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The Maybrook Trailway is a paved multiuse trail stretching across Putnam and Dutchess counties in New York state. The trail, which is owned and was built by Metro North Rail, occupies the former secondary track of the Beacon Line. It was once a two-track freight line, but one track was removed in 1962; which is where the bike path is situated. The trail parallels the other set of Metro North-owned disused Beacon Line tracks as it travels over 23 miles from Brewster through Southeast, Patterson, Pawling, Beekman and East Fishkill to the hamlet of Hopewell Junction. A previously existing segment of approximately five miles heads east from Brewster towards Danbury, Connecticut via the East Branch Reservoir.
The trail is paved and generally flat, making accessible to a wide range of users, including walkers, cyclists, skaters, cross-country skiers and snowshoers. The trail delivers on attractive scenery and storied railroad history of the Hudson Valley, running through woodlands, along picturesque lakes and across iron truss bridges. In Hopewell Junction, the trail ends at the Hopewell Depot, standing since 1873, which now houses a museum and historical photo gallery.
The 24 miles between the Connecticut border and Hopewell Junction opened in 2021. It is one of several trails that make up the Empire State Trail across New York State—750 miles of walking and bikeways running from New York City to the Canadian border, as well as from Albany to Buffalo. The trail all but completes the connection to the Putnam Trailway, which in turn connects to the North County Trailway on its way down to NYC. At Hopewell Junction, it provides a seamless link to the William R. Steinhaus Dutchess Rail Trail, and onward to the Walkway over the Hudson State Park and the Hudson Valley Rail Trail in Ulster County.
In Pawling, just north of Whaley Lake, the trailway intersects with the Appalachian Trail.
Southeast Town Park (192-198 Pumphouse Rd, Brewster) on Tonetta Lake acts as the Brewster Trailhead. Using I-84 take exit 21 towards Rt 202. Make a right on Main St/Rt 6 followed by a right onto Peaceable Hill Rd. Turn right on Tonetta Lake Rd and make the first left onto Pumphouse Rd.
In Holmes, the trailhead can be found near the intersection of State Route 292 and Holmes Road. Parking is at the Community Center at 239 SR-292, Holmes, NY 12531, 700 feet north of the intersection. (Please DO NOT PARK at the apartment building at the corner of SR-292 and Holmes as that is private property.)
And in Hopewell Junction, parking is available at the Hopewell Depot (36 Railroad Ave, Hopewell Junction).
I chanced upon this trail on a cycling day from Pennsylvania Terminal in NYC to Amenia, New York and while pedaling I thought of the former freight train engineers gliding through these wonderful environments and having the views all to themselves. Now, we all can enjoy the trailway! The surface is smooth and the journey is peaceful. My trip north from Gotham and return trip south two days later took place on nice days in August, and I imagine that the Maybrook must be terrific in the fall. On its own, the Maybrook is an excellent trail; connect to it via Westchester County's South- and North County Trailways and/or the Putnam Trailway, and the Maybrook becomes one leg of many possible cycling adventures. This summer, I am going back, because I need my Maybrook fix. Thank you, New York State, for investing in premier recreational resources!
I parked at Pumphouse Rd which is right before the Tonetta Lake parking area. I rode north past Tonetta and up towards Patterson. Not too many people maybe because there was a warm summer rain that felt pretty nice. The swamp was huge and there were lots of historical signs. I’d definitely go back as this was my first time to try it out.
Pretty, shady, flat. Connected to Duchess Rail Trail and went all the way to Walkway over the Hudson.
I rode south then east from rt. 8 in Poughquag. There is a small missing section above the Croton River east branch in Brewster . You can walk your bike along RR, via open fence for this 50 yards or so or cycle downhill on Peaceable Hill rd and up the hill on East Main to get back on. The TrailLink map (as of 8/3/22) shows the trail ending here. But it continues a few miles east into Connecticut. About a half mile over the line to an overpass at Mill Plain Rd in Ridgefield CT. Smooth all the way with terrific scenery. Many lakes.
The Maybrook has quickly become one of our favorite rail trails. Basically brand new, uncrowded, lots of interesting sights along the way including multiple water views and lots of greenery.
Today we rode from the Brewster trailhead at Lake Tonetta both ways: Out and back to the CT line, and then out and back in the other direction up past the Ice Pond, for a total of about 20 miles. The first segment to the CT line was new to us; there is an on-road detour due to a bridge out at Peaceable Hill Road. You walk down a flight of steps, ride down Peaceable Hill Road to Rt. 6, turn left on Rt. 6, go down the hill, turn left again on Rt 6 and then ride up the hill past the Honda dealership where another set of stairs on the left will bring you back to the trail. These stairs are fairly steep but it can be done. The road has a shoulder but is a bit busy; experienced road riders will find this easy to navigate, others can simple walk along the sidewalk. Your reward is that the other end of the trail as you ride east is a very nice section past East Branch Reservoir, including a long section right along the water. One way mileage is about 5 miles, as the trail ends at the Connecticut line. The second section we rode, going North from the Brewster trailhead at Lake Tonetta, offers views of the “ice pond” and the “great swamp,” with hills in the distance. Today’s one way mileage for that section was also about 5 miles; a great ride, and you can ride much farther (we often go as far as Whalley Lake, just not today) as the trail goes all the way to Hopewell Junction where you can pick up the Dutchess Rail Trail. Check the Empire State Trail website for more info.
Great trail with beautiful views. In some section you're secluded (so be mindful) if alone. Trail is clean and flat best trail so far of 2022.
I rode most of the Maybrook Trailway on a cold Easter Sunday in 2022. We started in Hopewell Junction and ended at a park right outside of Brewster. The trail is completely paved, very wide and in immaculate condition. There are mile markers but they are easy to miss and I wasn't quite sure what they were counting up or down towards as they did not start at 0. There are slight elevation changes that made riding back feel a little more difficult but there are no significant hills.
The scenery is nice but it is very monotonous with lakes being the only real variation to the trees and the disused railroad that encompasses the rest of the Maybrook Trailway. Since I did not make it all the way to Brewster proper I cannot speak to any sort of facilities there but the only real bathrooms or shelter/benches I found were at the very beginning in Hopewell Junction and where we ended near Brewster.
Miles of secluded, smooth, paved trail. We were there on a Tuesday and hardly met anyone. Typical rail trail views with woods and rocks, but the view of the lake and wetlands was very pleasant and broke it up. Surprised to find the white blazes of the Appalachian Trail where it crossed the bike path. Starting in Hopewell Junction heading south east there is a slight incline until Whaley Lake. Not a problem, just made it easier on the way back. After the Whaley Lake continuing south there is a slight decline which did make it a a bit of a grind on the way back but really nothing to be afraid of. We thoroughly enjoyed the day. The only reason I did not give this trail 5 stars was because of lack of and condition of bathroom facilities. When you are of a certain age this becomes more important to you :-) We did the William R. Steinhaus Dutchess Rail Trail, Walk Over the Hudson, and Hudson Valley Rail Trail the previous day, making for a nice mini-vacation. We travelled 3 hours for this trip and it was worth it.
I’ve been riding this trail weekly since June 2021. So far, it is relatively undiscovered by users that can make biking treacherous: people walking dogs on leashes and small children weaving across the trail. In July the trail had ripe raspberries all along it for snacking. There are port—a-potties at the parking lot trailheads and even a couple bike service kiosks at a couple parking lots. Some sections of the trail can be quite remote; I’ve ridden miles without seeing another biker/runner. As a female cyclist riding fast, I feel safe, but female runners/walkers may feel safer with a partner. My only critique is that the trail does not connect at the Brewster (east) end with any of the Westchester county trails. But maybe that is coming.
Was really surprised as to the condition of trail, was great. The only thing that would be great to see would be mile markers. As a resident of the area was looking forward to when trail would be black topped, now that it is completed its great to ride with a trike, Thanks
After many years of driving over an hour from NJ to Turner st in Hopewell Junction to ride the Dutchess trail to Walkway Over the Hudson - it was fun to go south / east in the other direction. I rode about 14.5 miles from Hopewell Junction to Holmes, a mile or so past Whaley Lake. That's roughy half of the Maybrook trailway . 29 miles round trip on a perfect day (7/22/21). As someone noted it is uphill 13 of these 14 miles. But hardly noticeable. Since the locomotives can't manage hills, the railroad builders levelled the right of way. Here with the existing track next to you - you're assured of no steep hills whatsoever. About 65 minutes to the turn around point, very leisurely done but flew back to Hopewell Junction at 17 mph and 40 minutes.
Will explore the other half next week starting in Brewster. I expect it to be just as enjoyable as this was.
Okay, I road the whole trail, but on 2 days separated by a month. First I started at the Hopewell Junction parking lot (the end of the William R. Steinhaus Dutchess County Rail Trail). The second time I started riding in Brewster, near the end of the Putnam Valley trail. Either way you are going up a 1-3% grade until the level area near Whaley Lake.
Since it was paved with asphalt last year, this is a very smooth trail. There are several lovely watery areas on this trail and it is a great place for bird watchers. Except for either end, it is a somewhat secluded trail and very quiet. Thank you NYS for your investment.
This is all part of a section of NY's Empire State trail, and includes off road portions in Kingston, NY (the Wallkill Valley Rail Trail - gravel), continues through New Paltz, NY to the Hudson Valley RT, across the Walkway Over The Hudson and then to the Dutchess section. Then it continues through the Maybrook, Putnam, North County and South County rail trails to NYC. So you could ride more than 100 miles paved off-road.
Starting from either end Whaley Lake is the mid-point. From Hopewell Junction you ride east, north, and then south. Views include the Green Haven Correctional facility in Stormville, with its imposing and very high walls, and inmate sounds from inside those walls. From Brewster you ride northward past Ice Pond with its very long straight stretch (one mile?) for time trials. Going this way to the lake is shorter by about 3 or 4 miles than from Hopewell Jct. As you go upward the trail becomes very beautiful with flora and fauna. There are forest areas, beautiful mountain streams, marshlands, swamps, and then Whaley Lake. Also, there are many signs to "Stay on the Trail" to avoid snakes, poison ivy, and ticks, as well as "Stay off the Tracks" or private property.
Great day on the Maybrook. Rode from Lake Tonetta to Hopewell Junction and back, about 44 miles. Having previously ridden from Lake Tonetta to Whaley Lake, I was familiar with the basic trail..gradual uphill from Lake Tonetta to Whaley Lake, gradual downhill then from Whaley Lake to Hopewell Junction. The incline is very gradual, so not super hard but makes for a fairly long pull either way, so keep this in mind. Trail in fine shape. The first part to Whaley Lake passes several nice ponds with some hills in the background. And then Whaley Lake is beautiful, there’s a long stretch right alongside it. From Whaley Lake to Hopewell Junction, the trail is more secluded, passes over a couple of country roads and through rock cuts, and there are a few nice peeks through the trees and a view of the valley. Trail also passes the somewhat harrowing sight of Greenhaven prison briefly and also an area for NYPD canine training with big fences. But I could see this being pretty spectacular in the Fall, and it’s very quiet and peaceful. Hopewell Junction has a great stop at their old train station with picnic tables and restrooms…they did a great job with that. In Hopewell Junction you connect directly to the Dutchess County trail that leads to the walkway over the Hudson. All in all, a really nice trail, good variety of sections and sights. Note that you don’t pass through local downtowns per se, I saw restrooms at the Stormville parking area and at Lake Tonetta and Hopewell Junction. I understand there are a couple of services not far from some of the crossings (e.g. Route 292) but I did not go off the trail on this trip. Definitely worth a visit!
Parking for Holmes access is at the Community Center on 292 (not the apartment building on the corner) unless you want to get towed, they aren't very nice about it but can't really blame them.
Enjoyable ride overall. Used my road bike with a few friends and had a great ride. Few amenities so pack a lunch and plenty of water. A few scenic spots along the way but rare massive vistas if that’s what you like. If you’re a distance rider you would enjoy since it is shaded nicely and does connect further up for more scenic pieces of the Empire State trail systems
Our inaugural ride on the Maybrook trailway today. Rode from Lake Tonetta (Town of Southeast Park) in Brewster to Whaley Lake in Patterson and back, about 25 miles.
A real treat to ride on this brand-new trail, part of the Empire State system. The route out from Brewster starts flat and then becomes a very gradual uphill grade to Whaley Lake. Not really anything to be concerned about…very doable, and we enjoyed the gradual downhill for the second half of the ride. The route is very open – since the trail parallels the old (still there) tracks, there’s a feeling of openness – bright sun the entire way. The sections through Lake Tonetta, the “Great Swamp,” and the “Ice Pond” are very picturesque, with occasional view of hills in the distance along with the lake views. The best part is a 2 mile section along Whaley Lake – beautiful views of the lake and some very nice houses on the opposite shore. All in all, a great new trail – and in Fall this is going to be spectacular. A few notes: bathrooms available at Southeast Town Park (start of trail, adjacent to Lake Tonetta). I didn’t see any other bathrooms along the route, haven’t yet explored on-road possibilities e.g. nearby stores at the crossings. Bring sunscreen – very open, lots of sun. The route continues to Hopewell Junction where it picks up another section of the Empire State Trail – lots of info on the web.
Rode the northern part of this trail on 4/26/21 from Hopewell Junction to Holmes as part of my ride from New Paltz. Trail was scenic and smooth with few and easy road crossings. I imagine because of the width of the railroad tracks and the trail making this pretty much in the sun for most of the ride. Just keep in mind it’s not fully recorded in red on the trail map. Great trail if you want a great distance ride.
Rode the Maybrook trail for the first time this morning starting in Brewster, going north. Lots of gradual uphill going north which made the return trip easier. Beautiful natural scenery.
Road this entire trail this past week as an out-and-back from Brewster. It's in perfect condition with limited road crossings.
As previous comments noted it's not exactly flat. Signage states you cross the Appalachian Mountains (known as the Taconics in this area)!
In Brewster I parked in Markel Memorial Park which is closer to the southern end than Southeast Town Park. It has a short road hop to an on-ramp to the Trailway.
If you want to take the older section to Connecticut the new Trailway dead ends at Peaceable Hill Rd with steps down to the road. There is an unmarked road section leading to another flight of steps on East Main Street (bypassing an unusable trestle). Note that the trail ends about a mile south of the steps where the trail is being reconstructed (no signs of activity).
Just tried the trail for the first time doing the first 10 miles from Southeast Town Park. In those 10 miles there was one road crossing and you can still go further without one - I didn't go to the end yet. There is a long gradual grade of about 500' over 5.5 miles but really not bad. There are a few spots with a flat rock as a bench but no bathrooms at all and nothing much around as far as stores or such. My estimate is that trail will be mostly shady before noon but will be lots of sun in the afternoon.
Very scenic trail though residential and park like areas including a nice section through a swamp area - bring your bug repellant.
I biked from Brewster to Poughkeepsie on March 12, once it finally warmed up a bit. There were a few short slushy sections and a head wind, and the trail's surprisingly hilly, but I got to Hopewell Junction in about two hours. There are no services between Brewster and HJ, and the trail feels pretty remote, but there's lots of nice scenery.
Now that most of the snow has melted I ventured East from Greenhaven up Depot Hill by bike. Quite a long uphill stretch. When I got near the top the cooler temperatures and shade kept the trail snow covered. After pushing my bike uphill for a stretch it wasn’t clearing. My goal was to get to Whaley Lake but will have to return when Spring temperatures permit. No regrets fabulous paved trail. It would be a considerable uphill walk from Greenhaven as there is no trail head parking until you reach the summit. Mostly wooded with interesting rock cuts along this section. A few intersecting country roads homes and bucolic old farms, stone walls typical to the area. Well worth returning.
This trail is a gem. Fully open now from Tonetta Lake in Brewster to Hopewell Junction. Be aware that there are at least 2 additional parking areas/access points where the trail crosses RT 292 in Holmes (Whalay Lake - Holmes Community Center) and where it crosses Old Rt 55. The trail is in great condition, has some great lake and marsh views throughout and crosses the Appalachian Trail at one point.
The MTA has increased their warnings complete with fines for all to stay off the trail. No doubt in my mind whether or not it’s open. https://maybrooktrailway.org/
They are currently working on this trail. You can find updates on this website: https://maybrooktrailway.org/
This new portion will run from Pumphouse Road in Brewster to the parking lot in Hopewell Junction for the Dutchess Rail Trail.
According to the preliminary construction timeline on the website, it is scheduled to be open in January (winter/spring) of 2021.
Currently the paved section that heads north stops underneath Tonetta Lake Road which is just south of I-84. From here to Pumphouse road is a "missing link" in the trail.
We rode this trail in June 2020. There were signs that seemed to indicate the path was closed but numerous people were entering on foot, rollerblade, and bikes. A number of websites seem to indicate the path is still under construction and not yet open to the public but MTA does not seem to restrict access. We are still unclear.
Paved ends at Griffin rd. Bridge, but Black fence ends at Pumphouse rd...Hoping it goes further,Then i go east and it ends at the Train Tressel which i understand because it would cost to much to cross it i guess,but then the cutoff is at at Lisi's towing which baffles me but when i drive down Rt.6 in my Vehicle the Black Fence starts up again Hmmm!!!.
Paved section enter off N. Main St behind Kobackers to Peaceable Hill Rd. Run down the stairs around the corner on Rt 6 up the hill towards Brewster Honda back up the steps and continue to dead end/turnaround by Exit 10 ramp close to Danbury border. Combined with the local roads for a great run! Once the section is paved over the railroad bridge over RT 6/202 it will be a straight run, no stairs.
On my walk down to Southeast Park today, I checked what I suppose will be an "entrance" to this path, accessible from Pumphouse Rd. A black fence is up next to the tracks, but the terrain is rocky, and it's not smooth-paved asphalt surface yet. Not ready for biking at this location YET, but it will be fun to watch things progress from here, and eventually connect up to the Putnam Trailway (http://www.traillink.com/trail/putnam-trailway.aspx).
I'm excited to use this path once the project is completed. Looking good thus far!
As of 4 July 2016. Seems to be about a mile of San over gravel. There is construction equipment at the west end, but not much happening. Looks like it will be a nice trail when complete.
Small portion of Maybrook trail is now paved. Trail can be easily accessed from Crosby Ave in Brewster. Trail paved a few hundred yards north toward I84. Also paved a few hundred yards south and east toward Danbury. Contractor actively working on trail putting down base and working on trestles. Looks like a stairway is being installed at the Peaceable Hill Road overpass.
Unfortunately no connection to the Putnam Trailway. No construction activity at all on the bridge necessary to cross Metro North active rails.
At Eastern end it looks like the trail will eventually be paved to the CT border or even further.
I was unable to find any access point to this trail in August 2015. I could see some places where there was a fence separating the trail from the railroad, but there was no way to get to the trail that I could find. I asked a policeman if he knew how to get to it, but he said it was not open yet.
No stars. As of May 2015 this trailway consists of crushed stone and runs along a railroad track separated by a fence. The surface is not suitable for bicycles at this time. Parking was not visible at either end.
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