Cortland, NY Running Trails and Maps

400 Reviews

Looking for the best Running trails around Cortland?

Find the top rated running trails in Cortland, whether you're looking for an easy short running trail or a long running trail, you'll find what you're looking for. Click on a running trail below to find trail descriptions, trail maps, photos, and reviews.

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Activities
Length
Surfaces
Type
29 Results
Activities
Length
Surfaces
Type

Auburn-Fleming Trail

1.6 mi
State: NY
Ballast, Dirt

Big Flats Trail

1.7 mi
State: NY
Gravel

Black Diamond Trail

8.45 mi
State: NY
Crushed Stone

Catharine Valley Trail

13.8 mi
State: NY
Asphalt, Crushed Stone

Cayuga-Seneca Canal Trail

6.7 mi
State: NY
Crushed Stone, Dirt, Grass

Charlie Major Nature Trail

1.2 mi
State: NY
Cinder, Dirt

Dryden Rail Trail

10.4 mi
State: NY
Crushed Stone, Dirt, Grass, Gravel

Erie Canalway Trail

335.2 mi
State: NY
Asphalt, Concrete, Crushed Stone

Keuka Outlet Trail

6.7 mi
State: NY
Asphalt, Ballast, Dirt, Gravel

South Hill Recreation Way

3.3 mi
State: NY
Asphalt, Gravel

Verona Beach State Park Rail Trail

1.5 mi
State: NY
Dirt, Grass

Cato-Fair Haven Trail

14.51 mi
State: NY
Cinder, Dirt

Cayuga Waterfront Trail

8 mi
State: NY
Asphalt, Boardwalk

East Ithaca Recreation Way

2.2 mi
State: NY
Asphalt, Cinder, Gravel

Lackawanna Rail Trail

8.7 mi
State: NY
Asphalt

Lenox Rail Trail

2.2 mi
State: NY
Asphalt

Odessa-Hector Rail Trail

2.5 mi
State: NY
Dirt, Grass, Gravel

Oneida Rail Trail

1.5 mi
State: NY
Dirt, Grass

Ontario Pathways Rail Trail

24.28 mi
State: NY
Cinder, Dirt, Grass, Gravel

Oswego County Trail

25 mi
State: NY
Ballast, Crushed Stone, Dirt
Accordion

Ridgeway Trail

4.3 mi
State: NY
Ballast, Dirt, Gravel

Vestal Rail Trail

3.8 mi
State: NY
Asphalt

Gorge Trail

2.2 mi
State: NY
Cinder, Crushed Stone

Bear Trap Creek Bikeway

1.6 mi
State: NY
Asphalt

South Trail

2.2 mi
State: NY
Dirt

Gateway Trail

1.12 mi
State: NY
Crushed Stone, Grass, Gravel

Kirkland Trails

3 mi
State: NY
Crushed Stone, Dirt

Lansing Center Trail

7.7 mi
State: NY
Dirt, Grass

Lehigh Valley Trail - Cortland County

2.5 mi
State: NY
Cinder, Grass
Trail Image Trail Name States Length Surface Rating
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...
NY 1.6 mi Ballast, Dirt
A pleasant walk between wetland habitat and farmland, this short community trail sits atop a sewer line that Corning Glassworks installed to serve its Big Flats plant. Corning provided the crushed...
NY 1.7 mi Gravel
Overview The Back Diamond Trail stretches 8 miles of the trail are open, which follows the Lehigh Valley Railroad route whose Black Diamond Express once ran from Buffalo to New York City and gives...
NY 8.45 mi Crushed Stone
Overview The Catharine Valley Trail is an almost 14-mile multiuse pathway that provides a comfortable and shaded trail experience through Upstate New York. The rail-trail runs between Seneca Harbor...
NY 13.8 mi Asphalt, Crushed Stone
The Cayuga-Seneca Canalway Trail is a 6.7-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...
NY 6.7 mi Crushed Stone, Dirt, Grass
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...
NY 1.2 mi Cinder, Dirt
The Dryden Rail Trail is a developing trail that will someday connect with the East Ithaca Recreation Way, forming over 16 miles of continuous walking and biking in Tompkins County. But it's not just...
NY 10.4 mi Crushed Stone, Dirt, Grass, Gravel
Closure Notices: In Palmyra/Wayne County, a portion of the trail is closed between route 21 and Swift Landing Park. In Oneida-Verona, Oneida County, a bridge replacement is taking place at the corner...
NY 335.2 mi Asphalt, Concrete, Crushed Stone
Overview The Keuka Outlet Trail offers a winding route of 6.7 miles between Penn Yan and Dresden in New York’s Finger Lakes region. The rail trail follows a railroad corridor that traces a former...
NY 6.7 mi Asphalt, Ballast, Dirt, Gravel
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...
NY 3.3 mi Asphalt, Gravel
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,...
NY 1.5 mi Dirt, Grass
The Cato-Fair Haven Trail (a.k.a. Cayuga County Trail) travels a little more than 14 miles through forest, wetland and tree farm.
NY 14.51 mi Cinder, Dirt
The Cayuga Waterfront Trail is an 8 mile greenway on the edge of Lake Cayuga in Ithaca, New York. As this trail traverses the southern shore of this lake, as well as the Cayuga Inlet, it connects a...
NY 8 mi Asphalt, Boardwalk
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...
NY 2.2 mi Asphalt, Cinder, Gravel
Overview  The Lackawanna Rail Trail runs for 8.7 miles between Elmira and Lowman along the old Delaware, Lackawanna, and Western Railroad. Following the meandering Chemung River, the trail travels...
NY 8.7 mi Asphalt
While many other rail trails in rural New York have gravel or grass surfaces, which make them difficult to traverse for cyclists and users with disabilities, the Lenox Rail Trail offers over two miles...
NY 2.2 mi Asphalt
Following the defunct and abandoned Lehigh Valley Railroad corridor, the Odessa-Hector Rail Trail stretches for 2.5 miles through the woods and fields between the Town of Montour and the Village of...
NY 2.5 mi Dirt, Grass, Gravel
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...
NY 1.5 mi Dirt, Grass
Overview 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,...
NY 24.28 mi Cinder, Dirt, Grass, Gravel
Overview 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...
NY 25 mi Ballast, Crushed Stone, Dirt
Accordion
The Ridgeway Trail skirts the banks of Willseyville Creek along the abandoned rail bed of the Delaware & Lackawanna Railroad and the former Lehigh Valley Railroad. From south Willseyville the trail...
NY 4.3 mi Ballast, Dirt, Gravel
The Vestal Rail Trail runs for nearly four miles through the town of Vestal along an abandoned right-of-way once used by the Delaware–Lackawana & Western Railroad. Today, the 12-foot-wide trail is...
NY 3.8 mi Asphalt
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...
NY 2.2 mi Cinder, Crushed Stone
Bear Trap Creek Bikeway follows the creek of the same name between Ley Creek Drive and the Mattydale Shopping Plaza. For most of its length it parallels Interstate 81, with a fence separating the...
NY 1.6 mi Asphalt
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...
NY 2.2 mi Dirt
Overview The Gateway Trail is a 1.12-mile rail trail located just southwest of Ithaca in Tompkins County NY. About the Route Along Stone Quarry Rd., trail users will come across the entrance...
NY 1.12 mi Crushed Stone, Grass, Gravel
Overview The Kirkland Trails is a developing multi-use trail network in Kirkland, NY. The trail is 3 miles long along an old rail bed. About the Route The 3-mile Kirkland Trails runs directly...
NY 3 mi Crushed Stone, Dirt
Overview The Lansing Center Trail totals 7.7 miles and offers multiple loops around the perimeters of abandoned and active farm fields, plus wooded, linear trails along the abandoned railroad berms...
NY 7.7 mi Dirt, Grass
A public trail owned by Cortland County since the 1977 abandonment of a Lehigh Valley railroad line built by Ezra Cornell as the "Ithaca & Cortland" in 1872, this path crosses east to west from...
NY 2.5 mi Cinder, Grass

Recent Trail Reviews

Cayuga-Seneca Canal Trail

beautiful fall trail

November, 2024 by rwd3038

Rode this trail on October 31st. Still beautiful colors. At the 1.2 mile had to move 2 trees that fell across the trail. Otherwise trail well maintained. The park at the end is lovely. Crossed over Rt 20 and had lunch at The Beef & Brew. They were very accommodating letting us tuck our bikes in an alcove while we enjoyed a great lunch. Will post pictures too

East Ithaca Recreation Way

Scenic trail, all paved!

October, 2024 by megr_tl

Took out bikes on this trail on a lovely fall day — some nice fall colors. Negative is lack of signage, which caused us to go the wrong way at one intersection. Found it easier to bike the road than on the hill portion of Maple Avenue than on the very tiny strip of bike trail on the hill. Biked the trail in the flatter portion of the the Maple Ave. trail.

Keuka Outlet Trail

Nice trail for views but very rough in spots especially in the middle. There should almost be a warning for road bikes. Bumpy.

October, 2024 by clamy4

Nice trail for views but very rough in spots especially in the middle. There should almost be a warning for road bikes. Bumpy.

Accordion

Catharine Valley Trail

A bit of everything

October, 2024 by jenkinsbeth

Enjoyed it - very shady and currently a lot of leaves down on much of the trail but a nice gravel ride. Some sections the trail was 1 ft wide and others 12 ft wide, some finely crushed cinder and some even grassy. Is a rail trail with gradual climb going south and a couple of fun little hills/bumps. Signage is a little confusing - we took the road one direction but found the trail coming back. Does require a couple of on road sections.

Lackawanna Rail Trail

Not safe

September, 2024 by priestman

I have walked & biked this trail for 2 years now. Within the last month, I no longer feel safe on this trail. Certain areas are very overgrown with the bushes. Several homeless encampments have been set up at different areas of the trail. Too bad something nice can’t be maintained.

Odessa-Hector Rail Trail

poor trail for bikes

September, 2024 by dhmckeeby

Not a good or fun ride.

Catharine Valley Trail

Great Trail

September, 2024 by dhmckeeby

We biked the trail and it was a beautiful day to get out and ride. The trail was in great shape. There were several benches all along the trail to stop and take a break if needed. The leaves were just starting to turn colors and fall off the trees. We saw a few other people on the trail, walking, biking and enjoying the day.

Catharine Valley Trail

Good trail but!

August, 2024 by mey656321

Trail is a great ride with a slight increasing grade heading south. Majority of the trail is well shaded from a tree canopy. Trail surface is stable and smooth. Trail markers are pathetic! Extremely lacking heading south and somewhat (not enough)improved heading north.

Big Flats Trail

Varied terrain, often-used, one large incline

August, 2024 by nordmanbp

This is an out-and-back route, though there is a parking lot at S Hibbard Road and also at Sperr Memorial Park.
Parking off S Hibbard Road in Big Flats, there's about a 10-foot incline to get up to the main trail. Once on the trail, it's a mix of packed surface, deep gravel, and some grass. There will likely be walkers to avoid, though not many. At the 1.5km mark there's a steep incline to get up and over Kahler Road, and then the trail continues through grass, but it looks like it used to be paved for vehicles so there are two car-wheel-width tracks available. There is nothing at the far end of the trail - no sign, no turn-around - just trees & weeds. Not a lot to see, but it's a fun ride. On the way back, another steep incline to get up & over Kahler Road. You can to a bit of biking around Sperr Park, but most of it is unmaintained and seldom used to you'd just be exploring.

Odessa-Hector Rail Trail

Nice views but tough on the feet/joints. Potentially dangerous for the unprepared

August, 2024 by khmo

Unlike most rail to trail venues, this one has a very nice, cleared path but no surface work. The result is walking on railroad ballast which is very tough on feet and joints. I would not consider this a safe bike trail and caution hikers. Hopefully this is just the beginning of more work to come such as seen in the Catherine Valley Trail which is much more user friendly. On the plus side, the signage and clearing work is nicely done and the old RR right of way has many small falls and streamlets to enjoy.

Shared review with Hiking NYS and Beyond.

Lackawanna Rail Trail

It's a nice safe ride without slot of hassle.

August, 2024 by mwalkerworld

It's a nice safe ride without slot of hassle.

Keuka Outlet Trail

Harvey the RV

July, 2024 by carlbrunning99

Nicely shaded most of the way, which follows a waterway. Goes by several waterfalls. The trail itself is a mix of gravel and grass with a few rough spots. I had my hybrid bike and my wife her e-bike. Overall a good ride giving us a decent workout.

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