglected pavement. Not only do you risk a fall because of the neglect, you also risk damage to your tires as the bumps & cracks are severe. I have a Road Bike, and changed my tires because of the bumps, also note the bumps also can shift your gears.
We really enjoyed this trail with beautiful views of the outlet and falls. It is definitely doable on almost any bike except maybe a road bike. We did it on cyclocross bikes and had no issues. Varying surfaces from stone dust to crushed stone and single track but really not difficult or too rough IMO.
Certainly not per the photos. Long grass, big roots which create problems with biking. Very poorly maintained. Went to numerous trail entrances hoping for improvement to no avail.
I've ridden this section for more than 30 years with no flats. New aggregate has been laid down in this section over the last three weeks. It sparkles in the sun. I've had five flats on the new surface. Each was caused by a tiny glass shard, some clear some brown. The workers said they were putting down crushed limestone. It seems to there may be recycled glass in the mix. I'm running Schwalbe G one 700x60 tires at 30# rear 25# front. It's an admittedly light tire but I've had no problem with flats elsewhere including rough gravel roads. Go belted or tubeless on this section or be prepared to flat. Without the nice smooth new surface I'd have given this trail four stars.
Get Your 2018 RTC TrailNation Jersey!
Download the TrailLink mobile app and take TrailLink with you!
Donate and Get a FREE 2018 RTC Guidebook!
TrailLink is a free service provided by Rails-to-Trails Conservancy (a non-profit) and we need your support!
Map Search
