Find the top rated horseback riding trails in New York, whether you're looking for an easy short horseback riding trail or a long horseback riding trail, you'll find what you're looking for. Click on a horseback riding trail below to find trail descriptions, trail maps, photos, and reviews.
Ranging from smooth dirt and pebble gravel to three inch crushed stone, this rugged rail trail is diverse. You will need to pick your lines carefully and contend with large puddles the width of the trail, if it has rained recently. I rode it on a Priority 600 with 2.2” wide tires. I wouldn’t recommend anything smaller than 38mm wide.
After starting in New Paltz on the Hudson Valley Rail Trail and then crossing the Walkway Over The Hudson, I continued on to the Dutchess Rail Trail. I only went a few miles before turning around and heading back to New Paltz for a 21 mile ride.
The portion I rode is for the most part heavily forested, so if you like colorful trees in the fall or shade in the summer you'll love this. The trail is easy to ride, in amazing condition, and on a weekday morning in mid October lightly used. I especially appreciated the use of wood fencing in many spots which was the perfect architectural touch for this trail. Another highlight was Morgan Lake with its lovely swans and colorful trees reflecting upon the water.
I wish I would have had the time to venture further into the beautiful rural areas, but time was of the essence. I guess I have a reason to return and do the full length next time!
In my quest to bicycle in all fifty states, I drove 2,800 miles in order to ride my bike on this rail trail. It's hard to elaborate upon the Rails-To-Trails description. It was exactly as advertised and an absolute joy to experience on a brisk fall morn in early October.
About all I can add is the trail is flat, plenty wide, in excellent condition, and is a fun ride in autumn as the leaves are changing color and fluttering down to transform the path's hue from black to golden brown. There's also plenty of railroad memorabilia here and there to enhance the ride.
I didn't drive nearly 3,000 miles to just ride a seven mile trail. Naturally I continued on across the Walkway Over The Hudson and then on to the Dutchess Rail Trail for a fuller experience of the Hudson Valley! It was all exactly as I had hoped it would be!
Walked the John C. Sheldon trailhead with my dog. Always mindful of checking for ticks, I proceeded to remove 10 of them from my dogs jacket and fur!!! Otherwise a very enjoyable walk.
Convenient street crossings with traffic signals. Not too busy, so it was a nice quiet ride across town. Nice and green, lots of benches along the route to stop and rest. Very clean.
The history of the Long Island Motor Parkway (as it was first recalled) is revealed with signage along the length of the Parkway, including the site of the Jacob Johnson Family Burial Ground who appears in the 1830 Census as a "free colored man." At least two of his sons served in a segregated unit in the Civil War. He was a farmer in the area until retirement when he lived very close to Alley Pond.
The length of the entire park roadway, designated as part of the Greenway, has been repaved.
Review other park features when you come. In another area of the larger Alley Pond Park is found the oldest and tallest tree in NYC, already growing at the time of George Washington, known as the Alley Pond Giant. Hiking trails throughout the Park are well maintained.
Many improvements have been made to this trail in the last couple of years. There are no longer any wet or muddy areas. It is now part of the Erie to Pittsburgh Trail as well.
Pleasent stroll through the bog. Punctuated with numerous mud holes presumably generated by motor vehicles
Lots of places on the trail where it is almost all grass with just a dirt rut the size of a tire. Very bumpy, lots of rocks and lots of walnuts when we rode in October. Wouldn't ride this with a street bike. Waterfalls were beautiful.
As others have mentioned, this is a rough trail. Although somewhat scenic, it requires a lot of vigilance to slog through the gravel and overgrown path. We have hybrid tires, so perhaps mountain bikes would offer a more comfortable ride. The high point of our trip was staying at the Stamford inn and eating at the Millpond Inn.
I rode the southern half of this trail from Millerton to Wasaic the first week in October on a 75° afternoon. Beautiful ride on a beautiful day.
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