Find the top rated birding trails in Lancaster, whether you're looking for an easy short birding trail or a long birding trail, you'll find what you're looking for. Click on a birding trail below to find trail descriptions, trail maps, photos, and reviews.
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Great trail. Flat, easy to ride - crosses a few roads but overall pleasant. Direction Correction: The directions say that after taking a left on Phillips Road to go about a mile. Instead go .4 miles for the Auburn Trail and then .5 for the Lehigh Valley Trail.
Riding the ballast on these old rail beds is real exercise! Goes on and on....
The Bike Trail that goes from the Erie Canal along the Niagara River past the Grand Island Bridge is the worse maintained trail I ever rode on, it is full of cracks and large bumps in the pavement making a ride uncomfortable and dangerous. Although the trail is scenic, it is NOT maintained at all. I will no longer ride this trail. If you rise a road bike with thin tires, you have a definite risk of wheel destruction. I do NOT recommend this path for biking!
Scenic trail. Easy riding. As of 7/7/18 trail is closed north of 305. I rode north from Black Creek crosses 305 to a shut down trail.
Nice apshalt trail along Niagara River. Portion of trail does go along the 190 which is a heavily traveled thruway, so that portion can be a bit noisy. The trail does pass thru many parks along the way which makes for nice rest areas. At the Black Rock neighborhood in Buffalo have the option to take a asphalt trail that takes you to Delaware Park, which is an Olmsted park. Also have option to go off trail at numerous spots in Tonawanda and Buffalo. Most of the trail is off road except for short portion in Black Rock, near the inner harbor, and between the inner and outer harbor. When get to inner harbor have the option to take bike ferry across from inner to outer harbor, believe cost $1. Only reason gave 4 stars is because of portion near thruway and few sections bit bumpy.
I did the 1-mile section in Cuba, NY and found it extremely bumpy. I searched for access points in Black Creek and Belfast and couldn't find them. Heading north, I couldn't find the access on Batzing Rd. the first time but found it the next day after getting used to the difficulty of finding this trail. Many access points don't have parking. York Landing does but you can only go a short distance north before a huge break in the trail.
In Piffard, I parked in an industrial lot across from Yard of Ale and rode a few miles south before encountering a closed gate with very high grass beyond.
Finally, I parked at an access point on Batzing Rd. and rode north hoping to get to Rochester but didn't see the sign for the detour at Ballantyne Rd. and continued to the train tracks. That section has a sign about the Black Creek culvert. Took the on-road detour but didn't make it to Rochester.
All in all, a very frustrating experience and rough riding. Parts of the trail are nice but on hot days there can be a lot of sun exposure. I liked the intersection of the trail with the Lehigh Valley trail between mile markers 12 and 13. There's a very nice bridge there that was the highlight of my ride and the remnants of a stone bridge.
Biked the trail southward from a parking area on the east side of RT. 19, just south of Caneadea. First part is grass and fairly smooth and level. After a somewhat dangerous crossing of Rt. 19 to the west side the trail soon enters a shady section. This was wet and muddy with a large tree blocking the path. It also had not been cut recently. Definitely need a mountain bike on this trail. We turned around after about 2.5 miles.
Biked trail from Little Valley parking area south to end in Salamanca. Fairly level, smooth, mostly grass. Nice bridges. Fairly dry considering the recent rain. Could use a few benches or picnic tables along the way or at the Salamanca end. Had to bike back to Little Valley to have lunch at the picnic shelter. After lunch, biked a few miles north. This part is in more open farm land. Because of the lack of pavement, this trail requires tires wider that a typical road bike. My mountain bike worked well.
We were heading to Niagara Falls, ON and wanted to stop every day and enjoy a bike ride. We rode The West Shore Trail, the Newstead Bike Path and part of the Peanut Line Trail for our daily goal of 20 miles. The path is completely asphalt, is very wide and with only one short entry into a downtown area, completely rural. Highly recommend the Clarence Pathways for a terrific way to spend the day.
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