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The O&W Rail Trail follows the route of the old NY O&W Railroad (Kingston-Port Jervis Branch) right-of-way for 19.1 miles through Ulster County, NY, between Kingston and Ellenville.
The O&W Rail Trail should not be confused with the nearby Sullivan O&W Rail Trail.
About the Route
The northern endpoint of the O&W Rail Trail is located just west of the Washington Avenue and Taylor Street intersection and extends 0.5 mile before it peters out shortly after the I-87 underpass. Trail users can pick up the trail again a mile farther southwest at a well-marked trailhead with parking located off US 209, south of Esopus Creek in the town of Hurley. From here down to Marbletown, the trail is sometimes referred to as the Hurley Rail Trail; from Marbletown south, it’s sometimes called the Marbletown Rail Trail.
For 2 miles, the asphalt-surfaced trail runs adjacent to US 209. This portion is suitable for in-line skaters, road cyclists, and wheelchair users. It is particularly scenic as you continue south, as there is an Indigenous planting field and a railroad tunnel in Hurley.
Traveling toward the community of Cottekill, roughly halfway from the start of this segment, the area becomes heavily wooded and grassy. Heading south from Cottekill Road, trail users will encounter steep grades and rougher terrain featuring mostly dirt and cinder.
As the trail continues south to cross NY 213, consider turning east for a view of the High Falls dam and access to the historical High Falls. This charming town features many businesses, restaurants, and the D&H Canal Museum. Several miles after High Falls, the trail crosses Rest Plaus Road via an overpass that offers a great view of the surrounding countryside. Note that the overpass does not provide access to Rest Plaus Road itself.
As you approach the southern end of this segment, the trail crosses Kyserike Road. The trail jags west here and continues south to County Road 1/Lucas Turnpike, though there is no navigational signage. Here the area just north of the road traverses a private lumberyard. After the trail hits CR 1/Lucas Turnpike, there is a 1.5-mile gap to continue to the final trail segment. This gap is particularly difficult to navigate by bike, as it follows several heavily trafficked roads.
The following portion of the trail is a 3.5-mile stretch from Accord to Kerhonkson. This picturesque, wooded area follows Rondout Creek. The natural surface of the southern segment makes it perfect for horseback riding, walking, mountain biking, and winter sports.
A short stretch of trail located in Ellenville marks the southernmost section.
Trail History
The O&W Rail Trail provides a glimpse into the area’s history from the perspectives of both a historical canal and a railroad. The Delaware & Hudson (D&H) Canal carried coal from Honesdale, Pennsylvania, to Kingston, New York, for the New York City and Albany markets from 1828 to 1898. The canal was shut down in favor of the New York, Ontario and Western Railway, more commonly known as the O&W (and nicknamed the Old and Weary), which was in use until the mid-20th century. A major carrier of anthracite coal, the O&W was also an important carrier of milk and dairy products, as well as urban tourists seeking the fresh air of resorts and farmhouse boarding.
The O&W Rail Trail (Ulster County) runs between 487 Washington Ave (Kingston) and Edwards Pl (Ellenville), with parking at both ends.
Additional parking is available at:
There are numerous parking options along this route, see TrailLink map for all parking options and detailed directions.
Nice trail a must do . From Kingston it’s paved at least 5 -6 miles the rest is easy ride great scenery !
Had a great ride yesterday on the north end going from Kingston trailhead to just before Marbletown wooded trail. Marbletown south was a little muddy from recent rains. Ran into 3 folks on horses there too!
I have not been on the northern part of this trail, but the southern part is years (and probably millions of dollars) away from being a great trail. There are short parts near Ellenville that have been rehabilitated and a tiny stretch near Port Ben that’s okay, but it’s mostly rough riding in the middle of no-where, without a person in sight . Trees are down. There’s trash (tires, old toys, abandoned cars, everywhere). The trail is poorly marked where it starts and stops; it ends abruptly in multiple places; and is generally not worth the trouble to navigate.
If you’re brave enough to start at Ellenville, the trail does not start in the park (as noted on the O&W website) - it start’s off Main Street down a road that leads to a municipal parking lot for snow plows. (Looks carefully, it’s very easy to miss.)
Let’s hope the dream of this trail becomes a reality sooner rather than later.
TrailLink is not updated and someone should confirm but a visiting cyclist on the user-run Facebook Rail to Trails site just posted that he rode 10 paved miles at the Kingston end!
Scenic but hybrids or mountain bikes only Recommend starting at the mountaindale end
As of April 2023 the section out of Kingston for about 3-4 miles is under construction and impassible. Use Hurley Ave. to ride down to the connector with the rte 209 paved section just above Davis St.
Honestly the paved section along 209 is pretty uninspiring. After the trail breaks away from 209 and becomes crushed cinder does it become enjoyable. Wonderful scenery and wildlife along this section.
Rode the northern section of the trail yesterday from the parking lot just south of Esopus Creek to the intersection of Lucas Turnpike and Dejager Lane, 13+ miles.
Overall in good condition but definitely not for road bikes due to roots and loose stones in sections. Not easy for cyclocross bikes (like mine) or hybrids.
There are a number of new recently installed informational signs.
We started at the Hurley Marbletown Trailhead where the trail transitioned from pavement along SR 209 to all wooded. Trail is very scenic, that said trail has lots of ruts with no visual maintenance. We biked 1HR one way and turned around. Our bikes are hybrid and did not handle the poor grading very well. I would recommend wide tire bikes
Hurleyville has done a great job with their sections. Off the paved sections, much of the cinder trail is OK for cinder, but some could be termed "Narly mountain bike course."
I've done many long rails-to-trails and have enthusiasm for the future for the O&W. If they focus on the benefits of bike tourism by better signage (away from Hurleyville), services, one continuing trail, and regular grading and surfacing (cinder, or better, crushed limestone) this will become a great asset.
Monday August 17, 2020
Weather: 80F with a few white clouds. Nice!
This trail was a very pleasant surprise for me. Six weeks earlier, after riding the Mamakating portion, I went to the South Fallsburgh end seeking parking. Not much there and the trail looked rough, so being hot and tired already I left to return another day. This time I went to Hurleyville, right in the middle of the trail and found 2 large, nice parking lots on either side of Main Street. One is more of a municipal lot and the other for the trail with a small playground and even a bike repair station with stands. Cool. The trail here is very nicely asphalt paved for almost 4 miles. I rode down to where the pavement ends and rough trail (not for road bikes) leads to S. Fallsburgh, turned around and rode the roads back. Then I went west again on pavement for 2 miles until a nice wide smooth gravel road runs to the end.
It was a Covid-10 Monday so not much was open, but Hurleyville looks like it could be really a good place to visit on weekends. There is an Italian restaurant and GastroPub right near the trail crossing Main Street. I would go back to ride this one again. If you visit the Liberty and Parksville trails are nearby.
I started in Hurleyville. Heading East, once the asphalt ended, I clearly had the wrong bike with me. It's a fat-tire trail. It was so bad that I pulled Google Maps to do a parallel side road just to see if it got any better further up. It didn't.
I went back through Hurleyville to the other end. It stops at Denman road. However, there is a gravel path that continues. Oops..after a couple of miles it just dead-ends in an industrial parking lot. I rode up to Liberty (that was pretty pointless since it was Monday and no place to eat was open). I took 52 back to Cross Farm and then down Denman back to the trail and back to Hurleyville.
I wouldn't recommend this stretch.
While i believe there is a short break around the town of Accord where the "trail" is on the curb of the road for a quarter mile, this trail I believe picks up again and continues as far as Ellenville. At least thats what maps on the trail suggest, thouh i have yet to hike that far down myself.
Its also worth noting that the county has plans to eventually join this trail with the Walkill Valley trail and the trail by Kingston Point beach (not on this site). Ive also heard there are plans for another trail along the rail line from Kingston to Poughkeepsie. How much of this is just talk and how much is actually being put into action i have no idea tbh.
it was a nice ride today. all the leaves are on the trail. was too crowded too ride the summer with all the people walking!!
Good ride - started where the pavement stops and rode 5 miles toward the southern end. The trail was rough with many big rocks and roots. No bathrooms at any of the trail heads. This portion of the trail is very removed - no cell service. Wear bug spray. We turned around after Cottonkill Road - there is a steep grade that would require dismounting!
I walked this trail on 9/5/2016 from Hurleyville, NY. I like walking 5K so I did not walk the whole trail. The part I walked had a lot of scenery walking along two lakes and through a cut in the mountain. The roadway was hard gravel with some water in the cut when I was there. About one mile from Hurleyville you do have to walk across a road to the roadbed.
Did this trail on 7/23/16 - started at Mountaindale - trail is on a 1-2% grade up - easy ride - dry - once in Woodridge, the trail is easy to find at the gazebo midway through town - when taking this portion to the Avon Lodge Road, the trail is a bit obscure and branches off to the right - if you go straight, it is pretty sandy and appears to be a private road that dead ends - overall a nice hour trip - will be nicer when it connects to South Fallsburg
I PICKED UP THE TRAIL OFF ROUTE 209N WHERE IT CROSSES OVER THE CREEK JUST BEFORE HURLEY. FIRST 2 MILES ARE PAVED AFTER THAT WELL PACKED CINDER FILL WITH OCCASIONAL LOOSE ROCKS. ONLY AFTER YOU PASS COTTEKILL RD.AND THE OLD RAILROAD BRIDGE WITH ITS STEEP DOWN AND UP GRADE WILL YOU HIT ROUGHER TERRAIN. I HAD ONLY 1.25 TIRES ON MY MT. BIKE AND PINCHED THE TUBE ON A ROCK. SINCE IT LOOKED LIKE RAIN (HEAVY CLOUDS ON THE HORIZON) I PATCHED THINGS UP AND HEADED BACK. ABOUT 1/2 WAY FROM THE START YOU WILL COME TO A MARSH AREA WITH A BENCH SET UP FOR VIEWING I STOPPED AND SPOTTED A GREAT BLUE HERON LOOKING FOR FOOD . NEXT TIME I WILL PUT MY 1.75 TIRES ON AND BE ABLE TO FINISH .
This is a good trail for cross country mountain biking. From the northern parking lot heading south the first two miles are paved, then it becomes dirt/cinder. The farther south you go the rougher it becomes. A new bridge was made over Rest Plaus Road, but if you are coming from Kingston you should turn back here as the trail is under construction further south. Heavy equipment has been used recently to widen and clear the ROW. If you continue on you can go another half-mile or so through black, peanut butter thick mud before coming to where the ROW crosses a stream. The bridge is out with just the two iron "I" beams crossing. Work has been done recently, but there is no decking.
This is currently my ideal trail. Well maintained and well marked with signage. Even if you are brand new to the trail it is very easy to stay on track and the various markers make it easy even for the novice to track their mileage.
I park on the north side of the trail (Kingston/Hurley/Rt 209). This affords me a few benefits... If you park at the far north lot, you have roughly 2 miles of asphalt trail to start. When the younger kids go, I start here as it allows them a couple miles of easy, relaxing, smooth riding.
When it's just me and the more advanced members of the fam, I skip the asphalt and park in the dirt lot 2 miles up the road. Most of the incline (it's a fairly easy going incline) seems to increase from this starting point. We enjoy this as the majority of the return trip is downhill when you decide to call it a day :)
The majority of the trail is fairly smooth. There are areas of larger loose rock and larger roots to watch out for here and there, but overall it is a fairly easy trail to navigate. Add mud and slippery areas to the equation when wet weather is about. Because of various areas with wet conditions, rocks, roots, etc., a Mountain Bike or Hybrid is definitely suggested.
One side note, about 4.2 miles from the start of the dirt trail, you will come across the Cottekill Fire Dept. Once you cross the road at this point to continue on the trail, you will come across a couple of much steeper hills. They are "walkable" with your bike if you choose not to ride it, and you can easily continue your ride on the other side of the hill(s) if you are, or have any novice riders that find it a bit intimidating. In other words, the two hills are not representative of the rest of the trail beyond ;)
If you start riding from the Leggett Rd parking lot north, the trail is a little rough and there are some wet patches. A mountain bike is a better choice for riding. The kids love a section where the trail crosses a small stream and where there once was a large bridge. Here they can fly down to a much smaller bridge at the stream. At Marcotte Rd, look for an unusual home on the left after crossing the road. In my mind, this home adds to the quirky character of the Hudson Valley. When we reached a long lake/swamp, we stopped and listened to a Barred Owl. The Barred Owl’s hooting call, “Who cooks for you? It flew right over us and was chased by some birds. The lake is full of life – Snapping Turtles, Ducks, Geese, and Green Heron. We saw them all. Beavers also call this lake/swamp home. We saw their signs.
From here the trail continues at a downward slope until we reached a paved section. We passed a Snapping Turtle on the trail before getting to the pavement. This section travels along US 219 and passes Hurley – a historic little town. On a previous ride, we have stopped here to buy ice cream and to look at the old houses. The trail here is exposed to the sun and a berm separates the rode from the trail. Traffic noise is loud though along this section. The trail ends at the Esopus Creek. We rode a total of 15 miles to the end and back.
I used to bike this trail and loved every minute of it. The trail is clean, smooth, and level, with tranquil shade and scenery all about. Plenty of places to stop and rest, and nice shops at the trail-end in Mountaindale. This morning, I walked the trail for the first time. It was exhilarating! I'll absolutely be returning on foot for more good starts to my days.
The trail is unrideable. Segments are washed out to rubble. Others have trees down that make it unpassable. Others are chained off as "private property". It is very disappointing as it was a nice ride 10 years ago.
I echo all the comments and nice pictures posted, fun trail though surface is very variable and seasonable. What I just don't understand is where the portion north of the Esopus Creek, going towards Kingston, is to be found. It's in the pictures and descriptions but not on the map.
thank you.
i rode this trail today starting at the rte 209 trailhead going north toward hurley/kingston. this part of the trail is paved and runs alongside rte 209. it is a pleasant, easy ride. perhaps because the surface is paved, this part of the trail seems popular with walkers, runners, and the occasional baby stroller. there are some beautifully planted berms installed between the trail and the road and nice open views toward the catskills.
i reached the northern end of the trail and doubled back to the 209 trailhead, and continued south toward stone ridge/high falls. this part of the trail is mostly wooded and shaded and passes by creeks and wetlands. the surface was okay for the most part, but there are a few rough patches where you need to watch for rocks and roots (mainly south of the cottekill road crossing). i was not alone on the trail, but this part was less traveled than the northern section.
the steep hill just south of cottekill road has been mentioned. a railing has been installed, but still requires careful walking with the bike.
approaching high falls, the trail is less developed, but easy to follow. i exited the trail at rte 213 in high falls, making a left on 213 for a short hop across the bridge and into the village for breakfast. high falls is a nice destination with shops, galleries, restaurants, the d&h canal museum and 5 locks walk, and of course the falls itself.
i will definitely do this ride again. next time i'd like to explore the southern end of the trail between high falls and rest plaus road.
First, I would like to thank all the people that dedicated their time to make this trail available to and useable for us. Your efforts are very much appreciated and the pride in your endeavor shows.
With that said, this is a trail that I ride right from my front door. It is neatly groomed, clean and fairly easy for any level walker or mountain biker. With the Village of Woodridge about center of this trail, rest stops, shopping, food and drinks are readily available.
I like that this trail is mostly wooded, therefore shaded for those hot summer days. The entire 7+ mile ride is doable all at one time and there are many spots to stop/rest and take in the scenery.
I think this is a nice casual trail that most members of the family can ride or walk and with several road crossings, you can decide for yourself how far you want to go. Certainly worth a try, I bet you will come back for more.
Bill
In my review I forgot to mention that a copy of the Marbleton trail brochure and map is available on line at www.marbletown.net and then Marbletown OW trail. Youker
I did this trail yesterday 8/28/12 starting at the 209 trail head just south of Esopus creek bridge where the Hurley section is 2 miles paved and the 3.1 next section is nice crushed stone. There is a small trail head off 209 as noted on the map where the two trails join. My wife picked me up at Marcott Road parking lot. Heading southwest on the 3.1 mile section it is gentle up hill. By the way this section is called the Marbleton Rail Trail and a great map and brochure is available at the Marcott Trail Head.
I noticed that the other reviews are quite old and don't accurately reflect the current condition of the Town of Fallsburg O&W Rails to Trails. Several community groups have been working hard over the last few years to improve the Rail Trail. It is now better groomed and has been expanded so that it can be walked from the new Railway Station Visitor's Center in Mountaindale, NY to Woodridge, NY and a public road connects through the Village all the way to the Neversink River Gateway. Both ends have parking areas. 4 new Interpretitive Signs will be up by the end of this summer and a new trail map brochure is available at many locations. The trail is wide and clear, with a level terrain for super easy travel. There are several places where the vista is open to wonderful scenery and wildlife observation in meadows, woods and wetlands. It's worth a trip inside the beautifully landscaped Visitor's Center (clean restrooms) to see the unique collection of antique O&W Train photographs. Bicycles & Segways may be rented seasonally. Other parks, playgrounds & restaurants are nearby.
Hi, I saw that this hill is already mentioned. I have a a suggestion (would love to know where to send it) It's very difficult to walk down with a bike and a very bad idea to ride down. I would suggest putting a railing of some sort to hold on to as you walk down to control the pace and weight. The other hand can then hold the bike. It would make the ride possible. As it is now I'd want to turn back at that point. Thanks
This is a rough trail to ride on in some places. From mountiandale to woodridge was somewhat easy and on a compact dirt and grass. The secenery was fair, passing over a small lake and some wooded places. The grade was low and easy pedeling. Once in woodridge, there is a small ride on the road that takes you to another trail head that leads up to the Neversink river. On this trail you need to stay to your right when the rail splits about 1/2 mile off the paved road. If you go to the left it will lead you to the bottom of the old Davos ski area. A different look but nothing much to see. Back on the trail it can get a little hairy with some patches of sand that can be a few inches deep. We had hybrid bikes that could get boged down easly. Once we got to the neversink river we decieded to ride the paved road back to the town of woodridge. On Saturdays, many if not all the stores are closed due to the high population of jewish people. So if your looking for some place to stop and eat, saturday might not be a good day to ride. I hope that one day they continue the trail over the river and into south fallsburg. I would not go out of my way to ride this trail. Ride a trail, write a review.
geoff m.
This trail is fabulous but beware if you have dogs or young children...there is barbed wire fencing on either side of trail...some of it is old railroad fencing that is still there..some of it is just people who have private property and are trying to keep people out...one barbed wire is actually crossing a stream...my dog went over that wire last fall and it cost me $1300.00 in veterinary bills...so unless your dog is extremely obedient, I wouldn't risk him/her off leash...
"The part the past Cottakill road to Leggett road has very dangerous hill where once a rail road bridge was.
Do not ride down hill. It is very easy to fall. It is very poorily designed. "
Brush has been cleared and the trail now continues south past Rest Plas road. It was early spring and big puddles turned me back after about a half mile. Will try again when it dries up a little to see how far it goes.
"Another new section has been added. The trail now continues south of Leggett road for another 2.5 miles. It's a nice, quiet, mostly wooded section of trail. The surface is dirt with some exposed roots and a few big puddles. You have to cross rt. 213 and go up a steep embankment on the south side of 213. After 2-1/2 miles you come to Rest Plaus road where there is another steep down and up to cross the road. I would not bother going any further as the trail turns into a bushwhack from here. This new addition makes the trail over ten miles long and worth going out of your way to ride/hike it. "
The new two mile segment north of the route 209 parking lot is now paved. There is also a new paved parking lot at the north end. Hopefully it will some day connect to the .7 mile segment from Kingston but for now it just dead ends at the new parking lot.
Two miles of new trail have been added from the parking lot on 209 in Hurley. The new section goes north and ends at a bridge over the Esopus. Beware if you do this part on a hot sunny day. There is absolutely no shade and it gets pretty hot. The new addition makes that section of the trail eight miles long from Liggit road to the bridge at the end of the new section.
Some kind soul has trenched the trail so that the trail is now passable dry foot. Thanks Mr. D. Beaver population is now in decline.
I believe this trail is only two miles long. I finished the ride down from Woodridge in 15 minutes. The ride back was longer because it's noticeably uphill. It's a nice trail but I wouldn't travel very far to do it. It's too short.
"The trail betweeen Marcott Road and Hurley is now impassable at the beaver dam. Water is over 18 inches deep for at least 20 feet of the trail. With the freezing/thawing conditions of early December, this passage is dangerous. No dry foot path could be found on this date. I am recommending the town close this section until the flood is remediated."
"On Friday, November 9, 2003, I was trying to bike between Marcott Road and Hurley to the north when about three-quarter's of a mile down the road I ran into a beaver dam and a huge pond behind it. The trail was flooded and impassable. I tried bush-wacking with the bike, but it was rough. The fact it was hunting season was a factor in my retreat. I brought my 4 year old back to see the dam, the beaver lodge and the gnawed trees, and he dug it.
-Peter"
"This is an unimproved 0.7-mile long trail segment that extends from Taylor Street in Kingston, between a Super 8 Motel and Holiday Inn, to the road shoulder of US Route 209 northbound in Hurley just south of the Esopus Creek bridge.
On the day of my visit there was no dedicated trail user parking at either trailhead. There are many private parking lots in Kingston, including one at the Super 8 Motel, but I would not recommend parking in any of them without permission of a property owner. Parking on Taylor Road is very limited. No parking is allowed along the road shoulder of US Route 209 in Hurley.
The trail surface from end to end is totally unimproved. However, it is quite passable; whether you choose to travel by foot or mountain bike. There are some left-in-place railroad ties, standing water, mud, and large rocks to negotiate. I would classify the trail surface’s width as “single track.” That is, just wide enough for one bicycle or pedestrian.
Scenery along the route is what you might expect to find on an urban trail. Overhead electric power lines, a wastewater treatment plant, the backs of several commercial and industrial establishments, and a nearby super highway (the NY State Thruway).
The only saving grace of this trail is that thanks to a new trail construction project now underway along the road shoulder of US Route 209, it will provide a completely motor vehicle-free route of getting from downtown Kingston to the Hurley/Marblehead Rail Trail’s Hurley trailhead.
If you’re traveling through either Kingston or Hurley, by all means check this trail out. Don’t waste your time traveling from anywhere beyond the immediate area though; the trail is just too short and rustic to warrant a visit from afar."
"This is a great trail that runs along side what used to be Silver Lake. Unfortunately Silver Lake's dam broke a few years back and it hasn't been repaired. The people that visit this trail fish in the surrounding ponds and streams. The only problem is that these people litter all over the place, despite the presence of garbage cans placed along the trail. Another problem is the maintenance of the trail in that area. Beavers dam culvert pipes that run under the trail and water overflows the trail making it a mud mess.
But all isn't negative. People regularly walk their dogs and many others enjoy walks at sunset. I really want to help keep this trail in good shape; after all I live between Mountaindale and Woodridge by the edge of this natural beauty."
"Unlike the heavily abused and poorly maintained Fallsburg Rail Trail from South Fallsburg to Hurleyville, this trail is worth repeating as often as your travels might take you to the Catskill region of NY.
The most unique characteristic you’ll note about this trail, and note it immediately, is its very wide right-of-way. Clearly the former railroad must have been double-tracked along the entire route this trail now occupies.
Ample parking is available at either trailhead. I parked at Kreiger Park in Woodridge and headed due east to Mountain Dale. There’s a very large municipal parking lot at the Mountain Dale trailhead should you desire to work from east to west instead.
Surface conditions along the entire trail were excellent. You’ll encounter a completely cleared and packed surface of crushed stone and small gravel; it’s a bicyclist’s dream come true. I noticed standing water only along one 20 foot long stretch. Unfortunately, there are four relatively busy street crossings along the route. Elevation change from west to east was about 75 feet down. Motorized vehicles are prohibited from the entire trail length and I noted no ATV or dirt bike tire tracks.
The trail passes through the most picturesque of settings I’d encountered in a while. I enjoyed watching serene wetlands, a lake, distant mountaintops, and even a waterfall from the corners of my eyes as I rode along.
There are no services nearby to the Woodridge trailhead with the exception of public restroom facilities in Kreiger Park. The Mountain Dale trailhead is located adjacent to a main shopping district. I noticed a delicatessen and two restaurants within a five-minute walk from the trailhead.
Please consider adding this trail to your “worth visiting at least once” list."
"This is a very well maintained and scenic trail that parallels the eye-catching Rondout Creek between Kerhonkson and Accord/Rochester, NY. The trail is ideally suited for those seeking uninterrupted travel, as there are no public street crossings on its entire 3.5-mile long route. Motorized vehicles are prohibited from the trail. However, I did notice ATV tire tracks in some spots.
The trail offers users a choice of three dedicated parking areas. I parked in a public lot next to the Kerhonkson Fire Company, east of Route 209 off County Road 77, and headed due north. However, parking is also available at the Rochester Town Park for those wishing to work their way south. Or you may elect to park at the Berme Road trailhead lot in Accord/Rochester, which about halfway into the trail.
Elevation change along the entire trail route is posted as seven feet. Surface conditions were excellent; grass, packed dirt and cinder, and some gravel. There were a few exposed tree roots and left-in-place rail ties, but even beginner bikers should be able to navigate easily. Foliage has been cut well back from the trail’s center. I noticed a small amount of standing water in only one spot, which is excellent because it had rained heavily two days prior to my visit.
There were a few picnic benches near the Berme Road trailhead entrance, but no rest room facilities along the route itself. There’s a good possibility that the Rochester Town Park may have them though. Signs are posted at several points along the trail’s route and the Rondout Creek’s banks delineating private property from that available to trail users.
Vandals had destroyed all but one of the several historical information markers placed along the route. The only undamaged one I found was at the Accord/Rochester trailhead. Perhaps the others will be replaced soon.
I rate this trail as definitely worth paying a repeat visit to. My only complaint is that it was a bit too short for the distance I drove to get there. Plans have been formulated to add an extension onto its southern end, however grant monies have not been approved as of the date of my visit. If the extension is as nice at this segment, it will rank as one of the best trails in the State of NY."
"This is a review only of the 6.3 mile long O&W Rail Trail segment from Leggett Road near High Falls, NY to Route 209 near Hurley, NY. This segment of the trail is known locally as the Hurley Rail Trail.
Limited “trail use only” parking is available at the trailhead on Leggett Road near High Falls, on Marcott Road in Hurley, and also at the trailhead on Route 209. There is a firehouse next to a trail entrance on Cottekill Road in Cottekill but there are signs posting warning trail users not to park there.
I found the entire trail to be well maintained. The surface alternates between packed dirt, ballast, and small gravel. If you plan to bike the route, either a hybrid or mountain bike should do just fine. Typical of a rail trail, level conditions basically prevail over the entire route. This with the exception of one relatively steep drop into a ravine where you will cross a small wooden bridge to cross. Use caution going up and down the hill in this spot; when it’s muddy, slippery conditions exist.
The entire trail is posted as off-limits to motorized vehicles, but there was nonetheless clear evidence of recent use by ATV’s and dirt bikes. Also, there was clear evidence of use by equestrians; bikers should be considerate of this fact when using the trail. Horses sometimes spook easily.
Wetlands can be found at several spots along the trail; expect many flying insects during the summer months. In addition to offering views of wetlands, this trail segment also passes by farmlands, rock formations, an abandoned railroad station (now a private residence), a firehouse, and some rustic residential neighborhoods.
There are only two street crossings on this 6.3-mile stretch, Cottekill Road, and Marcott Road. This is good news for families with young children.
Reportedly there is a 0.7-mile long segment of the O&W Rail Trail that extends from Hurley, NY to Kingston, NY but I did not see any evidence of its trailhead when I arrived at Route 209 in Hurley. Perhaps it is necessary to travel on public streets to make that connection.
Trail maps and use regulations are posted at trail entrances on Route 209, Marcott Road, and Cottekill road. There is no map posted at the Leggett Road trailhead.
I drove 65 miles to bike this trail and would not hesitate to do it again."
"We enjoyed the trail from High Falls to Kingston but we're disappointed not to be able to find the rest of it. We did find, a week later, the section from Kerhonkson to Rochester Park, (beautiful wooded area!) but couldn't find anything in Ellenville. It isn't paved, but can be biked by beginners...."
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