Railbed
Appalachian National Scenic Trail
| Park Overview: | A beautiful 160-mile segment of the Appalachian Trail passes through the New York-New Jersey region. |
| Trail Uses: | Hiking, X-C skiing, Handicapped |
| Dogs: | Dogs on leash |
| Trail Miles: | 160 miles |
| Park Acreage: | |
| City/County/ State: | Multiple locations /NY/NJ//US |
| Buy Trail Map: | Appalachian Trail Guide to New York-New Jersey |
| Buy Book: | Appalachian Trail Guide to New York-New Jersey |
| Park Description: | The Appalachian Trail is one of the longest continuously marked footpath in the world, measuring roughly 2,180 miles in length. |
| Trails Overview: | An overview map of the trail along its entire length is available from the National Park “Appalachian National Scenic Trail” web page. The AT is uniformly marked with a 2" x 6" white-painted, vertical blaze. For detailed descriptions of hikes in the region click on Find a Hike -- scroll down the “Title” column for hikes beginning with “Appalachian Trail …” The majority of these are loop hikes in conjunction with other trails. For AT-only hikes look for those associated with the “Appalachian National Scenic Trail” in the “Parks” column. The database includes a few AT hikes in nearby sections of Pennsylvania and Connecticut. Two of the few wheelchair accessible sections from Georgia to Maine are in this region:
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| Directions: | Driving: For specific traveling directions and parking areas use the “Find a Hike” and “Find a Park” links provided above, then scroll to the particular park or hike you plan to visit. Public Transportation: Hike descriptions will indicate if public transportation (train or bus) is available to a particular trailhead. The AT crosses the Metro-North Railroad’s Harlem Line at the Appalachian Trail station (just off N.Y. Route 22, between Pawling and Wingdale) -- the only train station located directly at an AT crossing anywhere along the 2,180-mile-long trail! Limited service is provided at the Appalachian Trail station, with trains stopping there only on Saturdays, Sundays and holidays (the station, which is little more than a low-level platform, is not wheelchair accessible). At other times, hikers may board trains at Pawling (to the south) or Harlem Valley-Wingdale (to the north). Trains run north to Wassaic and south to Grand Central Terminal in New York City.
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| Contact Information: | Appalachian Trail Conservancy 304-535-6331 |
| Region: | Appalachian Trail |
| Fees: | Some times and places; check with park |
Atsion to Carranza Monument
Overview
Details
Time:
3 hours
Difficulty:
Easy
Length:
6.1 miles
Route Type:
Shuttle/Two car or Public Transportation
Dogs:
Allowed on leash
Features:
Historic feature, Birding
Maps/Books
Publication
First Published:
04/29/2011
Submitter:
Jeffrey Jotz
Trailhead GPS
Coordinates
Coordinates Driving Directions
Directions using two cars for a shuttle hike
- To Carranza Monument, from the North: NJ Turnpike South to Exit 7. Follow signs for 206 south. Drive approximately 14 miles south on 206 to the Red Lion Circle (70/206). Continue on 206 south through the circle approximately 1 mile. Bear left off 206 onto Carranza Road (Rt. 648). Drive approximately 1.5 miles to first stop sign. Continue through the Route 532 stop sign (Nixon's General Store on the left and Russo's farm store on the right) on Carranza Road in Tabernacle. After a couple miles of sparsely settled farm land and small affluent developments you will enter Wharton State Forest. Go past the turnoff for the old NJ Correctional System Boot Camp and continue another 1.8 miles. The Carranza Memorial site will be in a clearing on your right. [Drop off a car]
- From Carranza Monument to Atsion office: From the Memorial retrace your route along Carranza Road; in about four miles turn left onto Forked Neck Road. Travel 3.1 miles to the intersection with Route 206 at the Valenzano Winery. Turn left, travel another 3.4 miles; the sign for the Atsion office is ahead on your left, just before Atsion Lake on your right.
Directions using one car to hike out from and back to Atsion office, from the North: NJ Turnpike South to Exit 7. Follow signs for 206 south. Drive approximately 14 miles south on 206 to the Red Lion Circle (70/206). Continue on 206 south through the circle approximately 1 mile. From the intersection of Route 206 and Route 648, proceed South on Rt. 206 for another 9 miles until you enter Wharton State Forest. The sign for the Atsion office is ahead on your left, just before Atsion Lake on your right.
Description
Starting at the parking lot of the historic Atsion office, head southeast on Quaker Bridge Road past a hunting club and boarded-up schoolhouse on your right and look for the Mullica (yellow) Trail
North County Trailway
Photo
| Park Overview: | As you travel the North County Trailway, you will see a cross section of Westchester as the Trailway passes back yards, parks, and businesses. Most of the time, the Trailway is away from roads. Between Millwood and Briarcliff Manor, the trailway is just a barrier away from high speed Route 100. Along its route, it wends its ways through a variety of habitats; wetlands, rock cuts, woodlands and edge environment. |
| Trail Uses: | Hiking, Mountain biking, Handicapped |
| Dogs: | Dogs on leash |
| Trail Miles: | 21 miles |
| Park Acreage: | 88 acres |
| City/County/ State: | Tarrytown, Briarcliff Manor, Millwood, Yorktown Heights, Somers, Baldwin Place/Westchester/NY |
| Buy Book: |
| Park Description: | The Putnam Division of the New York Central Railroad ran for 54 miles from the Bronx to Brewster between 1881 and 1958, when it ceased passenger operations. It carried occasional freight until |
| Trails Overview: | A two-page brochure, "North County Trailway," developed by Westchester County Department of Parks, Recreation and Conservation Department with an overview and maps is available online. The Trailway is primarily a bicycle route, so hikers should be alert for passing cyclists.
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| Directions: | There are many access points to the trailway, including some from neighbor's backyards. Use a map of Westchester County to reach parking areas at Baldwin Place, Route 202/35, Underhill Avenue in Yorktown, Route 118, Route 134, Millwood, Chappaqua Road, Law Park in Briarcliff Manor and Eastview. |
| Contact Information: | Westchester County Department of Parks, Recreation and Conservation 914-864-7173 |
| Region: | Westchester County |
| Fees: | None |
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High Line
| Park Overview: | A most unique rail-to-trail conversion. Many regional trails have views of the Manhattan skyline from afar; this one travels through that skyline 30 feet above the streets of Manhattan’s lower west side [Chelsea/West Village]. |
| Trail Uses: | Hiking, Handicapped |
| Dogs: | No dogs |
| Trail Miles: | 2 miles |
| Park Acreage: | |
| City/County/ State: | New York City/New York/NY |
| Park Description: | From 1934 to 1980 an elevated rail line connected the rail yards of mid-town Manhattan to an industrial district along the lower West Side of Manhattan. Constructed 30 feet above the ground i |
| Trails Overview: | The initial section of the High Line extends one-half mile from its southern terminus at Gansevoort Street in the Meatpacking District north to 20th Street. Section 2 opened to the public on June 8, 2011. The Friends of the High Line marked the occasion by observing: "The opening of the new section doubles the length of the public park. After years of planning, design and construction, the High Line is now one mile long, running from Gansevoort Street to West 30th Street, connecting the Meatpacking District, West Chelsea, and Hell's Kitchen." A video peak at Section 2 during construction in December, 2010 can be viewed by clicking here. The northernmost section's future extending to the Rail Yards at 34th Street remains uncertain [if completed it will be 1.45 miles long]. Along the High Line are gorgeous views of the Hudson River and even Manhattanites might be tempted to look upwards from this unique, elevated perspective to take in New York City's celebrated skyline. It is beautifully designed and according to Rails to Trails Conservancy, "... the High Line incorporates many of the visual characteristics of the old abandoned corridor with sections of the original track still remaining visible in areas which in turn are incorporated into the concrete slab designs that make up the surface of the path. Other sections of the trail reveal art-deco railings and modern wooden benches that organically connect to the concrete surface. The landscape design itself includes much of the original wild self-seeded plant life and flora that used to naturally inhabit the abandoned corridor and the overall effect is a wholesome combination of organic beauty and stylized form that never fully diverts from the history and beauty of the old abandoned railroad corridor." Dogs are currently not permitted. A printable trail map is available on-line, follow the "Park Information" link under Contact Information. Listen to a walking tour of the High Line by Joshua David and Robert Hammond, the Co-Founders of Friends of the High Line. They were interviewed on NPR's "All Things Considered," September 3, 2011. The tour begins as the High Line does, at the corner of Gansevoort and Washington Streets in the Meatpacking District. [This verson is 80 minutes; at the NPR site is also a 12 minute interview.] Want to look over the park before you go? Use the "Street View" feature on Google Maps. Either search for "High Line, NYC, NY" using Google Maps in a new window, or click to enlarge the map at the top of this page. If you are unfamiliar with using Street View simply drag the orange-colored icon of a person atop the zoom in/out buttons to a desired location along the High Line pathway. |
| Directions: | Access points are at: Gansevoort Street, West 14th Street [elevator access], West 16th Street [elevator access], West 18th Street and West 20th Street. New access points for Section 2 are located at West 23rd Street [elevator access planned], West 26th Street, West 28th Street, and West 30th Street [elevaor access]. For public transportation information [NYC subway and bus lines] follow the "Park Information" link under Contact Information. If coming across the Hudson River from New Jersey, the nearest PATH stations are at Christopher Street or 14th Street [Click on Map Tab above and enlarge it to see PATH station icons]. |
| Contact Information: | Friends of the High Line 212-500-6035 |
| Region: | New York City |
| Fees: | None |
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Walkway Over the Hudson Historic State Park
| Park Overview: | This is a 1.25-mile linear park over the Hudson River connecting Ulster and Dutchess Counties in the Mid-Hudson region. It links to rail trails on both sides of the river. |
| Trail Uses: | Hiking, Mountain biking, Handicapped |
| Dogs: | Dogs on leash |
| Trail Miles: | 1.25 miles |
| Park Acreage: | |
| City/County/ State: | Highland [Ulster County], Poughkeepsie/Dutchess/NY |
| Park Description: | This renovated 19th-century railroad bridge is now a pedestrian and bike path over the Hudson River. |
| Trails Overview: | Besides breathtaking views of the Hudson River and its landscape, the bridge connects to 27 miles of rail trails and riverfront parks already built or planned in Ulster and Dutchess Counties. A nearly 4-mile loop hike that includes the Mid-Hudson Bridge is possible. A connector trail also leads to Franny Reese State Park on the west side of the river. Click to view hike descriptions that start from either the east shore or west shore of the Hudson River.
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| Directions: | By train: Walkway Over the Hudson State Historic Park is located just 4 blocks north of the Metro North and Amtrak station in Poughkeepsie. Driving Directions: From the South/East: Take the Taconic State Parkway north to the Route 55/Poughkeepsie exit. Take Route 55 east towards Poughkeepsie. Stay on Route 55/44 through the City of Poughkeepsie, and take a right onto Columbus Drive (just past Poughkeepsie Grand Hotel and City Hall). Columbus Drive becomes Washington Street. Continue on Washington Street to right on Parker Avenue. Park entrance is on the left. Free parking is available in a large dirt field; a fee is charged at the paved parking area. From the South/West: Take Route 9W North. Just past the exit for the Mid-Hudson Bridge, take a right onto Haviland Road. Park entrance is on the left just beyond the Hudson Valley Rail Trail parking area. A small paid parking area is at the trail head (for about a dozen cars); parking on the north side of Haviland Road is free. There is also a large, free parking area at the Hudson Valley Rail Trail entrance. From the North: Take the New York State Thruway (I-87) south to Exit 18, Poughkeepsie/New Paltz. Take right onto Route 299. Follow Route 299 east to Route 9W south. Make a left onto Haviland Road. Park entrance is on the left. |
| Contact Information: | OPRHP-NYS Parks 845-454-9649 |
| Region: | Hudson River Greenway Trail |
| Fees: | None |
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Timp-Torne/Dunderberg Spiral Railway/R-D Trail Short Loop from Route 9W
Overview
This loop hike follows portions of the never-completed Dunderberg Spiral Railway and passes several expansive viewpoints over the Hudson River.
Details
Time:
3 hours
Difficulty:
Moderate to Strenuous
Length:
3.9 miles
Route Type:
Circuit
Dogs:
Allowed on leash
Features:
Views, Historic feature
Location
Park:
Region:
County:
Rockland
State:
NY
Maps/Books
Buy Trail Map:
Buy Book:
Publication
First Published:
08/28/2008
Updated/Verified:
10/04/2010
Submitter:
Daniel Chazin
See also
Trailhead GPS Coordinates
41.281193,-73.962922 Coordinates Driving Directions
Take the Palisades Interstate Parkway to its northern terminus at the Bear Mountain Circle and proceed south on U.S. Route 9W for about four miles. Park in a large parking area on the right, at the base of a downhill section of the road, as the road reaches the river level. (A side road, Old Route 9W, leaves sharply to the left here.)
Description
From the parking area, walk south on Route 9W for a few hundred feet.
Mount Beacon Park
| Park Overview: | Spectacular views reward a steep climb to the historic summit of Mount Beacon. |
| Trail Uses: | Hiking, Mountain biking |
| Dogs: | Dogs on leash |
| Trail Miles: | |
| Park Acreage: | 234 acres |
| City/County/ State: | Beacon/Dutchess/NY |
| Buy Trail Map: | East Hudson Trails Map |
| Park Description: | Mount Beacon can be seen from miles around and is the northern gateway to the Hudson Highlands. |
| Trails Overview: | The Casino Trail (Red blaze, 2.0 miles) begins at the parking area Kiosk and gains 2,000 feet in elevation, passing several viewpoints in its climb to the summit. A Yellow-blazed trail turns north from its junction with Casino Trail and climbs to the Fishkill Ridge. By linking with White and Blue blazed trails to the Scofield Ridge and the Wilkinson Memorial Trail, the hiker can do a strenuous 8.0-mile circular walk. |
| Directions: | From NY Route 9D, look for Bob's Corner Store in Beacon. Turn east onto Howland Avenue. then immediately turn right into the parking area for Scenic Hudson's Mount Beacon Park. Public Transportation: Metro-North Hudson Line to Beacon station -- walk uphill to trailhead |
| Contact Information: | Mount Beacon Park 845-473-4440 |
| Region: | East Hudson Highlands |
| Fees: | None |
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Harlem Valley Rail Trail
Map
View Harlem Valley Rail Trail in a larger map
| Park Overview: | This paved rail trail goes through the eastern edge of Dutchess County and into Columbia County. |
| Trail Uses: | Hiking, Mountain biking, Handicapped |
| Dogs: | Dogs on leash |
| Trail Miles: | 14.4 miles |
| Park Acreage: | |
| City/County/ State: | Wassaic, Millerton/Dutchess/NY |
| Web Map: | Trail map |
| Park Description: | The portion of the Harlem Line that forms the rail-trail was completed in 1852 and later became part of the New York Central Railroad system (which became Penn Central in 1968). |
| Trails Overview: | The trail is planned to be 46.1 miles long. In 2009 two sections were completed, a 10.8 mile section in Dutchess County from Wassaic to Millerton, and a 3.7 mile segment in Columbia County from Under Mountain Rd. to Copake Falls Station. The trail map link above describes six sections of the trail and the extent of their completion (the map/brochure has no publication date). |
| Directions: | The south trailhead is the Wassaic Metro-North station on NY 22. The north trailhead for the contiguous 10.8 mile section is in Millerton on US 44 near the intersection with NY 22. There are several alternative access points with parking along the trail.
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| Contact Information: | Harlem Valley Rail Trail Association 518-789-9591 |
| Region: | Dutchess County |
| Fees: | None |
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Dunderberg Spiral Railway/Bald Mountain Loop
Overview
This loop hike follows portions of the never-completed Dunderberg Spiral Railway, climbs to the summit of Bald Mountain, and passes several expansive viewpoints over the Hudson River.
Details
Time:
5.5 hours
Difficulty:
Strenuous
Length:
7 miles
Route Type:
Circuit
Dogs:
Allowed on leash
Features:
Views, Historic feature
Location
Park:
Region:
County:
Rockland
State:
NY
Maps/Books
Buy Trail Map:
Buy Book:
Publication
First Published:
12/12/2002
Updated/Verified:
10/04/2010
Submitter:
Daniel Chazin
See also
Trailhead GPS Coordinates
41.281161,-73.962847 Coordinates Driving Directions
Take the Palisades Interstate Parkway to its northern terminus at the Bear Mountain Circle and proceed south on U.S. Route 9W for about four miles. At the base of a downhill section of the road, as the road reaches the river level, you’ll notice a large parking area on the right side of the road. (A side road, Old Ayers Road to Jones Point, leaves sharply to the left here.) Park in this gravel parking area.
Description
From the parking area, walk south on Route 9W for a few hundred feet.
South Beacon Mountain and Scofield Ridge
Overview
This hike climbs to the summit of South Beacon Mountain and follows the Scofield Ridge, passing many panoramic viewpoints over the Hudson River and the surrounding mountains.
Details
Time:
6.5 hours
Difficulty:
Strenuous
Length:
8 miles
Route Type:
Circuit
Dogs:
Allowed on leash
Features:
Views, Public Transportation, Historic feature
Location
Park:
Region:
County:
Dutchess
State:
NY
Maps/Books
Publication
First Published:
06/02/2006
Submitter:
Daniel Chazin
Trailhead GPS Coordinates
41.493547,-73.959854 (or N41°29.61282, W073°57.59124) Coordinates Driving Directions
Take the Palisades Interstate Parkway to its northern terminus at the Bear Mountain Bridge. Cross the bridge, bear left onto N.Y. 9D, and proceed north on N.Y. 9D for 14.5 miles. As NY 9D (Wolcott Avenue) curves sharply to the left at Bob’s Corner Store in Beacon, turn right onto Howland Avenue. Immediately, turn right into the parking area for Scenic Hudson’s Mount Beacon Park.
Train
Take the Metro-North Hudson Line to the Beacon station. The trailhead is approximately 1.5 miles from the train station. To reach the trailhead from the stationm turn right (south) onto Beekman Street (towards Dia Beacon). In 0.4 mile, Beekman Street ends, and you should continue along Wolcott Avenue (Route 9D). In about another mile, Wolcott Avenue makes a sharp right turn. At this bend, turn left onto Howland Avenue. The trailhead is on your right.
Description
This hike begins with a steady, steep climb of 1,000 feet of elevation in the first mile, and the overall elevation gain exceeds 2,000 feet.
