List of rail trails in New York

Last updated

This list of rail trails in New York lists former railroad rights-of-way in New York that have been converted to rail trails for public use. Many of these rail trails are also part of the statewide Empire State Trail network, which officially opened Jan. 1, 2021.

Contents

Trails

Trail nameLengthLocationOriginal Rail RoadOpening date
Adirondack Rail Trail 34 miles (55 km) [1] Essex and Franklin counties New York Central Railroad December 1, 2023 [2]
Akron Clarence Trail 12 miles (19 km) Erie County West Shore and Buffalo Railroad [3] 2004 [4]
Albany County Helderberg-Hudson Rail Trail 9.8 miles (15.8 km) [5] Albany County Albany and Susquehanna Railroad (Delaware and Hudson Railway)2011 [6]
Albany-Hudson Electric Trail*36 miles Rensselaer and Columbia counties Albany and Hudson Electric Railway (Albany Southern Railroad)2020
Allegheny River Valley Trail 5.6 miles (9.0 km) [7] Allegany and Cattaraugus counties Western New York and Pennsylvania Railway (Pennsylvania Railroad)1998 [8]
Andes Rail Trail 1 mile (1.6 km) plus 2 miles (3.2 km) Bullet Hole Spur Andes, Delaware County Delaware and Northern Railroad June 2012 [9]
Ashokan Rail Trail 11.5 miles (18.5 km) Ulster County Ulster and Delaware Railroad October 18, 2019 [10]
Auburn Trail 12 miles (19 km) from Powder Mills Park through Victor to Canandaigua Farmington Town Line Rd Ontario County Auburn and Rochester Railroad 1993 [11]
Ballston Bike Path 3.5 miles (5.6 km) Saratoga County Schenectady Railway Company 1994 [12]
Black Diamond Trail 8 miles (13 km) Taughannock Falls State Park to Ithaca, New York Tompkins County Lehigh Valley Railroad 2016
Black River Recreational Trail 3.5 miles (5.6 km) Jefferson County New York Central Railroad
Bog Meadow Brook 2 miles (3.2 km) Saratoga County ?
Canalway Trail*??Mostly towpath trails, but parts, like the Mohawk-Hudson Trail (below), use former rail beds.1973
Catharine Valley 12.9 miles (20.8 km) [13] Chemung and Schuyler Counties Chemung Railroad (Pennsylvania Railroad)2002 [14]
Cato–Fair Haven Trail 12.7 miles (20.4 km) Cayuga County Lehigh Valley Railroad (Auburn Branch)
Catskill Scenic Trail 26 miles (42 km) from Bloomville to Roxbury Delaware County Ulster and Delaware Railroad 1990 [15]
Cayuga–Seneca Canal Trail 6.7 miles (10.8 km) from Geneva to Waterloo Seneca County ?
Chautauqua Alison Wells Ney Trail ? Chautauqua County ?
Chautauqua Brocton Area Recreational Trail 2 miles (3.2 km) Chautauqua County ?
Chautauqua Laurie A. Baer Trail 1.1 miles (1.8 km) Chautauqua County ?
Chautauqua Nadine and Paul Webb Trail 1 mile (1.6 km) Chautauqua County ?
Chautauqua Nancy B. Diggs Trail 1.5 miles (2.4 km) Chautauqua County ?
Chautauqua Ralph C. Sheldon Jr. Trail 4.5 miles (7.2 km) Chautauqua County ?
Chautauqua Village of Mayville Trail 1.5 miles (2.4 km) Chautauqua County ?
Cheektowaga Rails to Trails [16] ? Erie County Lehigh Valley Railroad 2009
Chittenango Gorge Trail ? Cazenovia ?
Corkscrew Rail Traill 3 miles Stephentown Rutland Railroad June 6, 2015 [17]
Corning Bike Path 3.3 miles (5.3 km) Corning-Painted Post Middle School to Princeton Avenue, Corning, New York [18] Steuben County Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Railroad [19]
DnH Canal Heritage Corridor North ???
DnH Canal Heritage Corridor South ???
Dutchess Rail Trail*13 miles (21 km) Dutchess County Central New England Railway 2007 [20]
Electric Trolley Trail, Pittsford1.8 miles (2.9 km) Shoen Place to Marsh Road Pittsford, Monroe County Rochester & Eastern Rapid Railway (interurban, aka the Orange Line)
Erie Cattaraugus Rail Trail East Aurora Buffalo and Pittsburgh Railroad 2023 [21]
Fonda, Johnstown, and Gloversville Rail Trail ? Fulton County Fonda, Johnstown, and Gloversville Railroad2007
Genesee Valley Greenway 59 miles (95 km) Jefferson Road Rt. 252 to Letchworth State Park and Sonyea, New York. Then segments and gaps to Cuba, New York Monroe, Livingston, and Allegany CountiesGenesee Valley Rail Road (Pennsylvania Railroad)1992 [22]
Gorge Trail 2.2 miles (3.5 km) [23] Chittenango Falls State Park, Madison County Lehigh Valley Railroad (Elmira and Cortland Branch)
Greater Jamestown Riverwalk [24] ? Chautauqua County Erie Railroad (Only the portion north of downtown Jamestown along the Chadakoin River )
Harlem Valley Rail Trail ? Dutchess and Columbia Counties New York and Harlem Railroad (New York Central Railroad)1996
High Line 1.4 miles (2.3 km) Gansevoort Street to 34th Street Manhattan New York Central Railroad 2009
Hojack Trail Cayuga ? Cayuga County Lake Ontario Shore Railroad (the Hojack Line)
Hojack Trail Hamlin 14 miles (23 km) Wiler Road to East Kent Road Monroe County Lake Ontario Shore Railroad (the Hojack Line)
Hojack Trail Hilton 2.8 miles (4.5 km) Salmon Creek Park to North Greece Road Monroe County Lake Ontario Shore Railroad (the Hojack Line)
Hojack Trail Hannibal 6.6 miles (10.6 km) Viele Rd. to Martville Rd. Wayne County Lake Ontario Shore Railroad (the Hojack Line)
Hojack Trail Webster 3.5 miles (5.6 km) Vosburg Rd. to Orchard Park Webster, Monroe County Lake Ontario Shore Railroad (the Hojack Line)1997 [25]
Huckleberry Multi-Use Trail [26] ? Tannersville, New York Ulster and Delaware Railroad
Hudson Valley Rail Trail*4 miles (6.4 km) [27] Lloyd, Ulster County Central New England and Western Railroad 1997
Jim Schug Trail 4.2 miles (6.8 km) Dryden, Tompkins County Lehigh Valley Railroad [28]
John Kieran Nature Trail ? Van Cortlandt Park, The Bronx [29] New York and Putnam Railroad (New York Central Railroad)
Joseph B. Clarke Rail Trail 3.8 miles (6.1 km) Rockland County Northern Railroad of New Jersey (Erie Railroad)1994 [30]
Kaaterskill Rail Trail Currently 1.5 miles (2.4 km). The goal is to connect the Village of Hunter to North-South Lake [26] Greene County Ulster and Delaware Railroad
Kennedy Rail Trail ? Westchester and Putnam Counties New York and Mahopac Railroad (New York Central Railroad)
Keuka Outlet Trail 6.8 miles (10.9 km) Yates County Fall Brook Railroad (New York Central Railroad)July 4, 1984 [31]
Kings Park Hike and Bike Trail ? Kings Park, Suffolk County Long Island Rail Road, Kings Park State Hospital spur
Kingston Point Rail Trail*1.2 miles (1.9 km), extension planned Kingston, Ulster County ?
Lehigh Valley Trail (Black Diamond)16.2 miles (26.1 km) W. River Rd, Genesee Valley Greenway, Auburn Trail to NY 251 Monroe County and Ontario County Lehigh Valley Railroad 2004 [32]
Lehigh Memory Trail ? Williamsville, Erie County [33] Depew and Tonawanda Railroad (Lehigh Valley Railroad)
Link Trail ? Chittenango Falls State Park, Madison County ?
Long Pond Greenbelt ? Bridgehampton to Sag Harbor, Suffolk County Long Island Rail Road, Sag Harbor Branch
Maple City Trail ? Ogdensburg and St. Lawrence County ?
Maybrook Trailway*28.2 miles Dutchess and Putnam Counties. Beacon Line (Metro-North Railroad / New York and New England Railroad) from Hopewell Junction to BrewsterJanuary 4, 2021 [34]
Mohawk Hudson Bike/Hike Trail* (part of Canalway Trail System)86, with gaps in Watervliet, Colonie and Pattersonville Schenectady and Albany Counties. Schenectady and Troy Railroad (New York Central Railroad) from Cohoes to Schenectady. Towpath trail from there west.1977 [35]
Newstead Trail ? Erie County West Shore and Buffalo Railroad
North County Trailway*22.1 miles (35.6 km) Westchester County New York and Putnam Railroad (New York Central Railroad)1981 [36]
North Shore Rail Trail 10.4 miles Port Jefferson Station to Wading River, Suffolk County Long Island Rail Road, Wading River Extension June 10, 2022 [37]
Northport Rail Trail 0.65 miles (1.05 km) Suffolk County Long Island Rail Road, Northport Branch 2008
Nyack Rail Trail ? Rockland County New York and Erie Railroad (Erie Railroad)
Ontario Pathways Trail (Canandaigua to Stanley)11 miles (18 km) East Street Canandaigua to Flint Road Ontario County Northern Central (Pennsylvania Railroad)1992 [38]
Ontario Pathways Trail (Stanley to Phelps)8.7 miles (14.0 km) Ontario County Pennsylvania Railroad
Ontario and Western Rail Trail (Kingston to Ellenville)35 miles (56 km) Ulster County New York, Ontario and Western Railway
Orange Heritage Trailway 19.5 miles (31.4 km) Orange County Erie Railroad 1996 [39]
Oswego Recreational Trail ? Oswego County New York, Ontario and Western Railway 1979 [40]
Pat McGee Trail 12.2 miles (19.6 km) Cattaraugus County Erie Railroad 1987 [41]
Pendleton Rail Trail Pendleton Erie Railroad 2006-2007 [42]
Portage Trail ???
Putnam County Trailway*12 Putnam County New York and Putnam Railroad (New York Central Railroad)
Railroad Run ? Saratoga County ?
Rivergate Trail ???
Rochester, Syracuse and Eastern Trolley Trail 4.3 miles (6.9 km) Monroe county Rochester, Syracuse and Eastern Rapid Railroad
Rutland Trail 21.2 miles (34.1 km) from Norwood to Moira St. Lawrence and Franklin counties Rutland Railroad
Sodus Point to Wallington Trail 2.3 miles (3.7 km) Wayne County [43] ?
South County Trailway*14.1 miles (22.7 km) Westchester County New York and Putnam Railroad (New York Central Railroad)August 1999 [44]
South Hill Recreation Way4.6 miles (7.4 km) Thompkins County Ithaca and Owego Railroad (Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Railroad)1988 [45]
Spring Run Trail ???
Stillwater Multi-Use Trail*? Stillwater Boston and Maine Railroad
Tarrytown Lakes Extension 2.5 miles (4.0 km) Westchester County New York and Putnam Railroad (New York Central Railroad)
Tonawanda Rails to Trails? Tonawanda Erie Railroad August 11, 2016 [46]
Town of Edwards Nature Trail ? St. Lawrence County Gouverneur and Oswegatchie Railroad (New York Central Railroad) [47]
Uncle Sam Bikeway 3 miles (4.8 km) Troy Boston and Maine Railroad 1981

[17]

Vestal Rail Trail 2.2 miles (3.5 km) Broome County Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Railroad 2002 [48]
Walden–Wallkill Rail Trail 3.22 miles (5.18 km) [49] Orange and Ulster Counties Wallkill Valley Railroad (New York Central Railroad)April, 1991 [50]
Walkway over the Hudson* (Poughkeepsie Bridge)1.28 miles (2.06 km) [51] Poughkeepsie and Highland The Maybrook Railroad Line, Central New England Railway (CNE), New York, New Haven & Hartford Railroad (NH), Penn Central (PC) and Conrail, et al.2009
Wallkill Valley Rail Trail*23.7 miles (38.1 km) [52] Ulster County Wallkill Valley Railroad (New York Central Railroad)1993
Warren County Bikeway 9.4 miles (15.1 km) [53] from Glens Falls to Lake George Warren County Delaware and Hudson Railroad 1979 as first rail trail in New York state [54]
Zim Smith Trail 12 miles (19 km) Saratoga County Rensselaer & Saratoga Railroad (Delaware and Hudson Railroad)October 31, 2010 [55]

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Adirondack Rail Trail". Lake Placid, Adirondacks. November 27, 2023. Retrieved November 8, 2024.
  2. ↑
  3. ↑ Clarence Pathways (TrailLink)
  4. ↑ "Maintenance Practices and Costs of Rail-Trails" (PDF). Rails to Trails Conservancy. June 2015. Retrieved November 11, 2025.
  5. ↑ "Section of Albany County Rail Trail to Open June 2". Albany County. Retrieved May 31, 2011.
  6. ↑ "Rail Trail Updates". County of Albany. Retrieved October 25, 2015.
  7. ↑ "Allegheny River Valley Trail - Town of Allegany". Town of Allegany. Retrieved January 12, 2011.
  8. ↑ "Allegheny River Valley Trail". John Firkel. Retrieved October 11, 2021.
  9. ↑ Via, Alan (August 24, 2015). "Half-day hike: The Andes Rail Trail and Bullet Hole Spur". Watershed Post.
  10. ↑ City of New York
  11. ↑ "Maintenance Practices and Costs of Rail-Trails" (PDF). Rails to Trails Conservancy. June 2015. Retrieved November 11, 2025.
  12. ↑ "Maintenance Practices and Costs of Rail-Trails" (PDF). Rails to Trails Conservancy. June 2015. Retrieved November 11, 2025.
  13. ↑ Catherine Valley Trail (TrailLink)
  14. ↑ "Maintenance Practices and Costs of Rail-Trails" (PDF). Rails to Trails Conservancy. June 2015. Retrieved November 11, 2025.
  15. ↑ "Maintenance Practices and Costs of Rail-Trails" (PDF). Rails to Trails Conservancy. June 2015. Retrieved November 11, 2025.
  16. ↑ Parks and Facilities. "Rails To Trails". Town of Cheektowaga, New York.
  17. 1 2 Partner Trails, Rensselaer Land Trust
  18. ↑ Corning Bike Path (AllTrails.com)
  19. ↑ 1955 Topographical Map of Corning, New York (Historic Aerials)
  20. ↑ County Celebrates Official Opening of Phase II of the Dutchess Rail Trail
  21. ↑ New section of Erie Cattaraugus Rail Trail opens in West Falls
  22. ↑ Genesee Valley Greenway
  23. ↑ Gorge Trail (TrailLink)
  24. ↑ Parks and Recreation. "Greater Jamestown Riverwalk". City of Jamestown, New York.
  25. ↑ "The Hojack Line Story". Friends of Webster Trails. Retrieved October 26, 2025.
  26. 1 2 "Kaaterskill Rail Trail" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on October 24, 2017.
  27. ↑ "About the Rail Trail". Hudson Valley Rail Trail Association. Retrieved January 11, 2011.
  28. ↑ Jim Schug Trail (Town of Dryden, New York)
  29. ↑ John Kieran Nature Trail (TrailLink)
  30. ↑ "Maintenance Practices and Costs of Rail-Trails" (PDF). Rails to Trails Conservancy. June 2015. Retrieved November 11, 2025.
  31. ↑ "Cascade Falls". Crooked Lake Review. May 1, 2008. Retrieved October 24, 2025.
  32. ↑ Mendon Foundation
  33. ↑ Lehigh Memory Trail (TrailLink)
  34. ↑ The Maybrook Trailway is Now Open!
  35. ↑ "Niskayuna Chronology". Niskayuna.
  36. ↑ Kriss, Gary (August 16, 1987). "New Trailway Section Adds Another Link to County System". New York Times.
  37. ↑ Long Island's North Shore Rail Trail opens, repurposing abandoned railroad line into recreational trail
  38. ↑ "Maintenance Practices and Costs of Rail-Trails" (PDF). Rails to Trails Conservancy. June 2015. Retrieved November 11, 2025.
  39. ↑ "Maintenance Practices and Costs of Rail-Trails" (PDF). Rails to Trails Conservancy. June 2015. Retrieved November 11, 2025.
  40. ↑ "Maintenance Practices and Costs of Rail-Trails" (PDF). Rails to Trails Conservancy. June 2015. Retrieved November 11, 2025.
  41. ↑ "Maintenance Practices and Costs of Rail-Trails" (PDF). Rails to Trails Conservancy. June 2015. Retrieved November 11, 2025.
  42. ↑ "2021 Addendum to the Pendleton Town Parks Master Plan of 2007" (PDF). Town of Pendleton. June 2021. Retrieved November 12, 2025.
  43. ↑ Sodus-Wallington Rail Trail (TrailLink)
  44. ↑ Simpson, Jim (September 26, 1999). "Storm Hit Trail is on the Mend". New York Times.
  45. ↑ "Maintenance Practices and Costs of Rail-Trails" (PDF). Rails to Trails Conservancy. June 2015. Retrieved November 11, 2025.
  46. ↑ Celebration Marks Completition Of Tonawanda Rails To Trails Project
  47. ↑ Hiking the Trail to Yesterday; The Edwards Nature Trail
  48. ↑ Press Connects
  49. ↑ "Park Description and Program Schedules" (PDF). Walden, NY: Village of Walden Recreation and Parks. Archived from the original (PDF) on December 26, 2010. Retrieved December 26, 2010.
  50. ↑ "Wallkill Rail Trail could double in size". Middletown, NY: Times Herald-Record. Retrieved October 26, 2025.
  51. ↑ "Fast Facts About the Walkway". Walkway Over the Hudson. Retrieved November 24, 2010.
  52. ↑ "Wallkill Valley Rail Trail Length Doubles". Open Space Institute. August 31, 2009. Retrieved November 1, 2010.
  53. ↑ "Visit Lake George; Bicycling". Lake George Area in New York's Adirondacks. Retrieved April 11, 2013.
  54. ↑ "Greenways & Trails Bringing economic benefits to New York". New York Parks & Conservation Association. Retrieved October 26, 2025.
  55. ↑ "Final link in Zim Smith Trail is officially opened in Ballston Spa". Saratogan. Retrieved October 25, 2025.
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