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Print Friendly MapThe Mosholu-Pelham Greenway connects several parks and recreational opportunities in New York City's north and central Bronx neighborhoods. A portion of the trail is also part of the growing East Coast Greenway, which will span 15 states from Florida to Maine.
On the trail’s east end is Pelham Bay Park along Long Island Sound. Larger than Central Park, this outdoor gem offers hiking and equestrian trails, playgrounds, two golf courses, access to City Island and Orchard Beach, and many other amenities.
As it makes its way across town, the trail follows scenic Pelham Parkway and, later, Mosholu Parkway to head northwest. It ends in Van Cortlandt Park, which is centered around a large lake. The park offers a golf course, athletic fields, playgrounds, a riding stable, museum, and nature center. You can enjoy more of the park’s beautiful scenery by following a short pathway around the south side of the lake and connecting to the Old Putnam Trail. That trail in turn connects to the South County Trailway outside of the park, heading north for nearly 15 miles.
On the east end of the Mosholu-Pelham Greenway, parking is available in Pelham Bay Park. On its west end, parking can be found in Van Cortlandt Park (located between Broadway and Van Cortlandt Park S.).
I have not ridden the trail for years, but as a teen I rode it many times. As a Bronx trail it’s great. This the Bronx. We were lucky to even have a place to ride. I loved the freedom it gave me as a teen to ride in the 1970’s and 1980’s. Glad it still exists.
This trail is a good idea in terms of riding from Van Cartland Park to City Island. The execution however leaves a lot of room for improvement. The mostly asphalt paths are in rough shape -cracked, tree trunk and root damage, in need of lane markings both to designate the trail and to help keep people in the proper lanes (a big issue considering the number of walkers using this trail). There are signs to help navigate this trail but they are busy and difficult to read for bikers and could be more prominent as it’s easy to miss turns at intersections.
As of June 2019 the paved surfaces ranged from excellent to fair but were mostly good. Branching and intersecting bicycle trails make it very easy to get lost so having a detailed map of the route is essential. Parking at the recommended lot at Orchard Beach costs $8 on weekdays and $10 on weekends so you may want to try street parking near one of the entrance points.
This is a great trail to get from one side of the Bronx to another. The ride starts from Van Cortlandt Park in Riverdale to Pelham Bay Park. Recent improvements to this trail have made it even better. Enjoy the almost 10-mile ride through the Bronx, mostly off-road, with some parkway crossings.
Visit City Island, Orchard Beach, and Pelham Bay Park, all within a short distance. The Bartow-Pell Mansion is across from the trail on Shore Road. The mansion grounds are free and make for a nice place to stop for photos or just a break.
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