Go for a spin this fall and discover the scenic biking trails at New York State Parks. Bicycling is a great, low-impact exercise to enjoy with family and friends and a picturesque way to experience fall foliage in New York State. With so many trails to choose from, here are a few destinations from around the state worth exploring.
Starting in Western New York, Allegany State Park boasts year-round adventure, and biking is no exception. The 5.2-mile bike path at Allegany’s Quaker Run Area runs through woodlands, across streams and other natural features, connecting with trailheads, cabin and cottage trails, and other park amenities along the way to the popular Quaker Lake.
Heading towards Niagara Falls, the West River Shoreline Trail on Grand Island begins at Buckhorn Island State Park and stretches 8 miles alongside West River Road with expansive views of the Niagara River until Beaver Island State Park. Both parks are also listed on the NYS Birding Trail, so pack some binoculars and keep your eyes open.
Just across the river, the 4-mile Niagara Scenic Parkway Trail begins in downtown Niagara Falls and heads north, winding along the Niagara River through DeVeaux Woods State Park, Whirlpool State Park and Devil’s Hole State Park. The parks offer scenic overlooks of the gorge, picnic area, and access to the Niagara Gorge hiking trail system if you’re looking to add on to your excursion.
For those looking for a longer adventure, the Genesee Valley Greenway State Park is a 90-mile open space corridor that follows the route of old Genesee Valley Canal and railway beds from Rochester down to Hinsdale. The Greenway passes through woodlands, wetlands, river and stream valleys, rolling farmlands and steep gorges – an ideal backdrop for a fall adventure.
Historic features along the trail include locks, old railway bridges and bridge abutments and historic villages with interpretive signage provided along the trail at key locations.
In the Finger Lakes, the Black Diamond Trail in Ithaca travels along the western slope of Cayuga Lake. The converted 8.4-mile railroad bed has a stone dust surface and tree-lined trail, making it a pleasure to ride and connect to some amazing waterfalls and gorges including Taughannock Falls State Park.
If you’re in the Syracuse/Rome area, Old Erie Canal State Park is a 36-mile stretch of the 363-mile Old Erie Canal, which has been designated a National Recreational Trail by the National Parks Service.
The terrain is woodland and wetland and includes several areas with footbridges that aid access to the canal towpath where visitors can view the remnants of stone aqueducts. The park also passes through Green Lakes State Park and the Chittenango Landing Canal Boat Museum.
Further north, the Black River Trail in Watertown offers a 4.5-mile paved trail with scenic views along the Black River. A former railbed, the majority of the path is a gentle grade and is a great path for beginner cyclists.
The newly completed expansion of the North-South Road Multi-use Path at Saratoga Spa State Park in the Capital Region creates a roughly 3.2-mile loop. The trail connects the Roosevelt Drive Corridor and scenic Avenue of the Pines with the East-West Road and access to the greater City of Saratoga Springs.
A 90-minute drive from New York City in the Shawangunk Mountain ridge, Minnewaska State Park Preserve offers over 35 miles of carriage roads to explore. The park features numerous waterfalls, three crystalline sky lakes, hardwood forests and beautiful views of the surrounding valley.
Traveling further south into the Hudson Valley, the Nyack Beach Bikeway at Hook Mountain is a flat, scenic trail that runs right along the Hudson River at sea level.
The trail provides for great views of the Hudson River and Palisades Cliffs rock formations. Parking is available at Nyack Beach State Park and there is also a paved connection to Rockland Lake State Park. The northern section, known as the Haverstraw River Trail, is hillier and narrower and is recommended for more experienced cyclists.
The Hubbard-Perkins loop in Fahnestock State Park is a 9.5-mile multi-use trail that offers picturesque mountain biking with the trail weaving through old stone property walls and roads. Fun fact: four of the trail bridges were designed and constructed through a partnership with cadets at the United States Military Academy at West Point as part of a civil engineering course.
Shirley Chisholm State Park in Brooklyn offers 10 miles of paths with amazing vistas of the New York City skyline and surrounding Jamaica Bay. The park has its own free bike loan program available Thursdays through Sundays. The bike loan program ends for the year on October 27.
Long Island’s Belmont Lake State Park includes a 4.2-mile path for both biking and hiking that follows Carll’s Creek south to the Great South Bay.
Tyler Wilcox is Community Relations Representative at New York State Parks. This essay first appeared at the State Parks & Historic Sites Blog.
Photo: Genesee Valley Greenway (State Parks).
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