Explore the best rated trails in Syracuse, NY. Whether you're looking for an easy walking trail or a bike trail like the Verona Beach State Park Rail Trail and Auburn-Fleming Trail. With more than 24 trails covering 422 miles you’re bound to find a perfect trail for you. Click on any trail below to find trail descriptions, trail maps, photos, and reviews.
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Bear Trap Creek Bikeway follows the creek of the same name between Ley Creek Drive and the Mattydale Shopping Plaza. For most of its length it parallels Interstate 81, with a fence separating the...
The Mohawk River Trail is a pleasant, shared use pathway connecting residential sites, local parks & schools, historical sites and business districts within the city of Rome, New York. At its southern...
While many other rail trails in rural New York have gravel or grass surfaces, which make them difficult to traverse for cyclists and users with disabilities, the Lenox Rail Trail offers over two miles...
The South Hill Recreation Way follows the southern rim of the Six Mile Creek gorge from the outskirts of southeast Ithaca to Burns Road, near the Ithaca Reservoir. The gravel path follows the former...
Verona Beach State Park is located on the eastern shore of Oneida Lake. Shaded picnic areas and the campground are adjacent to the beach with an excellent view of the water. The lake, Black Creek,...
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The Philip A. Rayhill Memorial Recreational Trail is part of the New Hartford & Whitestown Rail Trail system (NH & W). The 5-mile asphalt trail links the two towns and roughly parallels Route 840...
When complete, the Erie Canalway Trail will run for 360 miles in upstate New York—from Buffalo in the west to Albany in the east—linking many other communities along the way, including Rochester,...
This paved trail is located on the west side of the North-South Arterial that runs through Utica New York. The trail provides a non-driving option for folks to travel through the city and a pedestrian...
The Dryden Rail Trail is a developing trail that will someday complete the link between the Jim Schug Trail and the East Ithaca Recreation Way, forming over 16 miles of continuous walking and biking...
The South Trail stretches over 2 miles between Ballina Rd. and New Woodstock in Cazenovia, New York. The trail sits on the former right-of-way of the Lehigh Valley Railroad. The rail-trail takes users...
This unique in-city trail was built on portions of the former Ontario and Western Railway Line through the City of Oswego. The Ontario and Western Railway ran its last train in March of 1957. The...
The Cayuga-Seneca Canalway Trail is a 5-mile pathway beginning in Waterloo, New York and terminating at Seneca Lake State Park. The roadbed it uses was constructed by the Seneca County Railway...
The Keuka Outlet Trail offers a sinuous route of nearly 7 miles between Penn Yan and Dresden in New York’s Finger Lakes region. The rail-trail follows a railroad corridor that traced a former canal...
The East Ithaca Recreation Way on East Hill is primarily built upon the rail bed of the old Ithaca and Cortland Railroad, which later became part of the Lehigh Valley Railroad. The trail skirts the...
The Gorge Trail is makes for a scenic walk or mountain bike ride near the town of Cazenovia. The trail runs between the old railroad buildings on William Street and Bingley Road to the north. From...
The Philip A. Rayhill Memorial Recreational Trail is part of the New Hartford & Whitestown Rail Trail system (NH & W). The 5-mile asphalt trail links the two towns and roughly parallels Route 840...
This paved trail is located on the west side of the North-South Arterial that runs through Utica New York. The trail provides a non-driving option for folks to travel through the city and a pedestrian...
While many other rail trails in rural New York have gravel or grass surfaces, which make them difficult to traverse for cyclists and users with disabilities, the Lenox Rail Trail offers over two miles...
The Cato-Fair Haven Trail (a.k.a. Cayuga County Trail) travels a little more than 14 miles through forest, wetland and tree farm.
When complete, the Erie Canalway Trail will run for 360 miles in upstate New York—from Buffalo in the west to Albany in the east—linking many other communities along the way, including Rochester,...
The Cayuga-Seneca Canalway Trail is a 5-mile pathway beginning in Waterloo, New York and terminating at Seneca Lake State Park. The roadbed it uses was constructed by the Seneca County Railway...
Bear Trap Creek Bikeway follows the creek of the same name between Ley Creek Drive and the Mattydale Shopping Plaza. For most of its length it parallels Interstate 81, with a fence separating the...
This unique in-city trail was built on portions of the former Ontario and Western Railway Line through the City of Oswego. The Ontario and Western Railway ran its last train in March of 1957. The...
The South Trail stretches over 2 miles between Ballina Rd. and New Woodstock in Cazenovia, New York. The trail sits on the former right-of-way of the Lehigh Valley Railroad. The rail-trail takes users...
Verona Beach State Park is located on the eastern shore of Oneida Lake. Shaded picnic areas and the campground are adjacent to the beach with an excellent view of the water. The lake, Black Creek,...
The Oswego County Trail follows an abandoned right-of-way of the old New York Ontario & Western Railroad between Cleveland and Fulton. The trail passes among scenic countryside on a sometimes rough...
The East Ithaca Recreation Way on East Hill is primarily built upon the rail bed of the old Ithaca and Cortland Railroad, which later became part of the Lehigh Valley Railroad. The trail skirts the...
A public trail owned by Cortland County since the 1977 abandonment of a Lehigh Valley railroad line built by Ezra Cornell as the "Ithaca & Cortland" in 1872, this path crosses east to west from...
Black Diamond Trail will one day stretch 15 miles to link four state parks in the Finger Lakes region of New York. Currently, 8 miles of the trail are open, which follow the Lehigh Valley Railroad...
The Keuka Outlet Trail offers a sinuous route of nearly 7 miles between Penn Yan and Dresden in New York’s Finger Lakes region. The rail-trail follows a railroad corridor that traced a former canal...
The Dryden Rail Trail is a developing trail that will someday complete the link between the Jim Schug Trail and the East Ithaca Recreation Way, forming over 16 miles of continuous walking and biking...
This is a flat 1.6 mile trail through woods, wetlands and farmland connecting Rt. 34 in the Town of Fleming to Dunning Ave. in the City of Auburn. It is an easy walk or bike through a very scenic...
The Mohawk River Trail is a pleasant, shared use pathway connecting residential sites, local parks & schools, historical sites and business districts within the city of Rome, New York. At its southern...
The Ontario Pathways Rail Trail is the crown jewel of the trail system managed by the organization for whom it is named in Ontario County, New York. Comprising two disconnected segments, including a...
A public trail owned by Cortland County since the 1977 abandonment of a Lehigh Valley railroad line built by Ezra Cornell as the "Ithaca & Cortland" in 1872, this path crosses east to west from...
The South Trail stretches over 2 miles between Ballina Rd. and New Woodstock in Cazenovia, New York. The trail sits on the former right-of-way of the Lehigh Valley Railroad. The rail-trail takes users...
This unique in-city trail was built on portions of the former Ontario and Western Railway Line through the City of Oswego. The Ontario and Western Railway ran its last train in March of 1957. The...
This paved trail is located on the west side of the North-South Arterial that runs through Utica New York. The trail provides a non-driving option for folks to travel through the city and a pedestrian...
While many other rail trails in rural New York have gravel or grass surfaces, which make them difficult to traverse for cyclists and users with disabilities, the Lenox Rail Trail offers over two miles...
The Charlie Major Nature Trail follows an abandoned right-of-way that once carried trains along the old Skaneateles Short Line Railroad. The railroad served millworks in the area, including paper...
The Jim Schug Trail offers a short, sweet excursion in New York's Finger Lakes region. The trail was known as the Dryden Lake Trail until it was renamed in 2002 in memory of the late town supervisor...
The Keuka Outlet Trail offers a sinuous route of nearly 7 miles between Penn Yan and Dresden in New York’s Finger Lakes region. The rail-trail follows a railroad corridor that traced a former canal...
The Philip A. Rayhill Memorial Recreational Trail is part of the New Hartford & Whitestown Rail Trail system (NH & W). The 5-mile asphalt trail links the two towns and roughly parallels Route 840...
The East Ithaca Recreation Way on East Hill is primarily built upon the rail bed of the old Ithaca and Cortland Railroad, which later became part of the Lehigh Valley Railroad. The trail skirts the...
The Gorge Trail is makes for a scenic walk or mountain bike ride near the town of Cazenovia. The trail runs between the old railroad buildings on William Street and Bingley Road to the north. From...
Verona Beach State Park is located on the eastern shore of Oneida Lake. Shaded picnic areas and the campground are adjacent to the beach with an excellent view of the water. The lake, Black Creek,...
This is a flat 1.6 mile trail through woods, wetlands and farmland connecting Rt. 34 in the Town of Fleming to Dunning Ave. in the City of Auburn. It is an easy walk or bike through a very scenic...
Black Diamond Trail will one day stretch 15 miles to link four state parks in the Finger Lakes region of New York. Currently, 8 miles of the trail are open, which follow the Lehigh Valley Railroad...
Bear Trap Creek Bikeway follows the creek of the same name between Ley Creek Drive and the Mattydale Shopping Plaza. For most of its length it parallels Interstate 81, with a fence separating the...
The Dryden Rail Trail is a developing trail that will someday complete the link between the Jim Schug Trail and the East Ithaca Recreation Way, forming over 16 miles of continuous walking and biking...
The South Hill Recreation Way follows the southern rim of the Six Mile Creek gorge from the outskirts of southeast Ithaca to Burns Road, near the Ithaca Reservoir. The gravel path follows the former...
The Mohawk River Trail is a pleasant, shared use pathway connecting residential sites, local parks & schools, historical sites and business districts within the city of Rome, New York. At its southern...
The Cayuga-Seneca Canalway Trail is a 5-mile pathway beginning in Waterloo, New York and terminating at Seneca Lake State Park. The roadbed it uses was constructed by the Seneca County Railway...
The Cato-Fair Haven Trail (a.k.a. Cayuga County Trail) travels a little more than 14 miles through forest, wetland and tree farm.
Rode this trail as an out-and-back on 5/17/22 starting at the southern trailhead at the Ithaca Children’s Garden (also has easy access to a paved trail to Cass Park and the Cayuga Waterfront Trail). This is a great trail for anything other than a road bike that gently ascends to the northern trailhead in beautiful Taughannock Falls State Park where the old railroad trestle across Taughannock Creek serves as a viewpoint and a short ride will take you to the Taughannock Falls Overlook View Point.
It’s a fun little trail to walk or bike down and have fun with your friends, nothing too crazy but in the summer or fall it can be very beautiful!
I hiked this trail while working as Asst. Dir of Admissions at Niagara University. The Geneva Ramada was my home base. I loved the hiking trails there. It is a great place.
Very nice trail. Open and clear with nice views of foliage and water. We will return.
Be prepared to go steadily uphill from Cass Park. So much fun riding downhill. Beautiful views of several waterfalls.
As you come into Utica, there is a construction area that would benefit from some temporary signs. You ride down a small hill into a wide open area. Once you do this, you will find that there is no sign that should direct riders to go left. Going left will take you across railroad tracks, and to one of the locks. You cross the lock and rejoin the trail. If you make the mistake and take a right instead of going left, you will be forced to ride into Utica on a busy road. Other than needing a sign at this location in Utica, the trail is amazing. We road from Syracuse to Albany.
I almost skipped this great trail due to the bad reviews, but it was quite nice. Beautiful forest, wetlands and a few peeks of farmland. Make no mistake, it's nothing like zooming down the Erie towpath on perfectly smooth stone dust, but it would be manageable for anyone with a little mountain bike experience. There were too many mud puddles to count (some trail-wide) on my ride. You could either blast through them like a ten year old and come back looking like a Tide commercial or practice your bike handling around the edges. Like any mtn. bike trail, you'll need to keep your eyes on the trail and be ready for occasional half-buried rocks. Try to go when it's dry and expect a slower pace with lots of maneuvering and it's a good ride. *** The first 1/2 mile or so starting at the Fair Haven Fire Dept. is awful. You can skip it by road riding on Fair Haven Rd (94) between the fire dept. and Simmons Rd at the sawmill (trail is 100 ft. from Fair Haven Rd. at this point). It's only a mile and not busy at all.
In mid September, when my husband and I were walking the trail, we found the mosquito population from Dresden to the parking lot for Seneca Mills Falls to be horrible. I would never hike in that area at that time of year again. Even mosquito repellent hardly helped. However, hiking from the Seneca Mills Falls parking lot to Seneca falls is lovely and the falls is lovely too.
At end of 60 mile ride we took this trail south into Ithaca. It seemed to be all downhill or maybe I was delirious!
2021: Biked the Erie Canal trail from Buffalo to Cohoes. Well worth the time. And mostly a very pleasant experience, with just a few caveats. Trail improvements are ongoing and signage along the trail is not always up to date, so check your route carefully, especially where it is on-road. The initial section from downtown Buffalo is grungy city streets, but that improves with a great, mostly off-road trail all the way to Lyons. Lockport to Spencerport is fairly exposed, but from there on to Lyons is generally pleasantly green and shaded. From Clyde to Port Byron and through Syracuse were onroad and not always clearly signed and were the least pleasant. From the east side of Syracuse all the way to Cohoes was a delightful and beautiful ride, with the exception of finding one's way onroad and with poor signage through Rome. All in all (despite my caveats) a good, local, human-powered bucket-list endeavor, with thanks to all the communities along the way and everyone maintaining and improving and filling the gaps in the trail.
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