Explore the best rated trails in Shirley, NY, whether you're looking for an easy walking trail or a bike trail like the Norwalk River Valley Trail and Ridgefield Rail Trail . With more than 29 trails covering 214 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.
Over run with cyclists. Many very inconsiderate. They don’t ring their bell until right behind you. Should be a biking speed limit. Many older people can’t move out of the way when there are pairs of cyclists that stay side by side. Extremely inconsiderate. Not all but too many are.
Only two things keeping this from being a 5 star are the numerous road crossings and the fact that the trail is under power lines. Best in the area.
During the summer, there are more than 2 stops along the way you can buy drinks and food.
27 mile total. On my way back, I was riding against the wind, so tired......
It's not too long, but watch out for sharp turns and steep climb onto the cross over bridge.
Also there were junkies in the Allie pond park parking lot asking people for money.
The history of the Long Island Motor Parkway (as it was first recalled) is revealed with signage along the length of the Parkway, including the site of the Jacob Johnson Family Burial Ground who appears in the 1830 Census as a "free colored man." At least two of his sons served in a segregated unit in the Civil War. He was a farmer in the area until retirement when he lived very close to Alley Pond.
The length of the entire park roadway, designated as part of the Greenway, has been repaved.
Review other park features when you come. In another area of the larger Alley Pond Park is found the oldest and tallest tree in NYC, already growing at the time of George Washington, known as the Alley Pond Giant. Hiking trails throughout the Park are well maintained.
The bridge is repaired and the trail is open.
I started my journey in Bethpage Park ($8 to park for the day) and headed south. The Massapequa Preseve is beautiful and certainly the highlight of the trail. I loved how a small, charming stream ran alongside the trail for most of this leg of the trip.
Once I got to Sunrise Hwy, it was a bit confusing because the trail is not obvious to where it picks up on the other side. I found the trail and completed the last mile. Personally, I would not recommend going south of Sunrise Hwy. The trail becomes extremely bumpy and it ends unceremoniously at the corner of a busy intersection. On my next trip, I am avoiding this leg.
Finally I biked back up to Bethpage and continued north. The Trailview State Park portion of the trail is the best maintained, with a freshly paved roadway and beautiful greenery. I didn't go further than the TSP.
All in all it was a fun ride! My next trip I am parking where the trail intersects with Sunrise Hwy and take it all the way north.
Nice short ride but afterwords you can go south on Old Dock Road and relax on a bench and enjoy the water views. Then you can do the Hike and Bike trail again.
This is a nice bike ride. The trail is well paved and very level. Not many other riders/hikers. The unavoidable intersections are very disruptive if you are riding for a steady fast pace or for a strenuous workout. Also not much shade. But if you are biking or walking for an enjoyable bit of exercise, it can't be beat for this area.
I took the Metro North out of the city up to Bronxville to cycle all the way to the north end of this trail, and had a very good time. While it's not exactly a quiet trail, running alongside the Bronx River Parkway for the majority of it, it is surprisingly secluded and peaceful.
I do have two warnings, which I've also submitted as edits to the description of this trail, so hopefully they'll appear above this review in the future.
One: there is a small section of gravel between Hartsdale and White Plains. I took my Brompton since I was expecting asphalt the whole way, and while it performed surprisingly admirably on the gravel, it was still rough enough to give me a tire puncture. Gravel bikes and hybrids will likely have no problems, but folding bikes and skinny-tire road bikes may want to be cautious in this section - it's unfortunately too long to simply walk it.
Two: there are a number of extremely low-clearance parts of this trail where it passes under the Bronx River Parkway. I'm 5'11" and I had to duck while *walking* my bike several times. These are all well signposted, but do *not* ride your bike under there unless you know exactly how tall you (and your helmet) are on your bike. Many of these crossings are also blind and narrow, so if you do ride through them, I'd recommend ringing your bell as you go to warn anyone approaching.
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