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The old New York Central rail line that ran from the Bronx to communities north of the city in Westchester and Putnam Counties carried commuters during the workweek, but on the weekends, tourists heading to resorts and vacation homes in northern Putnam County filled those passenger seats. Today, the Putnam Trailway follows nearly 12 miles of that rail-line route to popular lakes in the woodsy hills around Carmel and Brewster.
About the Route
The paved Putnam Trailway leaves off from its southeastern endpoint at the old passenger depot site in Baldwin Place. Although the trail slopes downhill toward Brewster from here, there are a few short, steep climbs in the wooded watersheds surrounding lakes and reservoirs in the north.
The trail follows US 6 through residential and commercial areas and arrives in Mahopac in about 2.2 miles at an old railway depot that’s now an American Legion Hall. The hamlet encircles the 500-acre Lake Mahopac. Though the shoreline is privately owned, marinas rent boats for those who want to fish.
Crossing Croton Falls Road on the way out of Mahopac, the trail enters a hardwood forest that surrounds the path nearly to Brewster. In a mile, trail users will pass the south shore of Lake Casse; a beach is at the lake’s north end.
Traveling through the woods another 3 miles, trail users will meet up again with US 6 on the shores of Lake Gleneida. These hills shelter numerous lakes and reservoirs chosen by New York City for its water supply. That’s why swimming is prohibited in this lake, but boating, fishing, and ice fishing are allowed. Leaving the lake, the trail dips to cross a creek and in 2 miles crosses a 1,000-foot causeway across Middle Branch Reservoir.
The trail reaches its northwestern end at Putnam Avenue in Brewster.
Trail History
The Putnam Trailway follows a corridor created in the 1880s by several railroad companies that eventually became the New York and Putnam Railroad in 1894—soon known as the Old Put. By 1913, it had become the Putnam Division of the New York Central Railroad, providing passenger service until 1958. The railroad continued hauling freight into the 1980s.
Connections
In the wake of the old railroad's demise, four trails have opened along the 45-mile route. South to north, they are Old Putnam Trail, South County Trailway, North County Trailway, and the Putnam Trailway.
The Putnam Trailway runs between Tomahawk St. (Baldwin Place) and SE Train Yard (Brewster).
Parking is available at:
Please see TrailLink Map for all parking options and detailed directions.
Finally reached it from the North County trail way and was both surprised and disappointed. Some nice spots but mostly odd hills and backend of towns. Expected it to be much nicer. Now I’m trying to figure out the road connections in Brewster to get to the better reviewed Maybrook.
I'm slowly checking trails that make up the Empire State Trail off my list so I will compare the Putnam Trailway to its adjacent trails.
Both the North County Trailway and Maybrook Trailway offer a better riding experience in my opinion. They are both slightly longer, are a little less hilly (which could be a positive or a negative) and are in better shape. All three trails provide similar scenery with a good mix of residential, tree cover and a few lakes/revivors.
That being said the Putnam Trailway isn't a bad trail by any means. It is hillier but that breaks up the monotony of a flat trail. Some of the hills are a fair challenge but they are not very long so its a few short climbs followed by a exciting downhill. There are a fair amount of road crossings especially around Baldwin Place but only two or three are busy, the rest were very quiet. I would say the roughest part of the trail is also around Baldwin Place, nothing crazy just a few bumps and cracks. I have a hybrid bike and had no issues with the trail.
I never met a rail trail I didn’t like until today. Challenging hills is an understatement for those of us seniors used to railroad grade only.
Not a portapotty for the 7 miles north at the trailhead. Check that trail off our list.
This is one of the most well-paved trails in the tri-state area so if you love a smooth ride this is the one for you. There’s a small lot for the trailhead in Baldwin Place thats adjacent to a strip mall on 118 that you can use to park. About a 24 mile roundtrip up to Brewster and back. Definitely hillier than the North and South County trails which makes for a good challenge. Mix of shady and sunny portions throughout. Fun ride through Putnam County.
My friend and I rode from Millwood on the North County Trail and just kept going. We ended up on the Putnam Trailway for a total of 46 miles. There are several decent hills on this segment of the trail. There are some street crossings but they are not very busy roads. You eventually come to the end of the trail, which is clearly marked. Near the end of the trail is a large reservoir. The trail is completely paved with just a few bumpy spots. We rode on 10/10 and the foliage has not changed much yet.
Great ride uphill and back. Very challenging in spots.
We took our bikes today June 23rd 2020, and someplace in Mahopac the town closed partially the trail, we couldn’t find the way around, wish they put signs for a Detour. Other than that, trail is beautiful
My wife and I rode this trail on 5/16/20 from Brewster, NY south to the crossing with Rt 118 in Baldwin Place and back...about 24 miles total. The trail is in good shape, we enjoyed the views of Middle Branch Reservoir, Lake Gleneida, and Lake Mahopac. The trail runs through several towns like Carmel, but between towns it tucks well behind the roads to provide a really pleasant, through-the-woods experience. The trail does have some ups and downs...but none of them were too bad and it was nice to have a little variation from the typical "flat" rail-trail. The most significant "up" was from Brewster south during the first 5 miles or so. A little south of Baldwin Place the trail is a little rough and needs some work, but it's more than passable. All in all, very much worth a trip! Glad to see lots of people out on the trail.
In very good shape compared to southern county trail. More hills than expected when cycling south from northern entrance. Scenic ride
I love this trail. Well maintained. Very scenic. While hilly, I would say that the hills are not a problem for someone who cycles on a regular basis.
Beautiful in fall, but a workout going from Brewster. A few major hills.
This is a beautiful ride through an area lush with lake views. The surface provides a smooth ride. The trail is well maintained with a bike repair station.
We parked by Carmel Ave. It's a workout for the first few miles featuring hills like the Tatamy trail in Easton, PA where that crosses route 22. We were looking for a nice trail to just take it easy.
An excellent trail, takes you through mostly wooded areas, so you won't be riding in a blazing sun much. (Take mosquito spray). We started at Baldwin Place, next to New York Sports Club and took north (the trail actually runs both ways, north AND south, from NYSC - but the southern part is probably called differently; whatever the case, the trail map shows NYSC as the south entry point for Putnam Trailway).
If you start of heading north, your ride will be easy and pleasant - you'll spend most of time on a gentle downgrade, almost not touching your pedals. (Which means, of course, it's a harder work getting BACK - so, if you are doing a loop, maybe it's better to start off on the northern end of the trail and then have an easy ride back). The road is asphalt mainly, not in ideal conditions in many places, but nothing overly concerning - I saw people on racing bikes with thin rims. We had our folding and touring bikes, absolutely no issues.
If you are a family with kids, an ideal solution would be to start at the south entry point (NYSC), have an easy glide down, then split and have one of the parents ride back while the remaining party is waiting at one of the parking lots (there are benches in some places, and shops/cafes in others, so it's doable) and then come and pick them up by car.
I go far distances and other states to spend time exploring different bike trails. It took my a little more than hour to visit the Putnam Rail Trail. This was the hilliest ride outside of mountain biking that I have done, yet the scenery was superb. Lots of lakes and reservoirs. Despite the 95-degree heat it was my favorite bike ride last year.
I rode this trail from end-to-end today in conjunction with the North County Trail. The trail is in very good shape. Fine for road bikes. It appears the new extension at the northern end is almost complete. the junkyard near the northern terminus was a nice touch!
This is an Awesome trail which was very clean, wide and many, many friendly people on the trail either cycling, walking or running. But for us 50+ cyclist, just be aware that the hills on this trail are killers or should I say, challenging for us recreational 50+ year old cyclists.
Lots of steep hills but lots of fun as well.
Ran this trail from the start at Putnam Ave (further north is not completed yet) down to Mahopac and back (9 miles round trip) and had a great run. The trail was well maintained, quiet, and had beautiful scenery. I would highly recommend for a run, bike ride, or walk with the family.
The well travelled trail nicely connects the Hamlet of Baldwin place with the business districs of Mahopac and Carmel. Travels between lakes, reservoirs, suburbia, and forest settings. At the northern terminus (putnam ave) a new section is near completion which will extend the path to the village of brewster.
This trail is nice because it not only went thru some nice woodsy spots, but it also cut through a few towns so you could stop and buy a snack or whatever if you cared to.
Lots of varied scenery (lakes, woods, farm fields, small towns, etc.) make the entire ride a pleasure. Great RR history as well. Highly recommended.
If interested, there are more photos, a short video and some detailed RR history maps about the trail here
http://rc-pedalpoint.blogspot.com/2014/08/north-countyputnam-trail-to-brewster.html
Well maintained and varied. Trail follows small lakes and some nice little bridges. Agree with other reviews that one direction is a lot harder than the other, but would recommend this trail.
A great trail. travelling south from the trailhead in carmel/brewster is definitely a lot of climbing, more than most will want to handle if that's not your thing. the way back north is unsurprisingly more fun, less excersize. physics!
right now, as of july 2014, the trail has a TON of wild black raspberries on each side ready to be picked and eaten right there. they are...divine. some require long pants/no fear of being pricked to get, and some are just sitting there. probably won't last too long, so get 'em while they're ripe!! i'm about to tuck into a bowl of vanilla ice cream topped with said fruit myself.
Concur with all the prior posts. Went on the trail yesterday from the Brewster end for the first time this year. Was glad to see that the final section to Main St was under construction which will allow easy access from the MetroNorth station. Rode it to Mahopac and back,about 20 miles, and found no tree debris or trash on the entire length. Expect for some rare tree root bumps and frost heaves, the path is very even. As noted below virtually no services except for the occasional memorial benches. Many grades but all easily manageable except for the Carmel hill. Nice photo stop on the causeway over the reservoir.
Agree with another reviewer about the segment south of Mahopac regarding the numerous street crossings.
But the longer portion headed to Brewster is another story. Most of it had a nice variety of scenery from tree-lined, a few bridges, and several water views. There are 2 quite steep hills - fun on the downhill, but coming back tough to climb.
I was tired at the end of this ride, but 2 days later I am itching to make the 1-hour drive to ride it again.
I rode the Putnam Trailway on a hot July morning from Yorktown Heights (on the North County Trailway, about 4 miles south of where the North County meets the Putnam Trailway at Rt. 118 in Somers) to the trailhead in Brewster and return. This is a wonderful trail and I look forward to riding it again in the future when my wife and I visit her family in the area.
The southern portion of the trail from Somers to Lake Mahopac crosses a number of busy streets and is less scenic than the trail further north. Heading north from Lake Mahopac the trail is more wooded. My favorite section of the trail was the approximately 3.5 miles Lake Gleneida south of Carmel to the Brewster trailhead. In addition to being scenic with both dense forest and lake views, there is noticeable downhill grade heading toward Brewster that is very enjoyable and, equally important, a manageable climb on the trip uphill from Brewster.
Highly recommended.
Well I rode this on June 1st 2013 and what a great ride. Started at the Brewster trail head and went southwest to the Rte. 188 connection with the North Country trail. The trail has some inclines and descents that can be a bit tough but very doable. The surface is very smooth, the landscaping nice with benches all along the route. Good signage and as you pass a number of waterways there are some views. On a 1 to 10 scale I would give this an 8, an excellent ride that I’ll go back too and bring friends.
I did this trail on Monday 9/24 and had a great ride. I did it from Brewster down to the end at Rt 118, there is no sign telling you where the Putnam trail end and the North County Starts. I had a great ride as it was a very nice early fall day. I ran into a crew from the County working on the trail and in talking to one of the crew he told me that there are planes to extend the trail to the Connecticut border. Of course the new section is the best of the best. Like other reviewers said coming out of the north end there is a though climb up a long hill but the ride back down is great. After reading the other reviews there is not much I can add. The high light for me is the old RR bridge going across Middle Branch Reservoir and then another old RR bridge going across Rt 6. I had both my Road bike and Mt bike with me and because of the long hill I did the Mt bike as it has more gears. By the way on my 22 mile round trip I saw mostly Road bikes.
I'm not a meander kind of cyclist so the thought of riding great flat distances doesn't appeal to me... but this one has some long gentle inclines as well as really nice descents! That is, when you're heading in the NE direction. Coming back from the Middle Branch Reservoir you'll have some tough slopes to deal with if you're more of a rec rider but you can always walk your bike. All in all I loved it!
I parked at the southern trailhead at 6 and 118. Beware, there were only a few spaces left and the lot on the side of the street with the trailhead is off limits.
Parking:
There were a handful of free parking spaces (weekday morning) at the Old Mine Trailhead Park-and-Ride lot mentioned in the TrailLink description. I also passed three large Park-and-Ride lots in Mahopac that were directly adjacent to the Putnam Trailway. The large Park-and-Ride lot on Woodcrest Gardens at Route 6 opposite Lake Mahopac and the Four Brothers Pizza was completely empty.
Trail Condition:
The new trail section between Willow Street in Carmel Hamlet and Putnam Ave in Brewster was completely open as of my ride on Sept. 9. Unlike the North County Trailway in Westchester, there was very little tree damage from Tropical Storm Irene -- and aside from some minor flooding, the trail was in excellent condition the entire way.
Steep Grades:
Beware that this new section is NOT a graded rail trail and if you are an older rider or have young children, take a careful look at the Google Terrain map. There are three steep hill climbs that left my admittedly aged, but not terribly-out-of-shape legs, trembling. The most formidable was the Carmel Ave. overpass which, according to the Google Terrain Map climbs 50 vertical feet in about 500 feet of trail -- or almost a 10-percent grade! No wonder you see reflective-yellow "Steep Grade" signs.
New Segment Design:
Don't expect the deep woods feel of the North County and southern portion of the Putnam County Trailways on the new trail extension. The entire stretch has been cleared and landscaped with elaborate drainage catch basins and even storm-sewer grates along the hillside portions. Ironically, the tree clearing could have opened lovely views to the Middle Branch Reservoir, but the designers purposefully added a high berm (perhaps to mollify property owners) that effectively seals off any glimpse of water -- except for a short causeway which does offer views up and down the length of the reservoir.
At Willow Ave on the south end of Lake Gleneida, the transition between the old rail trail and new extension is immediately evident. There is even a display titled "A Tale of Two Trails."
Limited Services:
Ironically, although you are seldom out of sight of buildings along the new trail extension, with the exception of one bike shop located in a warehouse building the abuts the trail, there are exactly zero places to stop for a snack or coffee until you reach Lake Mahopac.
Bottom Line:
The new extension offers a nice suburban-style off-road trail ride -- with some steep grades not normally associated with rail trails.
Although there's still an orange fence that's modestly preventing users from using the new and final segment, you can just hop right over. From the Brewster train station, travel east on Rt 6 for .9 miles and you'll see the trail entrance on the right at the intersection. If you turn right, there's a gravel space for about 5 cars with green bike trail parking signs.
This last segment mimics the landscaping of the rest of the trail with nice planters and curbing. The drainage on this new section is impeccable and you can clearly see they are not finished with it yet as some stones are in place and the web netting with hay is still waiting. A typical wooden fence on the left is in place.
There's no "grand" overhead wooden signage like on CT's Farmington Canal line and since the "Ol' Put" ended/started in Brewster, it doesn't feel right just yet. Perhaps they should advertise at the train station about the trail being so close.
Eight years ago it was piecemeal and all 11 miles are finally finished.
The new part of the Putnam Trailway is beautiful and completed. It is a lot more hilly than the North County Trail which it seamlessly connects to, and well worth the effort of climbing the hills (which are up and down in both directions). Sometimes it feels like an aerial view, seeing houses below and the breathtaking vistas. The trail ends at Putnam Avenue and Rt. 6E where you can reward yourself with pizza from the strip mall to your right. Or eat at Tom's Diner in Brewster next to the Metro North train station - just continue on Rt. 6 to get there.
Started in Carmel at the new parking area off rt 6 and followed the sign to bike trail that I never found rode about a mile up hill and back. Saw a fenced off area off the road up toward a RR overpass that is not completed. Then I figured the trail must be down the other direction. Apparently this sign was put up qa little early and is misleading. Anyway after our 2.5 mile warmup we found the trail off of Tilly Foster Rd.
The new trail is beautiful as it cosses the resevoir and continues upwards thru the countryside. the hills are a little steep but make for a speedy return trip to cool off. I followed the trao all the way to the North Conway trail, but also got a little lost near the lake when I missed a crossing near a busy intersection.
It was a nice detour near the lake and a small marina. Also a bike shop where I browsed and bought cold drinks. Overall an enjoyable ride that had many ups and downs compared to my local rail ride. I will probably return again as the leaves change to enjoy the wondeful scenery.
Just rode the newest leg of this trail and it turned out great. There is parking along Route 6 in Carmel just east of Route 312 at end of Tilly Foster Road. Take a short ride on Tilly Foster (no traffic) and hop on Railtrail. The completion in Putnam is now from Baldwin Place, under Seminary Hill Road to Carmel.
There is a steep hill which was not part of original Railway but they had to get across a busy Route 6 so they built a bridge to do it. It's pretty steep (traveling west) but worse case you can walk it. It's not that long. Use caution with small children (up or down), baby carriages and check your brakes going down.
This completion should be updated on RTC site. They are currently working on extension to Putnam Ave/Drewville Road which should be completed soon. There is a shopping center not far from there. Then it's on to Brewster (we hope)
Good job!
I rode this trail yesterday, starting at the South end, where it connects to North County Trail. The Putnam Trailway is a beautiful ride for exactly 10 miles North from there. It ends at a very small road, which I was unable to identify, past Carmel. It is a great trail, nicely paved, but not exactly a rail trail, as some of the hills near the North end are definitely not railroad grade.
I'm sure that the long term plan is to extend it another mile or two to eventually end in the Village of Brewster. Call the latest leg another step in the right direction.
I'm of course very happy the trail is longer, but when it ended near Lake Gleneida I would ride a little way north and have a choice of food stops, etc. What is at the new North (East) end? Is there a park or a village or good road to someplace? Thanks.
Forgot to add: Parking is very limited at the Tilly Foster Rd. entrance. Be prepared to wedge in along the fast rising road shoulders and watch out for the copious poison ivy!
As listed by a previous poster, the section from Tilly Foster (continuation of Rt 312 where it crosses Rt 52) to Seminary Hill and the lake is open. I took a run over there at lunchtime to check it out in preparation for an upcoming family ride later in the month. I was surprised by the grades - it is not your typical 4% or less rail bed trail. I was on my folder which has limited gearing but am in pretty good shape for an old guy. It reduced me to 1st gear for a stretch approaching the Rt 6 overpass. Still, it was a nice ride (other than getting drenched by a fast moving thunderstorm).
The north end extension of the Putnam Trailway is now open. It runs 2+ miles from just south of the intersection of NY 6 & 52 to just south of NY 6 & 312. They may not have cut the ribbon, and some finishing landscaping and cosmetic fencing are not yet done, but the route is nicely paved. There are some pretty views and nice stretches thru woods, but also some industrial backyards. Many thanks to all involved - NYS Parks, Putnam Cty Parks, RTC...
I noticed today that construction is underway to add an additional 1.3 miles to the north end of the trail.
"The Putnam Trailway is 7.5 miles long and is paved it's entire length.
The north end is at Seminary Hill Road in Carmel although the best parking is a half mile south on Willow Spur where it connects with Route 6.
The south end of the trail is at Route 118 (Baldwin Place Rd.) in Mahopac. At this point the trail continues south as the North County Trailway.
The northern 4.5 miles of the trail are mostly through woods. Road crossings are typically through tunnels or over bridges including a high bridge over Drewville Rd.
The southern portion is more urban and has several street crossings.
Like most rail trails the trail is fairly level. At the north end the altitude is about 530 feet and at the south end it's about 630 feet. In between the altitude varies between 470 feet and 709 feet."
Rode the trail today. A new section is open eliminating the need to ride on the shoulder of busy Route 6. Much better for my kids. Great trail overall.
"We (husband, wife, and 11 year old son) rode the trail from the Rt. 118 parking lot (South end) to its current Northern Terminus at Seminary Hill Road. There are about 10 spaces in a small dirt parking area near the shopping center. Trail is in very good condition. The early part of the trail has a few slight ups and downs as it passes some suburban backyards and the backs of a few commercial districts. Once in the middle of the trail, the route moves farther back from the road, through some nice wooded areas, past Lake Mahopac, Lake Casse and then Lake Gleneida on its way to the North Terminus. We didn't stop at Lake Mahopac but it looks like a great spot for lunch. There's a short stint where the trail goes onto the shoulder of Rt. 6, but it's wide enough to be safe and visibility is good.
The Northern part features a fairly long gradual descent, so be aware that you'll do a little more climbing on your way South. But don't be deterred - it's a nice path and the grade is quite reasonable; just take your time.
Can't wait for the next section - and even more sections after that! Nice job to everyone!"
"Rode the new section from Seminary Hill to Mahopac on June 5 and then on to Baldwin Place. Great ride until Route 6 in Mahopac. This could be dangerous on weekends since it was never bike friendly anyway. Otherwise, great job Putnam County! "
"The new section's northern terminus is on Seminary Hill Rd at Glenida Court, just a short ride on Rt 6 from Brewster. I rode it today and continued on the North and South County trails all the way to Yonkers!! Great alternative to using a car."
"This trail is really well done. Two tall bridges, two tunnels (with all grafitti recently painted over), many access points, a conveniently located and clean porta potty and 4.7 miles of peaceful woods and nice residential areas. That changes abruptly when you reach route 6 in Mahopac. when you reach route 6 don't cross the road. Go left across Croton falls road and proceed down the left shoulder of route 6 for a couple hundred yards and pick up the trail again just past a nursery. After about 2 miles you connect directly with the North County Trailway which is another beautiful trail.
I can't wait for the carmel to Brewster section to get finished. "
"I had the pleasure of walking 4 miles of the trail beginning at Seminary Hill Road along with my co-worker. Throughout our entire walk we kept using adjectives such as beautiful, stunning, awesome to describe how we felt about the trail. Great job. I would like to find out however where the other entry/exit points are along the route besides the Seminary Hill road entrance/exit. Thanks for a wonderful trail. "
"Rode this trail today, 4/10/05, and what a great ride. The weather was great so the trail was heavely used with no problems. The work done on the two bridges is excelent and very well kept. I hope that it will extend past Carmal. Take a ride! Paul Olsen"
"I echo what the last person wrote for access points. From the firehouse to the out bridge is amazing. You go under two bridges, the elevation changes rapidly and is trying on the legs and you go through several quiet neighborhood crossings. You will eventually come to the first pre-fabricated bridge (the second one has yet to be put up for obvious and annoying reasons). It's a red bridge and was just recently paved with concrete. The orange fence was open and I walked my bike across it, with the roadway some 50+ feet below. There was orange fence on the sides so I presume they will put railings up. Then there is a gate separating the trail from both sides of the bridge that one can easily climb over. This takes you all the way to the out bridge which is ready to be put up with all the construction materials in place. The drop is easily 75 feet with rocks and white water. The only way to get to the other side is back to Route 6 and back to Seminary Hill Road.
The new trailhead at Seminary Hill Road is great. Last summer it was still being built and it starts at street end. If you get off the trail and make your first right on Church Street and then make your first right on Route 6, you will see a stone bridge abutment on your right side. If you go around and stand on it, it goes parallel to a company that's moved and it goes through the neighborhood to across from the trailhead.
If you look across the road, there are signs for a wildlife sanctuary. To the right of it is a trail. Don't take that one. To the right of that in the open field is a trail which continues the railbed. This area is on a downslope and you can follow the trail into the woods in the distance. It curves right and this .75 mile stretch is great. All of a sudden you're in the cold woods and the railbed, with packed dirt is situated between great rock cuts. It ends at a gravel bed behind the plaza and eventually behind the oil company. It continues on and you get lost under the road bridge in the reeds. It crosses the road and this part is impassable unless you have thigh boots.
If you go down the road a few miles on your right you will see a reservoir and across it on a land bridge is the railway with a mini bridge in the center. Turn right before the reservoir and there is access on the left to the trail where many use it to fish and some tracks are still in place. It ends at the bridge which is enclosed by black fencing and someone wrote in paint on it, ""We Miss You XX Bridge"" (forgot the name of the bridge but it's written on there). The trail continues on the other side into the woods near people's houses. If you go down the road and make your first right you will see a lake on your left which used to be an old swimming hole with an old diving platform. There will be a stone bridge abutment on your left and if you look across into the woods it meets the elevation but when you ascend the steep bank, there's no remnants of a trail. Further up the road on a person's property is what looks to be an old depot but they are using it for storage.
This will eventually connect in some way to the Brewster North Yards, by the Corporate Park. Behind the Corporate Park the rails are intact and it crosses the road and continues as rail all the way to the state line and to the Danbury Railway Museum. By the Corporate Park it runs parallel to a body of water, on a land bridge and then by a Town Park in Brewster, not too far from the Brewster Station. It then crosses a tall bridge which I did (but would not advise to ANYONE including myself) and goes to the state line."
"As noted in the previous two trail reviews, the Putnam Trailway now extends north of Bucks Hollow Road in Mahopac (for approximately 4.7 miles). However, as of July 2004, the trail has not been completed as planned to Seminary Road in Carmel. This because the construction of a stream bridge has been delayed by condemnation proceedings (an adjacent property owner has refused the County of Putnam’s request to remove trees so that a prefabricated bridge may be installed by a crane).
For those wishing to explore the segment between Bucks Hollow Road and the missing bridge, ample municipal parking is available directly across from the Mahopac fire station at the intersection of US Route 6 and Croton Falls Road in Mahopac. Points north on the trail are accessible via a trailhead on the northeast corner there; points south on the trail may be accessed by following the marked/striped on-street bike route heading south on US Route 6 (the off street trail resumes in 0.75 miles on the left).
South of Mount Hope Road, the off street segment deviates from the orignal railroad route for a short stretch. As a result, there is a relatively steep incline and descent. There are also several street crossings in Mahopac area. The most scenic part of this trail segment is north of the fire station. "
"This Sunday, 3-28, people were using the new trail from Buckshollow to Crafts Corners. There is a beautiful bridge under construction at Drewville Rd in Crafts Corners. Also, another bridge over the West Branch of the Croton River needs to be completed to take the trail into Carmel. But the ride from Buckshollow to the UC bridge is worth the trip. It is not as flat as most rail trails but what a nice ride. Soon you will be able to go from Carmel to Yonkers."
"I have now been to two segments of the Putnam Trailway and i believe with the third it equals the 1.8 miles as explained on this page.
The first 3/4 to 1 mile starts at Seminary Hill Road in Carmel, parallel to Route 6. I was last there on 6/18/2003 and it was under minor construction. (The trail entrance is in someone's backyard and isn't easy to find). It starts on a decline to Route 6 from the top of the hill and is paved. The wooden railings (which were being built) are on both sides. It switches to gravel and continues along Route 6 into the woods before ending at an out concrete bridge with a 50 foot drop to rushing water below. I wrote something similar to this in the last review.
The next segment is from the other end of the bridge further on but it's impossible to get to since the water is too deep and there is no crossing but i expect it goes for at least .5 miles.
The last segment is in Mahopac at the official Trailhead at the beginning of Buckshollow Road, also off Route 6, behind the parking lot of Wallouer's Paint Store.
If you turn left (north) instead of going right (south) there's a log in front of you but you can go around it and the trail is paved. There is some grass and loose gravel on top and strong wooden railings on either end.
There is a gigantic road construction equipment with a big arrow (not yet blinking) in the middle of the trail for no reason i can think of except to obstruct path users. The trail continues just about .25 miles to the other end of Buckshollow Road (i presume it loops) and Route 6. To the right at the end is an American Legion office with new looking siding, but the position of this building and the architecture tell me it was an old train depot."
"Yesterday my friend and I biked from Carmel to Yonkers
on the Putnam and North and South County Trailways in very beautiful weather. I will post pics soon.
First off, we started at Seminary Hill Road, just down
the hill parallel to the road where the trail starts. In order to this, though, we had to cut through some property. There is a paved descent with workers presently putting up wood rails on the side. At the bottom it's gravel for awhile. Then the trail takes you through the woods through a new housing development and abrubtly ends at an unfinished bridge with a 50-foot drop with rapids below.
The trail must curve a lot to the left because we couldn't find it. We went on Route 6 into another housing development and a neighbor told us she had the same problem and we couldn't access it from where we were. She noted that there's another bridge out at Webber Hill Road. After that it must start and end at Buckshollow Road in Mahopac.
Take Route 6 a few miles (uphill mostly) into Mahopac. Pass a shopping center on your right and a bikeway on your left. Just after that there is a Wallower's paint store and the trailhead.
If you decide to go south toward Carmel, it's paved with wood railings. However, there's a gigantic road construction piece (the kind that blinks a huge arrow) in the center of the road for no reason. It continues a long ways back. A daily path jogger told me it goes pretty far, but he's not sure.
Note: My friend who lives in Carmel will bike this route very soon and let me and us know just how far back it goes. "
"During my visit to this trail today I observed that the planned trail extension north from Mahopac has begun.
Just beyond the current trail terminus on Route 6 in Mahopac, trees and other foliage have been cleared from the former railroad right-of-way as far north as my naked eye could see. Grading and surface preparation had not been started as of my visit.
Proposals call for the trail to be extended at least as far north as Brewster. I’m not certain as to how many miles the construction work now in progress will reach.
I’ll check back sometime during the fall to see how much more progress, if any, has been made."
"The first segment of the Putnam County Trailway is very nicely designed.
In-line skaters will appreciate the excellent paved surface. Long-haul bikers will appreciate the direct connection with Westchester's North County Trailway.
Designated parking in Somers is currently quite limited, although there is a major shopping center parking lot nearby. Parking in Mahopac is more readily available on adjacent side streets.
There were a few busy street crossing along the 1.8-mile segment so families with young children will need to exercise caution.
The views from this segment aren't really all that great; better vistas are found in Westchester.
If you're nearby, take it in. Otherwise, tag it on to a ride on the North County.
"
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