The Dryden Rail Trail is a developing trail that will someday complete the link between the Jim Schug Trail and the East Ithaca Recreation Way, forming over 16 miles of continuous walking and biking in Tompkins County. But it's not just pedestrians and cyclists who benefit: horseback riders, cross-country skiiers, bird- and wildlife enthusiasts can enjoy the trail too.
Presently, two pieces of the trail are open. The east segment runs from a pond near Virgil Creek to the Village of Freeville and then heads southeast to West Main Street in Dryden, where it seamlessly joins the Jim Schug Trail. The trail has a combination of stone dust surfacing, as well as dirt/ grass. Future plans include making the trail surface uniform (stone dust) and ADA compliant. The west segment begins on State Route 13 and heads southwest into Varna, and then passes through the Reynolds Game Farm (owned by the NY Department of Environmental Conservation) to meet the East Ithaca Recreation Way near the Cornell campus.
To ride the east segment, you can access the trail via the trailheads on George Road and Springhouse Road (Dryden) or where it intersects with roads along its route. Parking is available at the trailheads and at several additional locations. Please see the trail map for detailed directions.
To ride the west segment, you can park on Monkey Run Road, off of Dryden Road/ SR 366. Please see the trail map for detailed directions.
It’s a fun little trail to walk or bike down and have fun with your friends, nothing too crazy but in the summer or fall it can be very beautiful!
TrailLink is a free service provided by Rails-to-Trails conservancy
(a non-profit) and we need your support!