If there is one bike path that most closely resembles a trunk-line, main artery for bikes in the Hudson Valley region, it is the South and North County Trailway in Westchester County. This trail, which runs continuously from Bronx/Yonkers border for almost 50 miles to the Village of Brewster in Putnam County, is the centerpiece of Westchester’s trail network and one of the most popular parks in this part of the region. It also features prominently in our Hudson Valley Craft Brewery Bike Tour, which is our most popular tour.
Although this trailway is typically viewed as one long bike path, it is technically made up of four separate trailways with different names (and different maps). The South County Trailway runs between Van Cortlandt Park at the Bronx/Yonkers border to Old Saw Mill River Road, which is the border between the Towns of Greenburgh and Mount Pleasant. North of Old Saw Mill River Road, the path is the North County Trailway until you get to the border between Putnam and Westchester Counties where the path becomes the Putnam Trailway. The southernmost segment of the trail, which goes through Van Cortlandt Park in the Bronx, is named the Putnam Greenway.
A stone marker lets you know you are crossing into New York City on the Putnam Greenway.
Although the name changes four times, and you need four different maps for it, the trailway is basically the same throughout. This was once a train line, known as the Putnam Division of the New York Central Railroad. It was first constructed as the New York City & Northern Railroad in 1881 when mining operations were abundant in Putnam County. Passenger service continued until 1958, but it was never as successful as the Harlem or Hudson lines (both of which continue as Metro-North train lines today) probably because riders needed to transfer in the Bronx to continue their trips to Manhattan. After passenger service ended, freight service continued until 1982 at which point the right-of-way was transferred to the New York State Department of Transportation. Then Westchester County and Putnam County both constructed trailways on the alignment as county parks. The New York City portion of the right-of-way remained a dirt path until it was finally paved in 2020.
Historic panels along the trailway tell you about long lost train stations.
This trailway corridor has been constructed piece-meal over several decades. The first segments were constructed by Westchester County in the 1990’s. The last piece was opened in 2017. What this now means is that there are sections that are relatively new, and in great shape….and there area also old sections that are in very rough shape. The conditions can change dramatically as you ride. The good news is that some of the older sections are now being reconstructed and are better than ever. The bad news is that this construction will take many years to reach all of the spots that need it, so some of the segments will stay rough and bumpy for a while longer. You’ll also have to deal with interruptions in the trail due to construction.
Uh oh…a surprise construction closure means you get to make a detour. At least this part of trail will be brand new the next time you come back.
If you are looking to ride the trail, the good news is that there are many parking lots along the path. Parking lots are shown on the various maps for the trail. Biking to the trailway from somewhere else can be hit-or-miss, depending on where you are. Many of the roads that cross the trail are busy and have no shoulders on them, since this trail goes right through the heart of car-oriented suburbia. The only nearby public transit options are at the south end (the #1 subway at Van Cortlandt Park) or the north end (the Brewster Metro-North station). So transit works well if you want to do a 50+ mile ride. If not, you’ll probably end up riding “out and back” from wherever you parked your car. The only way to do a shorter distance as a one-way ride using transit is to do our Hudson Valley Craft Brewery Bike Tour, where we shuttle you back to the train after riding 35 miles.
When riding this trail, you will also need to carefully think about services, since there are long stretches with no restrooms, stores or restaurants. So you may need to pack a lunch or at least plan where you may want to buy it as well as think about bathroom breaks. This trail is busy, and often times there is little room on each side of the path, so sneaking into the woods to pee isn’t always an option. (Again, another advantage of our bike tour…we tell you where the restrooms are and we arrange a picnic lunch for you.)
A beautiful spot to take a break along the Saw Mill River and observe wildlife.
This trailway also has an interesting relationship with the towns it goes through. Most of the South County Trailway is along the Saw Mill River, often squeezed between the river itself and the Saw Mill Parkway. So these were industrial areas, not downtown areas. Most of the factories are now gone, having left decades of pollution in the muck of the Saw Mill River next to empty brownfield sites, some of which have been redeveloped. One site was redeveloped with a shopping center with a variety of restaurants and a Starbucks. So that makes a good break stop, although you will have to get across the Saw Mill Parkway at a traffic signal.
A shopping center is located on the other side of the parkway from the trail. Cross at the light to get there.
While the South County Trailway goes directly through the downtowns of two villages (Ardsley and Elmsford) the immediate areas surrounding the trailway are still industrial and you’ll need to ride around (on busy roads with no shoulders) to find that Dunkin Donuts with the bathroom or that pizza shop for lunch. Ardsley is particularly tricky since the only access point to the Village is through a school bus depot and it’s a tangle of roads to get to the main part of town.
The Village of Elmsford welcomes you with this picnic area and bike repair station. There is no restroom here.
The North County Trailway does a little better in terms of taking you through downtown areas with restrooms and lunch places. The old Briarcliff Manor train station was converted into a library, and it is a great stop for a bathroom break (but there are no stores). Further up the line, Millwood has convenience stores, a deli and a supermarket. But perhaps the easiest towns for services are Yorktown Heights and Mahopac since the trail goes right through the center of those places. Yorktown Heights is one of the few places left where an old train station building remains. The local chamber of commerce has also placed maps of the town along the trail to help you find nearby services while also telling you about Yorktown’s other attractions. While there are many choices here, it helps to know where to go since the town is mostly a cluster of suburban shopping centers, many of which have substantial vacancies. Finding a restroom here is also tricky. Mahopac also has a lot of choices as well as another library right along the trail (another great restroom stop). Food choices in both towns are good, particularly if you like pizza. You get pizza that’s the real deal in these towns, although no pizza shops are directly along the trail.
The historic Yorktown train station is currently being restored to its former glory…but it will not have a restroom for you to use.
From Mahopac and north you are on the Putnam Trailway. Although the entire corridor is a relatively flat rail trail, the Putnam Trailway has some of the steeper grades. But you will be rewarded by going through some very densely wooded areas with tall trees that burst into color in the fall. You will also get to experience a number of tall bridges as well as a causeway that goes across a reservoir. North of Mahopac you’ll go through Carmel, more or less through the center of town, but not always super close to businesses. And again, there are no restrooms along the trail.
The crossing of the West Branch reservoir is another highlight of this great bike path.
The trailway ends unceremoniously in the Village of Brewster across from Miggins Screw Products and the entrance to the Metro-North rail yard for the Harlem Line. To get to downtown Brewster (and the train station) you will have to ride over a steep hill and then on a busy road to reach the center of the village. There are a number of restaurants and stores here. The Brewster train station also has a restroom, but it is often out of order, so don’t count on it.
The trail ends unceremoniously across from Miggins Screw Products, next to the Metro-North rail yard.
Traveling to New York? Why Not Include a Bicycle Tour?
/in Empire State Trail /by Laura WillisTraveling to New York? Why Not Include a Bicycle Tour?
New York is a top destination for bicycle touring! (or at least it should be!) From the center of Manhattan all the way to Niagara Falls, you will find excellent bike paths, quality roads, stunning scenery, cultural attractions, and (probably) more dining options than any other trail in America.
A Place Like No Other
No other place has anything close to what New York has for a cyclist looking to do a 3 to 10 day ride. New York’s excellent train service allows for itineraries that start and end in different places, allowing you to choose particular segments of the Empire State Trail’s 750 mile route. Getting to the trail is easy to do as part of any visit to New York, whether you are coming here for business or to visit family.
Gotham Bicycle Tours has helped many cyclists include a bike tour as part of a larger visit to New York. We are a small, family-run business and you always work with someone in our family at all times. Any information we give you will always be complete and thorough, and we answer your questions.
Here is what we offer: (click any of the orange text for more info)
Self-guided tour packages that can include:
Guided day tours of the Hudson Valley
NYC Sightseeing Bike Tours
Bike rental
You can contact Lukas at 917-748-1119 or lukas@gothambiketours.com with any direct inquiries.
Bike Tour Gift Guide
/in Press /by Laura WillisBiking the Bronx River Pathway
/in Bike Paths, Hudson Valley /by Laura WillisThe Bronx River Pathway is a unique and interesting trail that is big on scenery and fun to ride. It’s also really easy to get to, thanks to frequent train service that parallels the bike path. This makes one-way rides really easy to do.
The Bronx River Pathway is beautiful! Especially in autumn.
A unique experience
What makes this path so special is that it was built as a part of the Bronx River Reservation. The Reservation began as a conservation effort in response to industrial development and pollution, but ultimately the Reservation became Westchester County’s first park. The park is associated with the Bronx River Parkway, the first vehicular parkway ever built in the United States.
Riding the Bronx River Pathway on a bicycle is unlike any other bike path we’ve seen in the United States. It snakes through the tight Bronx River Valley, back and forth over the river on historically contextualized bridges. The route is entwined with the route of the Harlem Line, a railroad that has traveled this corridor since the mid 19th Century. Every station along the line is a unique hub of activity, with restaurants and services. In between the path snakes through the woods, occasionally going up and down short (yet challenging) inclines where you are treated to view after view of a vibrant natural environment that changes with the seasons. It’s never a bad time of year to ride your bike here. It’s also a fantastic place to cross country ski whenever we get a snowfall greater than 6 inches.
The Bronx River Pathway crosses the Bronx River many times. Often there are “waterfalls”. These are dams that once powered mills.
The main part of the Bronx River Pathway is an 11-mile stretch that runs between the Village of Bronxville and Kensico Dam Plaza in Valhalla. A smaller segment called the Oak Street Loop is located in Mount Vernon. Click here to see a map. (The Bronx River Greenway also goes for several miles further south in the Bronx. The plan is to ultimately connect everything together.)
Rent a bike and try this ride!
While there are few directional signs along the path, the bike path is (mostly) intuitive. The path also closely follows the Metro-North Harlem Line with direct access to seven train stations, making it perfect for getting to the trail and then back home again. There is also free parking at many of these stations on weekends if you want to drive to the trail. Westchester County Parks has also produced a nice map of this trail showing access points and parking.
North of Scarsdale, the Bronx River Valley narrows and you are right along the river.
Biking the trail
Bronxville and Tuckahoe are villages at the southern end of the trail. The pathway goes around two bucolic lakes (both with “waterfalls”) as you pass near each downtown area.
North of Scarsdale Road in Yonkers, the bike path parallels the section of the Bronx River Parkway that is closed on Sundays in the spring and fall for “Bicycle Sundays”. This is a great experience, where you get to bike in the vehicular roadway. You can really take in how scenic this road is on a bike (since it’s usually “white knuckle driving” in a car)
Want to rent a bike and try out Bicycle Sunday? Click here!
The path goes deep into Garth Woods when you get to Scarsdale. This is a lovely section where you are surrounded by mature trees. A ramp from the trail goes directly to Scarsdale’s train station and commercial area.
Between Hartsdale and White Plains the trail surface becomes unpaved and you go through another quiet natural area. This area is excellent for cross country skiing in the winter.
Whatever the season, there’s always reason to enjoy this awesome path. It’s one of the few places for cross country skiing that you can easily get to by train.
So many amenities, so close to a trail.
White Plains is the largest place you will pass through on the pathway. You will begin to notice its skyline as you approach. The train station immediately abuts the pathway and provides express service to Manhattan. White Plains also has a robust downtown with hotels, restaurants and stores. The streets in White Plains are crazy, but there are also several streets with bike lanes that are safe if you know the way. (This is why you want GPS from us). It’s a great place to stay if you are from out of town and looking to explore the area by bike since its so close to such a great bike path!
Part of the experience in White Plains is biking past the Art Deco Westchester County Center. They have restrooms here, but you’ll have to cross the parkway using a pedestrian signal to get to them. You can also park here, but you have to pay a fee.
Rent a bike and try this ride!
As you progress through North White Plains, the landscape opens up more as the valley widens. There is direct access to the North White Plains train station parking lot, which has free parking on weekends.
Ultimately the trail ends at Kensico Dam Plaza, which is a County park located at the base of the imposing Kensico Dam. You can take a pathway (or stairs) to the top of the dam if you want to take a look around. But it’s also nice to just ride around the plaza and see everyone enjoying the park!
Kensico Dam Plaza is a bold visual finish to your ride.
Biking the Bronx River Greenway
/in Bike Paths, Hudson Valley, NYC /by Laura WillisThe Bronx River Greenway is a fascinating and fun place to ride a bike. It follows the Bronx River for (almost) its entire length in the Bronx, taking you through areas that were once heavily industrial, but are now beautiful parks. It’s a great ride that you can do in a couple of hours that packs in a lot of scenery.
The Bronx River Valley has been a corridor for transportation and industry throughout New York’s history. As the only fresh-water river in NYC it played an important role in industry, with many mills set up along its banks, the remnants of which can be seen in the many “waterfalls” you see along the river flowing over dams that date back centuries. When efforts were undertaken in the late 19th Century to begin to address pollution, the Bronx River Parkway was constructed, and lands along each side of the roadway were dedicated as parkland, including what is now the Bronx Zoo and the New York Botanical Gardens. This “green corridor”, set amidst the bustle of city life in the Bronx, is really what makes this bike path special.
Rent a bike and try this ride!
The route
Let’s take a look at the route from south to north. For an overview map of the entire route in both the Bronx and Westchester, click here. For this article we will focus on the Bronx sections. In Westchester County, the route becomes the Bronx River Pathway, and we have another blog article about that segment.
The Bronx River empties into the East River near Clason Point where NYC Ferry services are available.
Clason Point is at the south end. There is a dock here that gets regular NYC Ferry service which is a great way to arrive with your bike if you are coming from Brooklyn, Queens or Manhattan. Parking here is also relatively easy to find. From here you will ride through a series of parks with a little on-street riding in between each. Head directly out on a bike path which takes you through Soundview Park along the tidal flats of the mouth of the Bronx River. Then with a little knowledge of local streets from a map, you can get across the Bruckner Expressway to Concrete Plant Park where you can sometimes see canoes out on the river.
Rent a bike and try this ride!
The route signage north of here is very good, particularly as you head through Starlight Park, which is one the most recent additions to this trail. Much of this was built when NYSDOT decommissioned Sheridan Expressway (now Sheridan Boulevard) which was once the shortest interstate highway in the United States. The trail through here is fantastic, and it is where the Bronx River Alliance is headquartered. This organization has done so much work to make this bike path a reality.
Starlight Park has dramatic views, including a view of subway and Amtrak trains crossing the Bronx River.
North of here, the park land is interrupted as you go through the bustling West Farms neighborhood. This is a major transit hub for subways and buses, so it’s a good starting point if you want to take the subway to get to the ride. You can also try your luck with parking here since there is good highway access at this particular spot. Again a map is helpful getting you through the neighborhood streets. Watch out for cars!
Rent a bike and try this ride!
The good news is that it’s only a half mile of on-street riding and then you are back on a nice bike path starting at 180th Street. At this point you are going to be on a path for a while as you go through Bronx Park, so relax and enjoy. If you are interested in an odd piece of New York history, take a very small detour to the East 180th Street subway station, which used to be a train terminal for the now-defunct New York, Boston and Westchester Railroad. Both the 2 and 5 trains stop here and the 5 continues on along the old NY,B &W route to Dyre Avenue.
The Bronx River Greenway in Shoelace Park is wide and straight.Once you are on this bike path, everything is straightforward and well marked almost until you reach the northern border of NYC. There are also plenty of restrooms and water fountains (usually found at playgrounds) along the way. The only challenging section is where you need to cross Pelham Parkway. This is a busy street that is difficult to cross. So take your time and use the pedestrian signals. Or check out the neighborhood and get a snack or lunch while you are there.
North of Pelham Parkway, you will pass a convenient pedestrian-only entrance to the New York Botanical Gardens as you progress through Shoelace Park. This is a long, unbroken stretch of trail that goes all the way to Woodlawn Heights, which is where NYC ends and Westchester County begins. (We also offer bike rental out of our Woodlawn Heights location if you want to ride this trail!) There are plans to connect the Bronx River Pathway in Westchester to the trail here in Woodlawn Heights. But for now, you will need to rely on an on-road option. You will want GPS from us to do this because the connections are not straightforward.
Concrete Plant Park is an interesting segment of the Bronx River Greenway.
The Best GPS for the Empire State Trail
/in Bike Hacks, Empire State Trail /by Laura WillisEmpire State Trail Bike Rentals
/in Bike Hacks, Empire State Trail /by Laura WillisThe important factors to consider are trail and road conditions and if the bikes you want to rent are set up for overnight touring. You will also need to think about if the bikes are well maintained and convenient to pick up on your way to your tour. The rental bikes offered by Gotham Bicycle Tours are specifically set up for this.
How to get your Empire State Trail rental bike from Gotham Bicycle Tours
To rent a bike for your Empire State Trail bike tour, visit our bike rental page where you can reserve your bike for the days you want. If a bike in your size is not available online, please contact us since our booking system is set up to be conservative with inventory to avoid double-bookings.
You may also want to contact us before you finalize your booking if you have questions, or if you want to set up a delivery or receive your bike at the train station. We can work this out by phone or email before you pay for the rental.
Because we focus on a small fleet of bikes that we mostly rent to long distance riders, we do not have regular store hours or a traditional storefront. When you are ready to rent, we will pick a time to meet, whether we do this at our storage location in Woodlawn Heights, or if we deliver your bike to your hotel or a train station. You always get good service from us. We want you to have a good time here in New York.
Pricing: $85 per day. After three days, the price defaults to the $250 weekly rate.
Rental panniers are available for $100 per pair if you want to carry belongings with you while you ride. (You can also bring your own panniers and they will work with our bikes).
If you have excess baggage that you do not want to take on your ride, you can store this with us for free during the term of your rental.
We can bring you and/or the bike right to your hotel in Manhattan (or elsewhere).
Delivery fees
We are currently the only bike rental company that delivers bikes in NYC or the Lower Hudson Valley. This is a huge convenience for our clients, but we need to pay staff for the time involved with making the delivery. The delivery (or pick up) pricing is as follows:
The above numbers are all based on travel time. Manhattan, Queens and Brooklyn are all very expensive because the TRAFFIC IS SO BAD. However, we will try to make it worth your while. For example, if you are ending your tour at Battery Park in Manhattan, we can come pick up the bikes from you and drive you to your hotel as part of the arrangement for no extra fee. Then you can see for yourself how bad the traffic is.
Planning a Bike Tour on the Empire State Trail in 2026
/in Bike Hacks, Empire State Trail /by Laura WillisOcean Parkway Coastal Greenway (Jones Beach Bike Path)
/in Bike Paths, Long Island /by Laura WillisIf you do the entire 20-mile ride, you will actually be riding on a series of bike paths with different names that go along the highways that Robert Moses constructed to provide access to Jones Beach State Park as well as Captree State Park and Robert Moses State Park. The western portion of this trail system is the Ellen Ferrant Memorial Bicycle Path which runs in a north-south direction along the Wantagh State Parkway between Cedar Creek County Park and Jones Beach State Park for about 5 miles. Once you arrive at Jones Beach, the trail turns east and you are riding on an older section of the Ocean Parkway Coastal Greenway which goes between Jones Beach State Park and Tobay Beach, which is Town beach run by the Town of Oyster Bay. East of Tobay Beach is the newest segment of the trail, which is about 10 miles long and passes through Gilgo Beach before reaching Captree State Park where the trail ends.
Captree State Park is a beautiful spot. You can enjoy a view of the Robert Moses Causeway from a picnic area, but you cannot ride a bike over it. The bike path ends (or starts) here with no bikeable connections to other roadways.
Planning your ride
While the entire bike path system is about 20 miles, any ride you do on this trailway will need to be “out-and-back” unless you have someone picking you up at one of the parking areas along the trail. So to ride the whole path, you will actually need to ride 40 miles if you are parking at one of the trail’s endpoints at either Cedar Creek County Park or Captree State Park because it’s one-way out and one-way back. There is no way to do this trail as a loop. While the Ellen Ferrant Memorial Bicycle Path will get you across the bay on the west end of the path, you would need to ride your bike on the Robert Moses Causeway on the east end of the path to close the loop, and bikes are not allowed on that road. So unfortunately, when the bike path reaches Captree State Park, the trail is a “dead-end” and you have to go back. Or you could make Captree State Park your starting point and ride west before turning around.
The Ellen Ferrant Memorial Bikeway crosses the bay on a series of bridges with beautiful views.
If you want to take public transit to the Jones Beach bike path you can do that too. The Wantagh station for Long Island Railroad is a short distance away from Cedar Creek County Park and its easy to hop on the bike path from there. However, whatever distance you ride in the eastern direction, you’ll need to turn around to get back.
If you are driving to the bike path in a car, you have several choices of where to park, based on how much you want to ride. The only place where you can park for free is Cedar Creek County Park. If you park at either Jones Beach State Park or Captree State Park, you will need to pay the parking fees associated with those State parks, which is usually around $8-10 unless you have an Empire Pass. It is also possible to park in the middle of Jones Beach Island at either Tobay Beach, Gilgo Beach or Cedar Beach. However, these beaches are Town-controlled and have higher parking fees (unless you are a Town resident). For example, parking at Gilgo Beach costs $40 on a Friday, Saturday, Sunday or holiday and $20 on all other days. Residents of the Town of Babylon can park for free. You can also park for free if you arrive later in the day after the payment booth is closed. Parking is also free off-season, but check with the Town before you go to make sure they are not charging.
Go for a swim at one of the many public beaches you will pass. Each beach has bike parking, restroom access and a food concession.
Experiencing the trail
No matter where you ride along the Jones Beach bike path, it is a great experience. You are right along the water for the entire time with great views of the bay between Jones Beach Island and the main part of Long Island. As we mentioned earlier, the trail goes through a number of areas with services and beach access, and helpful signage along the trail informs you about what services are available in which places. There are restrooms and places to eat at Jones Beach, Tobay Beach, Gilgo Beach and Cedar Beach. You can also lock up your bike at any of these locations and go for a swim on the ocean side of the island by using underpasses that go underneath Ocean Parkway. If you are arriving by bicycle you won’t have to pay the beach access fees.
We saw scores of baby bunnies along the trail. But be warned….when we stopped to take this picture, we were almost eaten alive by biting flies!
Wildlife also abounds along the pathway. On the day we were riding there, we saw scores of rabbits along the trail popping in and out of the brush. Unfortunately insects are also a major force in this area as well, so depending on the day, you will want to have bug spray available. For example, just stopping to take a picture of a bunny can invite a swarm of biting flies that will leave welt-like bikes all over any exposed skin. So in these areas you will need to keep moving so that the flies cannot land on you. Or bring bug spray.
Wind is also a major consideration to think about when doing this ride. Since Jones Beach Island is a barrier island, it can receive a lot of wind. So depending on the day, and the fact that the trail requires you to ride “out-and-back”, you will likely have the wind at your back in one direction….and the wind in your face in the other. So definitely think this through before you start riding!
Captree State Park is a great ending for this bike path. You can walk along the shore and see the Fire Island Lighthouse off in the distance.
Also keep in mind that while there are services are available at the different beaches along the route, there is nothing in between those hubs along the bike path but open road. So make sure you know the distances between the various amenities before you set out on your ride.
Biking the Empire State Trail: NYC to Canada
/in Bike Paths, Hudson Valley, NYC, Rail Trails /by Laura WillisBiking the Maybrook Trailway
/in Bike Paths, Hudson Valley, Rail Trails /by Laura WillisThe Maybrook Trailway is the newest rail trail in the lower Hudson Valley and it is also the very eagerly-awaited “missing link” of trail between the former Putnam Division Railroad trailway system (also known as the Putnam Trailway, North County Trailway, South County Trailway and Putnam Greenway depending on where you are) and the trail system centered around the Walkway-Over-the-Hudson (which is comprised of the walkway itself, the Dutchess Rail Trail, the Hudson Valley Rail Trail and the Wallkill Valley Rail Trail). With the construction of the Maybrook Trail, it is now possible to ride continuously on a bike path (with no cars) between New York City and Kingston – almost 100 miles! All of this is part of the new Empire State Trail which goes across the entire state (although not all of the Empire State Trail is bike paths).
The Maybrook Trailway travels between Brewster and Hopewell Junction for 24 miles. There are no services available or restrooms.
The Maybrook Trailway has been a long time coming. Instead of being a “rail trail’ the Maybrook is actually a “rail with trail” traveling alongside the Maybrook Line owned by Metro-North Railroad. The trailway itself is also owned by Metro-North, which makes it one of the only bike paths to our knowledge to be owned and operated by a commuter railroad. The uniqueness of this arrangement also makes for a very unique trail experience, as you travel through very remote areas that are only accessible by this rail line. Far from development and traffic, the Maybrook Trail offers a quiet experience with the sounds of birds and wildlife as a soothing soundtrack in the background. In fact, the Maybrook Trailway is probably one of the most scenic bike paths in our entire region.
Wide open and quiet, with only the sounds of nature surrounding you.
The Maybrook was a mountain railroad, crossing the Appalachian Trail.
However, this sense of solace comes at the expense of convenient services. There are no easily accessible services anywhere along the trail and there are no restrooms along its entire 24 mile length. So you need to go into this ride prepared, or you could consider one of our tour packages where we provide rest stops and services to our riders. There are also no places to sit along this trail except for the stone boulders placed near road crossings. This is a shame since there are so many pretty views that would be nice to sit and enjoy.
As you would expect from a transit agency, the Maybrook Trailway has lots of clear signage. Most of this involves telling you what you can’t do: don’t go on the tracks, stay off of private property, don’t swim in this lake, etc. But there are also lots of great informational panels telling
Although there are no services or restrooms along the Maybrook Trail, when you reach the end in Hopewell Junction, there are restrooms and vending machines.
you about railroad history and the many settlements that you pass. Also, because the Maybrook Trailway goes along train tracks that connect to the Brewster rail yards, you can easily take Metro-North railroad from NYC with your bike to get to the trail. It’s also possible to ride the 44 miles to Poughkeepsie (via the Dutchess Rail Trail) and then take the train back to the city via the Hudson Line while you watch the sun set over the Hudson River. Discount rail fare is available for this excursion with our tour package.
New York Metro Area Bike Paths That Are Great for Cross Country Skiing
/in Bike Hacks, Bike Paths, Hudson Valley, Rail Trails /by Laura WillisIn most cases, to ski any of these trails you will need to have your own cross country skis. While this may seem like a major purchase, XC skis cost much less than downhill skis and they will last you many years. Major retailers that sell them include REI and L.L. Bean. There are also a few local retailers who sell them, including Pawling Cycle & Sport and Rock & Snow, both in the mid-Hudson Valley. Rock & Snow also offers rentals if you aren’t ready to buy yet.
Fahnestock Winter Park
Fahnestock Winter Park is perhaps the best choice for New Yorkers who are looking to try cross country skiing for the first time, or if you don’t have equipment. Every winter, the beach area, campground, and hiking trails in Fahnstock State Park are transformed into a nordic skiing center whenever we get a big snowfall. Groomed trails range from easy to difficult and they have rental skis and lessons available. This is the closest nordic skiing center to NYC, so it can get a little crowded. But it is also super easy to get to since it is right off the Taconic State Parkway. You can also get here by public transit by taking the Metro-North Railroad to Cold Spring and then cabbing it over.
Bronx River Pathway
If you are looking to just get out for a short ski trip, you can’t beat the Bronx River Pathway in Westchester County for convenience. This bike path parallels the Metro-North Harlem Line and the Bronx River Parkway so it’s easy to get to by car or train. Plus it offers the advantage of a one-way trip where you can use the train to get to a starting point and then ski back. The scenery is super nice as you pass through dense woods. The nicest segment for skiing is between Hartsdale and White Plains since it has a fair amount of up-and-down and there are no road crossings. If you are looking for a flatter section, try the area between Bronxville and Scarsdale.
The section of the greenway just south of White Plains is great for cross-country skiing when it snows.
Old Croton Aqueduct
With the leaves off the trees, you get a near constant view of the Hudson River and the Palisades from the Old Croton Aqueduct bike trail through Westchester’s river towns. This trail is consistently flat and, since it parallels the Metro-North Hudson Line, it is also very easy to get to by train or do a one-way ski. You also pass through many town centers, which make it easy to stop for lunch.
Rockefeller State Park Preserve
Another regional hot spot for cross country skiers is Rockefeller Preserve in between Pleasantville and Tarrytown in Westchester. This park features a large network of carriage trails that are primarily used by hikers and horseback riders. But after a snowfall it becomes a prime local destination for cross country skiers who ply its ungroomed trails. Probably one of the most scenic parks in our region, this is a great place to check out. You could also get here by train to Tarrytown or Pleasantville in combination with a cab ride.
Ward Pound Ridge
Similar to Rockefeller Preserve, but further north, is Ward Pound Ridge Reservation, which also has a large network of carriage trails that are perfect for cross country skiing. The park isn’t far from the Katonah Metro-North Station, which also has taxi service.
Westchester County Golf Courses
If skiing across open landscapes instead of wooded trails is more appealing to you, all six of Westchester County’s golf courses are open to XC skiing and sledding. These golf courses offer a mix of terrain from steep hills to flat fairways, so there is something for every ability. Plus the parking lots are always plowed and you can even take Bee-Line buses to the Dunwoodie and Saxon Woods Golf Courses. (For Saxon Woods, your best bet is to take the bus to the pool parking area where you can access the parks hiking trails which are also good for skiing).
High Point Cross Country Ski Center
Finally, if you are looking for another large nordic center, but you are willing to travel a little further, High Point Cross Country Ski Center in New Jersey is another place where ski rentals (and even snowmaking and night skiing!) is available.
Resources to find out more
If you want more guidance in figuring out where to go or where the best conditions are, there are a couple of great resources for cross country skiers in our area. Check out Ski the Northeast which is a comprehensive website for skiers from the New York Metro area. Another great resource, particularly if you are interested in updates about ski conditions and other general information, is this fantastic email forum from the New York/North Jersey Chapter of the Appalachian Mountain Club. It’s a great group to learn more about skiing and ask questions.
Biking the Old Croton Aqueduct Trail
/in Bike Paths, Hudson Valley, NYC /by Laura WillisThe growth of New York City into the place we all know today has always been linked to the ability to bring fresh water to an urban environment surrounded by salt water estuaries. In the early 19th century, this was a major problem as the city began to push north from its original settlement at the southern tip of Manhattan. At that time water was obtained from wells, many of which were contaminated. This lack of clean water was responsible for both yellow fever and cholera epidemics. Water was also needed for fire suppression. By 1833 it was time for the City to begin work on a new fresh water supply. Nine years later the project would be complete, connecting the Croton Reservoir to the growing city. Today, although the aqueduct is no longer in use, most of its infrastructure is still there. Much of the aqueduct is now a State park (or NYC Park), and the land above it is a fascinating trailway that you can ride your bike on with great views of the Hudson River. The Old Croton Aqueduct Trail (OCA) goes across the Highbridge – one of the nicest car-free bridges in our region. The OCA is also a great way to get to the new Mario M. Cuomo Bridge Bike Path.
The OCA trail is unpaved for most of its length. This is one of the wider (and smoother) parts. You should ride this with a hybrid or mountain bike.
While the initial aqueduct was 41 miles long going between the Croton Reservoir in Westchester County and the Croton Distributing Reservoir (now the site of the New York Public Library on 5th Avenue and 42nd Street) the 26-mile portion in Westchester County is the part we will be discussing below. This is the most contiguous part of the trail that offers the best riding. While portions of the OCA trail in New York City are spectacular (like the Highbridge) the route isn’t contiguous or clear.
No matter which portion of the OCA Trail you want to ride, we highly recommend purchasing a map from the Friends of the Old Croton Aqueduct for $5. This map will show you the exact route, which can be confusing and hard to follow for the uninitiated. But once you’ve ridden it, you’ll see why it was worth the effort.
The OCA trail can be narrow at times and you will have to follow small signs to stay on the route. We definitely recommend buying a map for $5.
The Westchester portion of the OCA Trail is almost entirely unpaved. You will need to watch out for bumps, roots, rocks, mud and debris. Some portions are wider than others, and the route is almost entirely shaded. Peek through the trees and you’ll see great views of the Hudson River and the Palisades throughout most of your ride. You’ll also see many, many remnants of the aqueduct, like ventilation towers, weirs and more. But make no mistake, the trail can be rough. So do not attempt this trail with a road bike. Hybrid or mountain bikes are a must!
One of the many views you’ll get of the Hudson River or the Palisades while riding the OCA trail.
There are numerous access points to the OCA Trail from its many street crossings. The OCA once flowed through every riverfront village or town in Westchester between Yonkers and Croton-on-Hudson. This means that the trail offers direct access to downtown areas in Hastings-on-Hudson, Dobbs Ferry, Irvington, Tarrytown, Sleepy Hollow and Ossining and it is also very close to downtown Yonkers and downtown Croton-on-Hudson. All of these areas have Metro-North train stations, so you can easily do a ride that starts in one place and ends at another. And that also makes this trail easy to get to from the city.
The OCA Trail goes directly through a number of downtown areas. So you are never far from services or train stations.
If you want to start your ride at the south end, a good place to start is at Glenwood Avenue, particularly if you are taking the train. This trail access point is very close to the Glenwood train station, but beware, you will have to go up a big hill to get to the trail.
Heading north the trail is continuous, but you will need to pay attention to your map or to signs (where available) to get you through tricky spots where the route gets confusing. In most downtown places the trail is shared with roadways or parking lots. Try your best to follow along. In some cases, it may even feel as if you are riding through somebody’s front or back yard. It’s OK – you are still on the trail.
Hey, am I riding through someones yard? Yes you are…but it’s also the trail!
As you approach Tarrytown you will pass by some beautiful properties including Lyndhurst Castle. These were once Hudson River estates for the wealthy. Lyndhurst, in particular, offers tours. However, once you pass Lyndhurst, you will get to your first major interruption in the trail, since it is here that the aqueduct was obliterated by the construction of I-287 and the Tappan Zee Bridge. So you will have to ride along Route 9 for a while until you get to downtown Tarrytown where the OCA trail picks up again. This is a busy road, so it isn’t the greatest for cycling. But you could always ride on the sidewalk if you did not feel safe. It is here that you will also pass the entrance for the Mario M. Cuomo Bridge bike path.
The OCA trail goes past many remnants of the aqueducts infrastructure, such as this weir building.
If you want to ride north of Tarrytown, the OCA trail offers some nice interrupted stretches. But there are also major gaps in the trail that you will need to get around. Once again, having a map will really help you figure this out. The biggest obstacles are Sleepy Hollow High School (which was built right over the aqueduct), a missing piece of trail in Scarborough, and passing through downtown Ossining, where you will need to use local streets (and stairs) to follow along the path. The last major interruption in the trail is where Route 9A was constructed across the aqueduct (another highway obliteration…). Here you will need to skirt around the fence of a training and conference center owned by GE, so again you will need to pay attention to signs (and your map). But the last couple of miles are spectacular, as you move away from the Hudson River into the Croton River gorge. The trail ends at the Croton Dam, which is a site to behold. You can bike across the top of the dam, or go down to the gorge below, which is a County park. If you are taking the train back, just reverse your course back a few miles and you can access the Croton-Harmon Metro-North station relatively easily.
Biking the Esposito Trail (and the Old Erie Path)
/in Hudson Valley, Rail Trails /by Laura WillisA view of the Mario Cuomo Bridge from the Esposito Trail.
If you are planning to ride across the new Tappan Zee Bridge (or Mario M. Cuomo Bridge) bike path, you are probably wondering “what other trails connect to this bike path”? Well, look no further than the Raymond G. Esposito Memorial Trail. The Esposito Trail is a great way to connect from the bridge to the Villages of Nyack, South Nyack and Piermont. This trail will also connect you to the Joseph B. Clarke Rail Trail in Sparkill via its extension called the Old Erie Path
Clear signage takes you from the Tappan Zee Bridge bike path to the Esposito Trail.
The new Tappan Zee Bridge bike path is a great new amenity for cyclists in the Hudson Valley. The Esposito trail connects almost seamlessly with the bridge bike path to take you directly to South Nyack and Nyack where there are plenty of stores, restaurants, and services. These bike-friendly villages are a great place to head to after riding over the Mario M. Cuomo Bridge.
The Esposito Trail is wide and easy to ride in between the bridge and Nyack.
You can also head south on the Esposito Trail, which eventually becomes the Old Erie Path. This trail follows the alignment of the former Northern Railroad of New Jersey, which once ran passenger trains between Jersey City and Nyack. Passenger service ended in 1966, and today it’s another great rail trail for cyclists. The surface is a combination of dirt and gravel, so make sure you ride this with either a hybrid bike or a mountain bike. Sturdier road bikes should also do okay.
Watch out for narrow sections like this one. One way only!
While the trail is generally wide and smooth north of the bridge, as you move south, it gets bumpier and narrow. There are a couple of spots where the trail becomes very narrow and it’s one-way at time, so be aware of people coming in the opposite direction!
Check out the beautifully restored Piermont Station.
When you reach Piermont you will see a beautifully restored station. Keep riding south and you will eventually get to the hamlet of Sparkill where you can easily pick up NYS Bike Route 9 which takes you to the George Washington Bridge. Sparkill once had a major junction of railroads in its center….which is now a major junction of bike paths. From here, you can get on the Joseph B. Clarke Rail Trail and ride further. Or you can stop and get lunch here at one of several restaurants. With the connection to Bike Route 9, the Esposito Trail can be a great part of a circular route that features the Old Croton Aqueduct, the Mario M. Cuomo Bridge and Bike Route 9 back to Manhattan via the George Washington Bridge.
Biking the Mario M. Cuomo (Tappan Zee) Bridge Bike Path
/in Bike Paths, Hudson Valley /by Laura WillisThe replacement of the old Tappan Zee Bridge with the new Mario M. Cuomo Bridge has been a long time coming. Everyone hated that old bridge…especially cyclists and pedestrians, because that bridge had never been built with them in mind. How could such a critical link in the Hudson Valley not include bicycles and pedestrians? Finally, the bridge was torn down and replaced. And the last phase of that replacement is now open: the Governor Mario M. Cuomo Bridge Path! (Or to some, the new Tappan Zee bike path).
While it’s annoying that the bike path was the last phase of the bridge to open, everyone is glad it is finally here. This past weekend was its first weekend of operation, and it was packed with visitors! Here’s what you can expect if you ride the new Tappan Zee bike path.
Manage your expectations
If you had the ability to design a brand-new, state of the art, bike path from scratch on a brand new bridge, you’d do something amazing, right? Well that’s not what the Tappan Zee bike path is. It is more or less just a 12-foot car lane repurposed into a multi-use path with a white stripe going down the middle. Pedestrians on one side, bikes on the other. Cross the line at your peril! If you’ve been on a bike path on almost any other local bridge, this is more or less the same deal. You’ve got cyclists of all abilities, all competing for the same space…right next to pedestrians. It is absolutely essential to keep your wits about you. But it’s a great path if you take your time and go slow. But at the same time, it’s also a really good idea to ride this path with a mirror so you can be ready for the packs of lycra-clad riders who come blowing through in a paceline, perilously close to young mothers riding with toddlers on the backs of their bikes.
You told me there would be river views! Not here, as opaque panels shield your eyes from something you are not meant to see.
Besides, why not take your time and enjoy the view? It’s fantastic! But if you start out on the Westchester side, you’ll need to wait a bit. For some reason, they put opaque panels blocking your view for the first part of the ride. But then things open up, and there are 6 little rest areas you can stop at to enjoy the view. These rest stops have whimsical names like “Fish and Ships”, but they are mostly just bland seating areas adorned with touchscreen monitors that will inform you about a different Hudson River topic.
It’s time for some “fish and ships” at one of the seating areas along the bridge. Always a nice view. There’s also a touch screen for you to look at and touch.
The seating areas also offer some artistic flair for the bridge along with other public art installations that you can look at. The art is a great distraction from the sounds of 18-wheelers and buses roaring past you. Don’t forget, this bridge carries the NYS Thruway. But at least in the seating areas, the mesh suicide-proof fence between you and the traffic is replaced by glass paneling to attenuate the vehicular noise while you browse those touchscreen panels.
Get lost in public art installations along the bike path.
The Rockland side of the bridge approaches the shore at a much lower elevation than the Westchester side, and dispenses you amidst the tangle of Interchange 10. The space here is tight and narrow-feeling thanks to the concrete sound-barrier walls. But at least you will be in the shade on a hot summer day.
Approaching the Rockland side is “easy-squeezy” as the crowd is shunted between sound barrier walls and the suicide fence next to the traffic.
The bike path has great amenities on both landings of the bridge. Each landing has a clean restroom near the parking lot, although there are few places to lock up your bike while you go inside. Each landing also has at least one food truck and a small area to consume the items you purchase.
Grab a bite from a food truck and eat it on a metal picnic table with absolutely no shade. Public art provides a visual contrast to the pavement that surrounds you.
Getting there
The Mario M. Cuomo Bridge is unique, compared to other bridges with bike paths, in that it has free parking for people to drive to the bridge and then ride or walk across it. But the bridge is also connected to other bike paths on both sides of the river, so you can also ride your bike to it. On the Westchester side, the bridge is very close to the Old Croton Aqueduct Trail and the Westchester RiverWalk trail. It is easy to ride from these trails to the bridge by riding on the sidewalk of Route 9 between the trail and the bridge. You can also ride in the road if you want to.
This severe-looking design was clearly invented by the highway engineers. Welcome to the parking area.
On the Rockland side, the bridge connects directly to the Esposito Trail, which in turn will take you directly to downtown Nyack. Nyack is probably the easiest community to visit when you are riding the bridge’s bike path. On the Westchester side, you can also visit Tarrytown, but you’ll have to ride down busy Route 9 to get there. You could also go the other way and ride to Irvington, using the Old Croton Aqueduct or RiverWalk trails.
The bridge’s bike path connects to other trails. Clear signage ensures you will not get lost.
Another way to get to the bridge’s bike path is to use the Hudson Link bus. These buses ply the I-287 corridor and offer stops near the bike path during certain times of the day. The buses all have bike racks that hold up to 3 bikes. So you can ride or walk the bridge one way, then take the bus back.
Hey! Don’t forget that the current governor named the bridge after his father, a previous governor. These signs ensure you don’t forget.
Riding the O&W Rail Trail
/in Bike Paths, Hudson Valley, Rail Trails /by Laura WillisThe City of Kingston sits right next to the Catskill Mountains along the Hudson River. But it also sits at the end of two river valleys that run south to north. These two waterways: the Roundout Creek and the Wallkill River, have their confluence just south of Kingston. From that point north, the Roundout Creek becomes a navigable waterway which leads to the small harbor that made Kingston a hub of industrial activity in the Mid-Hudson Valley.
The Roundout Valley has long been a transportation corridor. First it was the Delaware and Hudson Canal that once transported coal between northeast Pennsylvania and the Hudson River. Later the canal was replaced by the New York, Ontario and Western Railway (the O&W). And now that railroad alignment is another great bike path for you to explore. Riding this trail can be a great component of any of our Hudson Valley bike tours. You could also combine it with our Catskill Scenic Trail tour and make a weekend out of it.
The O&W is a quiet, peaceful ride. But it is still a work in progress in many ways. There are a number of gaps in the trail, and some parts of the ride are kind of rough. So you will definitely want to ride a hybrid bike or a mountain bike if you want to experience any of the rough parts. There is a good map showing the different segments (and gaps) on the trail’s official website. The map also shows a number of parking areas as well. You can also take public transit to parts of the O&W trail by using Route EU of the Ulster County Area Transit bus system. These buses are equipped with bike racks and can help you ride this route one-way, and take the bus back to your start point.
Perhaps the roughest section of the trail is in Kingston where the O&W met the other lines that made Kingson a regional rail hub. The trail begins in the parking lot of the Super 8 hotel where the O&W once joined the tracks that are still in use by the Catskill Mountain Railroad. Riding the trail in this area is basically riding on bumpy grass, and it can be tough at times. If you want to skip this area, you can start instead at the parking lot just off of Route 209 in Hurley. From here south, the trail conditions begin to get better and it is a nice quiet ride through beautiful woods with great scenery. Although there are a couple of rough spots on the trail here and there. Once you reach High Falls, you will begin to ride along the Roundout Creek where you can see remnants of both the D&H Canal as well as the O&W Railroad.
Typical trail conditions on the O&W Rail Trail
There aren’t a lot of services or stores immediately next to the trail. So you’ll want to pack some food to bring with you. If you need to stop for supplies, your options are basically in Hurley, near the parking lot at the north end, and at Big E’s deli where the trail crosses Cottekill Road. There are also some shops in High Falls if you get off the trail and cross the Roundout Creek.
This section of trail is more or less continuous until you reach the hamlet of Accord, where the trail peters out in a lumberyard. From here you will need to continue along Lucas Turnpike and Route 209 if you want to keep going. These roads can be kind of busy and aren’t the greatest for riding, but more advanced riders should be OK.
A view of the Shawangunk Ridge from the O&W Trail
When you reach the center of Accord, you will need to go through town and cross the Roundout Creek. There aren’t that many stores or services here, despite it being the center of town. You will need find your way over to Rochester Town Park by taking County Road 27 to get to the next segment of trail. But you may have to ride through the park for a while until you can figure out where the trail is. Just look for the dump trucks and the trail should be behind them. The trail is kind of rough here again, and it only goes for 4.3 miles until the next gap in the trail in Kerhonkson. But you will ride along the Roundout Creek the entire time with great views of the Shawangunk Ridge.
In Kerhonkson, if you want to keep riding, you’ll need to use Berme Road for 3.4 miles and it will take you to one last piece of trail – 1.2 miles in Ellenville. But it’s still a nice ride! Kerhonskon also has a couple of restaurants, a brewery and a resort hotel making it a nice place to end your ride as well.
Biking the Ashokan Rail Trail
/in Catskills, Hudson Valley /by Laura WillisIf you are looking for one of the most glorious 10- to 20-mile bike rides you can do in the Hudson Valley, look no further than the Ashokan Rail Trail. This trail was recently opened in the fall of 2019 and is one of the region’s newest and best constructed trail facilities. While the trail is unpaved, the surface is a smooth crushed stone that is suitable for most bikes. The trail is also very wide, ranging from 10 to 12 feet in width, which is a lot wider than most bike paths in our region. The result is a beautiful trail experience that feels uncrowded. It’s also a great trail to do over a weekend, for example, by combining it with the Catskill Scenic Trail.
Perhaps the best part of the Ashokan Rail Trail is its views of the Ashokan Reservoir. The Ashokan is one of the largest reservoirs in the NYC water supply system. However, access to the water is very limited, with only a few roads and pathways going up to the water’s edge. This trail has several stunning viewpoints of the reservoir, often with the Catskill Mountains in the background. There are many places to stop and enjoy the view. In between the lakeside viewpoints, the trail is mostly shaded by surrounding woods. This makes the Ashokan Rail Trail a nice place to ride in summer. And of course in autumn, the trail is an explosion of fall color!
The Ashokan Rail Trail is 10-12 feet wide and paved with crushed stone. Many sections are wooded, offering shade and lots of color in autumn.
Getting there
The Ashokan Rail Trail has a very good website that explains all aspects of the trail along with providing a map of the trail. The map is very useful in guiding you towards the three parking lots along the trail, which runs east to west. The Boiceville Bridge Trailhead parking is at the west end while the Woodstock Dike Trailhead is at the east end. Both trailheads have scenic viewpoints near them and all parking lots have portable toilets. A third parking lot is located in the center of the trail in Shokan. When you park, be aware that some of the spaces in the lot are reserved for anglers. Many of the creeks which feed the Ashokan Reservoir, including the Esopus Creek, have excellent fishing. All parking lots have excellent signage directing you to them from NYS Route 28, which is the main corridor route through this part of the Catskills, connecting Kingston to Belleayre.
Riding across the Glenford Dike offers great views of the Ashokan reservoir.
Despite its rural location, the Ashokan Rail Trail is also served by public transit, since the trail follows the general alignment of Route 28. Ulster County Area Transit Route Z provides this service, and the bus has bike racks for you to use. In addition, you can also take Pine Hill/Adirondack Trailways buses to this trail on any route that travels down Route 28. However, you would need to put your bicycle in some kind of box to do this.
History
If you aren’t lured to the Ashokan Rail Trail simply for its magnificent views or great riding conditions, the fascinating history of this area is another reason to visit. The trail is built on top of the rail alignment for the Ulster and Delaware Railroad. This railroad, which initially began construction in the 1820’s with the intention of connecting the Delaware and Hudson Canal in Kingston with Oswego along Lake Ontario, was ultimately scaled back to travel between Kingston and Oneonta. As the only railroad that went entirely through the Catskills, the Ulster and Delaware played a crucial role in transporting agricultural products, timber, bluestone and coal. It also offered robust passenger service for tourists vacationing in the Catskill Mountains. While the final train ran in 1976, there are still portions of the line that are used by scenic railroads, such as the Catskill Mountain Railroad which operates in Kingston, and the Delaware & Ulster Railroad which operates in Arkville. The Trolley Museum of New York also maintains and operates trains on the easternmost portion of the line along the Kingston waterfront. In between where these railroads operate, there are sections of the railroad that have been converted into bike paths, such as the Ashokan Rail Trail, the Catskill Scenic Trail and the Kingston Greenline. The Catskill Rail Explorers also offers unique pedal-powered rail cars on a section of track as well. Along most of the line you can still see many railroad artifacts as well as some station buildings which have either been abandoned or repurposed, such as the Empire State Railway Museum.
The Boiceville Trestle crosses the Esopus Creek and was reconstructed to accommodate the trail.
In addition to railroad history, the Ashokan Rail Trail also offers insight into the history and construction of the Ashokan Reservoir, which was constructed between 1907 and 1915, and displaced twelve communities containing 2,000 residents. While some of these communities were relocated to upland locations, you can still see the foundations of some of the buildings from the original communities in the reservoir when the water levels are low.
The Ashokan Rail Trail has several interpretive panels along the length of the trail that tells the history of both the railroad, the reservoir and the surrounding area. You can view the panels before you make your trip on the website.
Riding the Union Transportation Trail
/in New Jersey, Rail Trails /by Laura WillisThe Union Transportation trail is a flat rail trail that goes through wide farming areas.
If you are looking to get away for a ride that is rural and beautiful, yet isn’t super far from the NYC or Philadelphia metro areas, you can’t beat the Union Transportation Trail, or UTT for short. This is a 9-mile long rail trail that can easily be combined with quiet back roads to make a nice loop. In fact, we prominently feature this trail on our Tour des Vins de New Jersey.
The UTT trail is a gravel/stonedust surface and is generally flat for its entire length. While it is ideal for hybrid bikes and mountain bikes, some road bikers may find the surface to be too loose to ride comfortably. But this trail is best enjoyed at a relaxed pace since there are so many scenic vistas to enjoy.
A typical road crossing on the UTT trail.
The UTT trail generally travels across Upper Freehold Township, located in the western panhandle of Monmouth County. It’s not really practical to take public transit here, although you could potentially ride to this trail from either the Trenton or Hamilton NJ Transit rail stations if you like riding longer distances. The trail is currently being extended further south into the New Egypt hamlet of Plumsted Township, which will take trail users directly to the shops and services located there. So once this extension is developed, it will be a nice 20 mile ride if you park at the north end of the trail at Herbert Road and ride the 10 miles to New Egypt, take a break and ride back. If you want to ride a longer distance, you can’t go wrong with signing up for the Tour des Vins de New Jersey which is a 35-mile ride which also explores the Assunpink Wildlife Management Area as well as two wineries. We have been partnering with Cream Ridge Winery for many years on our rides, and they are only a short distance off of the trail.
Make sure you stop at Cream Ridge winery. It’s close to the trail, about halfway.
When you are on the trail, there really aren’t any services or restrooms, except near the south end in new Egypt, so plan accordingly. Also, on hot summer days, be aware that you are very exposed on this trail because you are going through a lot of flat farming areas. So sunscreen and plenty of water are a must for summer rides! Also keep in mind that horses also use this trail, so you will encounter piles of horse manure as you ride. If you are riding and you see someone on a horse, please stop and let the horse pass!
Check out the official webpage for the trail here.
Riding the South and North County Trailway
/in Hudson Valley, Rail Trails /by Laura WillisIf there is one bike path that most closely resembles a trunk-line, main artery for bikes in the Hudson Valley region, it is the South and North County Trailway in Westchester County. This trail, which runs continuously from Bronx/Yonkers border for almost 50 miles to the Village of Brewster in Putnam County, is the centerpiece of Westchester’s trail network and one of the most popular parks in this part of the region. It also features prominently in our Hudson Valley Craft Brewery Bike Tour, which is our most popular tour.
Although this trailway is typically viewed as one long bike path, it is technically made up of four separate trailways with different names (and different maps). The South County Trailway runs between Van Cortlandt Park at the Bronx/Yonkers border to Old Saw Mill River Road, which is the border between the Towns of Greenburgh and Mount Pleasant. North of Old Saw Mill River Road, the path is the North County Trailway until you get to the border between Putnam and Westchester Counties where the path becomes the Putnam Trailway. The southernmost segment of the trail, which goes through Van Cortlandt Park in the Bronx, is named the Putnam Greenway.
A stone marker lets you know you are crossing into New York City on the Putnam Greenway.
Although the name changes four times, and you need four different maps for it, the trailway is basically the same throughout. This was once a train line, known as the Putnam Division of the New York Central Railroad. It was first constructed as the New York City & Northern Railroad in 1881 when mining operations were abundant in Putnam County. Passenger service continued until 1958, but it was never as successful as the Harlem or Hudson lines (both of which continue as Metro-North train lines today) probably because riders needed to transfer in the Bronx to continue their trips to Manhattan. After passenger service ended, freight service continued until 1982 at which point the right-of-way was transferred to the New York State Department of Transportation. Then Westchester County and Putnam County both constructed trailways on the alignment as county parks. The New York City portion of the right-of-way remained a dirt path until it was finally paved in 2020.
Historic panels along the trailway tell you about long lost train stations.
This trailway corridor has been constructed piece-meal over several decades. The first segments were constructed by Westchester County in the 1990’s. The last piece was opened in 2017. What this now means is that there are sections that are relatively new, and in great shape….and there area also old sections that are in very rough shape. The conditions can change dramatically as you ride. The good news is that some of the older sections are now being reconstructed and are better than ever. The bad news is that this construction will take many years to reach all of the spots that need it, so some of the segments will stay rough and bumpy for a while longer. You’ll also have to deal with interruptions in the trail due to construction.
Uh oh…a surprise construction closure means you get to make a detour. At least this part of trail will be brand new the next time you come back.
If you are looking to ride the trail, the good news is that there are many parking lots along the path. Parking lots are shown on the various maps for the trail. Biking to the trailway from somewhere else can be hit-or-miss, depending on where you are. Many of the roads that cross the trail are busy and have no shoulders on them, since this trail goes right through the heart of car-oriented suburbia. The only nearby public transit options are at the south end (the #1 subway at Van Cortlandt Park) or the north end (the Brewster Metro-North station). So transit works well if you want to do a 50+ mile ride. If not, you’ll probably end up riding “out and back” from wherever you parked your car. The only way to do a shorter distance as a one-way ride using transit is to do our Hudson Valley Craft Brewery Bike Tour, where we shuttle you back to the train after riding 35 miles.
When riding this trail, you will also need to carefully think about services, since there are long stretches with no restrooms, stores or restaurants. So you may need to pack a lunch or at least plan where you may want to buy it as well as think about bathroom breaks. This trail is busy, and often times there is little room on each side of the path, so sneaking into the woods to pee isn’t always an option. (Again, another advantage of our bike tour…we tell you where the restrooms are and we arrange a picnic lunch for you.)
A beautiful spot to take a break along the Saw Mill River and observe wildlife.
This trailway also has an interesting relationship with the towns it goes through. Most of the South County Trailway is along the Saw Mill River, often squeezed between the river itself and the Saw Mill Parkway. So these were industrial areas, not downtown areas. Most of the factories are now gone, having left decades of pollution in the muck of the Saw Mill River next to empty brownfield sites, some of which have been redeveloped. One site was redeveloped with a shopping center with a variety of restaurants and a Starbucks. So that makes a good break stop, although you will have to get across the Saw Mill Parkway at a traffic signal.
A shopping center is located on the other side of the parkway from the trail. Cross at the light to get there.
While the South County Trailway goes directly through the downtowns of two villages (Ardsley and Elmsford) the immediate areas surrounding the trailway are still industrial and you’ll need to ride around (on busy roads with no shoulders) to find that Dunkin Donuts with the bathroom or that pizza shop for lunch. Ardsley is particularly tricky since the only access point to the Village is through a school bus depot and it’s a tangle of roads to get to the main part of town.
The Village of Elmsford welcomes you with this picnic area and bike repair station. There is no restroom here.
The North County Trailway does a little better in terms of taking you through downtown areas with restrooms and lunch places. The old Briarcliff Manor train station was converted into a library, and it is a great stop for a bathroom break (but there are no stores). Further up the line, Millwood has convenience stores, a deli and a supermarket. But perhaps the easiest towns for services are Yorktown Heights and Mahopac since the trail goes right through the center of those places. Yorktown Heights is one of the few places left where an old train station building remains. The local chamber of commerce has also placed maps of the town along the trail to help you find nearby services while also telling you about Yorktown’s other attractions. While there are many choices here, it helps to know where to go since the town is mostly a cluster of suburban shopping centers, many of which have substantial vacancies. Finding a restroom here is also tricky. Mahopac also has a lot of choices as well as another library right along the trail (another great restroom stop). Food choices in both towns are good, particularly if you like pizza. You get pizza that’s the real deal in these towns, although no pizza shops are directly along the trail.
The historic Yorktown train station is currently being restored to its former glory…but it will not have a restroom for you to use.
From Mahopac and north you are on the Putnam Trailway. Although the entire corridor is a relatively flat rail trail, the Putnam Trailway has some of the steeper grades. But you will be rewarded by going through some very densely wooded areas with tall trees that burst into color in the fall. You will also get to experience a number of tall bridges as well as a causeway that goes across a reservoir. North of Mahopac you’ll go through Carmel, more or less through the center of town, but not always super close to businesses. And again, there are no restrooms along the trail.
The crossing of the West Branch reservoir is another highlight of this great bike path.
The trailway ends unceremoniously in the Village of Brewster across from Miggins Screw Products and the entrance to the Metro-North rail yard for the Harlem Line. To get to downtown Brewster (and the train station) you will have to ride over a steep hill and then on a busy road to reach the center of the village. There are a number of restaurants and stores here. The Brewster train station also has a restroom, but it is often out of order, so don’t count on it.
The trail ends unceremoniously across from Miggins Screw Products, next to the Metro-North rail yard.
Riding the Sussex Branch Trail
/in Bike Paths, New Jersey, Rail Trails /by Laura WillisA beaver lodge on a reflective lake: one of many nature scenes on the Sussex Branch Trail
If you are looking to ride your bike on a rail trail that offers a great deal of solitude, check out the Sussex Branch Trail, which as the name suggests, is located in Sussex County, New Jersey. This trail is 18 miles long, unpaved, and goes through many quiet areas where you can easily spot wildlife. This trail is also a great feature of our New Jersey End-to-End bike tour.
While the Sussex Branch trail is generally flat, thanks to the fact that it was once the Sussex Branch line of the former Erie Lackawana Railroad, it has its “ups and downs” in terms of conditions and maintenance. The trail is not paved, and can have lots of puddles, mud and flooding if it has recently rained. In autumn, this trail is a spectacular tunnel of color, but that also means that there are leaves on the trail obscuring rocks. No matter when you go, make sure you show up with a mountain bike or a hybrid bike. Take your time and go slow. There’s no need for speed and it’s better to relax and enjoy the quiet solitude. The generally tough conditions of this trail help keep it quiet, and you may go long distances without seeing another cyclist.
One of the smoother sections of trail.
The Sussex Branch trail generally runs north-south between the Borough of Branchville and Allamuchy Mountain State Park at the southern end of Byram Township, right at the border of Morris County and Mount Olive Township. Mount Olive has a train station that is located about a mile away from the trailhead in Allamuchy Mountain State Park, so the NJ Transit Morris and Essex Line train is your only option if you are seeking to access the Sussex Branch Trail by train with your bike Be advised that the train serves the Mount Olive station on weekdays only and you will have to switch trains in Dover if you are coming from NYC.
If you are driving, the clearest parking area is at the southern end in Allamuchy Mountain State Park. Just off Waterloo Road (County Road 604) is a sizable parking lot with a port-a-potty. This is also the closest parking area to Interstate 80. But there are also other parking areas available along the route, mostly just roadside pull-offs. Consult this map produced by the Sussex County tourism organization for parking locations and other info about accommodations, and things to do near the trail.
One of the many viewpoints of quiet lakes along the trail.
Starting at the south parking lot, you immediately get to travel north through Allamuchy Mountain State Park which has two beautiful lakes that you can stop and enjoy. Unfortunately, the first lake has you riding close to its dam and this area can severely flood under the wrong conditions. (We’re not kidding – check out this video!) Allamuchy State park used to have quarries and you can see the remnants of those as smaller ponds along the route. Eventually you will reach Cranberry Lake and you will get to ride along its shore. The trail enters a small commercial area here with a deli and then goes along Route 206, more or less through parking lots, and then as a dirt path on the side of the road. Eventually the road rises up above you and you are down lower, which means poor drainage after a rain. The good news is that Route 206 has wide shoulders here, so you can hop off and so some road riding if you want a break from the trail conditions.
You can see these quarry ponds adjacent to the trail in Allamuchy Mountain State Park
At Whitehall Hill Road, there is a gap in the trail, but instead of riding along Route 206, you can ride along the much quieter Whitehall Hill Road, which parallels Route 206. At the junction of Whitehall Hill Road, Whitehall Road and Morris and Sussex Turnpike look for a little dirt path off to the right. That is where the trail picks up again. This time you are higher up, above Route 206. No flooding here, but it is bumpy. Take your time and push through. You’ll be rewarded by going over an old stone bridge. Shortly after you’ll arrive in Andover, which has a few restaurants and bunch of antique shops.
The trail goes over this stone bridge
North of Andover, the trail gets very quiet again as you veer away from Route 206 and head back into the woods. You will skirt along the east side of Newtown (another opportunity to access stores and restaurants) and you will need to ride on Hicks Avenue for a short distance to cover a break in the trail. After that, it is very quiet as you bike through the woods next to several streams. One interesting site you will see is the crossing of the Paulinskill Valley Trail high above you. This is another rail trail that was built on a line of the former New York, Susquehanna and Western Railroad. It is an uncommon sight to see two rail trail bike paths cross each other like this!
The Paulinskill Valley Trail passes high above you.
Soon after this crossing you will approach Lafayette Township where the trail starts going along Route 15. Fortunately, you are far enough away from the road to not be distracted by a lot of car noise. Also, at this point you are biking along the Paulins Kill, a rushing stream whose flowing water adds to the sounds you will hear. But you are never far from Route 15 which has restaurants and stores along it, particularly if you need a restroom.
A quirky trail-side sculpture garden welcomes you to Lafayette Township
The bike path flows in the same direction as the streams you will pass, which in a few miles takes you to Branchville where the Sussex Branch Trail ends. The trail ends unceremoniously on Mill Street and then it’s just a quick bike ride to the borough’s historic business district where shops and restaurants are available.
This bucolic farm scene is not very far from services located along Route 15 and the end of the trail in Branchville.
The Bronx Greenway Mosholu / Pelham System
/in Bike Paths, NYC /by Laura WillisOne of the best bicycle path networks in the New York Metro Region is located in the Bronx. While many counties and cities in our region have great bicycle paths, a common issue among many of them is connectivity. Perhaps they run a few miles and stop. Or perhaps one trail is unable to connect to another thanks to a missing piece. The Bronx is fortunate in this regard in that a number of bike paths connect together into a system that stretches almost entirely across the borough. As shown on the excerpt of the NYC Bike Map below, the Mosholu-Pelham Greenway System is the spine of a large network of trails that connects cyclists to attractions such as Orchard Beach, City Island, the Bronx Zoo, the New York Botanical Gardens as well as many local neighborhoods, great restaurants, employment sites, universities, swimming pools, golf courses (including mini-golf courses) and more.
This trail of networks is the showpiece of the Tour de Bronx bike tour that is held every October. But it’s also a system that can be easily used by residents and visitors alike, with many access points, parking areas and transit connections. So it’s perfect place to go for a day-long outing. It also connects to other regional trail systems such as the North-South County Trailway in Westchester and the multi-state East Coast Greenway.
This trail system is part of the larger East Coast Greenway.
While this trail system generally runs east-west, there are a number of connections that will also take you north or south. The west end of this system is Van Cortlandt Park, which is home to many sports fields, a pool, a golf course, and the historic Van Cortlandt House Museum. It is in Van Cortlandt Park that this system connects to Westchester’s South County Trailway, which will take you more than 50 miles north up to Brewster in Putnam County. Trailside parking is available at the Van Cortlandt Golf Course and you can also easily get to the park by subway. Leaving Van Cortlandt Park, the bike path system goes along Mosholu Parkway where it connects with the New York Botanical Gardens. There is bike parking at the garden entrance here.
Moving east, the Mosholu/Pelham system merges into the Bronx River Greenway, a longer north-south route that generally follows the length of the Bronx River between Kensico Dam in Valhalla to Soundview where the Bronx River empties into the East River. It is here that you can access the Bronx Zoo or a number of Metro-North train stations. There is also on-street parking on most of the side streets here.
The Bronx River Greenway is a (mostly completed) bike path between Kensico Dam and the East River
At Pelham Parkway, the Mosholu/Pelham system breaks away from the Bronx River and heads east again as a bike path within the large median of Pelham Parkway. A quick side trip to the south brings you to the Morris Park neighborhood, with many great Italian restaurants. If you just want to stop for a quick lunch there are many options including the famous Emilio’s pizza which has a one-of-a-kind recipe for chicken vodka sauce slices. You could also park within this neighborhood or take the subway here with your bike.
Ride through Pelham Bay Park, next to an equestrian trail and a historic mansion.
As the bike network crosses highway interchanges for both the Hutchinson River Parkway and I-95, you will need to cross many exit and entrance ramps here, so be careful. Most of these are well marked with signs and crosswalks, but always watch out for speeding cars. You can also gain access to the Hutchinson River Greenway here, which is another great north-south route that follows the Hutchinson River Parkway.
Once you cross I-95 you are in Pelham Bay Park, which is New York City’s largest park. This park includes Orchard Beach, Split Rock Golf Course, the Bartow-Pell Mansion Historic Site, Turtle Cove batting cages and mini-golf, and a stable for horseback riding. All of these attractions are right on the bike path which takes you as far east as City Island or north to the Village of Pelham Manor, where the trail dumps you out on a residential street that continues as part of the East Coast Greenway. City Island also features a number of great restaurants and it is a very interesting community to visit. Riding your bike to City Island also lets you not have to think about traffic or parking. Isn’t that great?
Relax by the water on City Island or at Orchard Beach