MOHAWK-HUDSON BIKEWAY
SOUTH LETTERBOX:
WATERVLIET, NEW YORK
-BIKE IT OR HIKE IT-
Planted:
June 29, 2005
Length:
Mohawk-Hudson Bikeway; 39 ¾ miles
Mohawk Hudson Bikeway southern section; 5.9 miles
Schuyler
Flatts
Cultural
Park
to Mohawk-Hudson Bikeway; 0.7 miles
Schuyler Flatts Cultural Park Loop Trail; ¾ miles
Schuyler
Flatts
Cultural
Park
to Letterbox; ¼ mile
Difficulty:
Easy. Paved, flat trail.
Directions:
To start from
Schuyler
Flatts
Park
; Take exit 7west
from I-787 to Route 378 west. Take the first exit right to Route 32
(Broadway) and then right again heading north on Route 32. The Schuyler
Flatts Park entrance will be on the right side of Broadway. The parking lot
is next to a Shelter.
To start from
Corning
City
Preserve; There are two parking lots
located here next to the trail. One is at Riverfront
Park, while the other is located beneath the elevated I-787. Take
exit 4A off of I-787 southbound to
Water Street
. Take a left at
Colonie Street
and follow signs for the Corning City
Preserve. I'm not quite sure how to reach the park from I-787
northbound. I believe you use exit 4 ?
The Mohawk-Hudson Bikeway is a
Bike-Hike Trail connecting
Albany
and
Schenectady
Counties
in
New York
's Capital district of update
New York
. The trail is part of the state-wide Canal way Trail that follows
the
Erie Canal
from
Buffalo
to
Albany
. Parts of the trail are along sections of the old
Erie Canal
, while other sections run along long abandoned rail lines such as the Penn
Central Rail Line. This was
America
's first inter-city rail route and had the world's first steam passenger train.
This section runs from Watervliet to
Albany
alongside the
Hudson River
and through the Erastus Corning Riverfront Preserve. For the
northern sections of the trail See; Mohawk
Hudson Bikeway Letterboxes. For more information visit; MOHAWK
HUDSON BIKEWAY .
Starting from
Schuyler
Flatts
Park
; There is a map of the park in the
shelter.
Note;
To go directly to the Letterbox head left from the shelter along the path.
Heading right along the path on the
Loop
Trail (0.8 miles to the
Letterbox), you will come to a signboard describing the
Erie Canal
that passed through here. Next, you pass under a trellis and by a community
garden, which then brings you past a turnoff and to another signboard describing
a house that was located here. At 0.6 miles, take a right along the path,
otherwise you'll complete the loop and return to the shelter. This brings you
past the old burial grounds and into the woods to an intersection at 0.7 miles.
Note;
Left takes you to the Mohawk Hudson Bikeway (½
mile), but first, go right for the Letterbox. This short section of paved
trail ends just ahead, so look for the yellow "Dead End" sign on your
left. From this sign take 11 paces (2 steps = 1 pace) back towards the
park. Look to your left (towards the woods, right is towards the river) for a
downed tree just off the trail. Follow the tree to its end and remove the single
piece of wood that conceals two pieces of cinder blocks. Behind these lies the Mohawk
Hudson Bikeway South Letterbox. Head left back to the intersection.
Head left from the intersection if you wish to
access the Mohawk Hudson Bikeway. When you reach 4th Street,
left takes you on-road to reach the Cohoes section of the bikeway (See map), but
you turn right and travel underneath I-787 to the 4th Street parking
lot where the Mohawk Hudson Bikeway begins its trip down to
Albany. The parking lot is located right next to the
Hudson River
, with benches that afford you some great views.
Starting from the
4th Street
parking lot; The trail travels along
the river on your left and I-787 on your right. A ½ mile brings you to
some benches and an interpretive signboard, of which there are many located
along the trail. You start to pull away from the highway, cross under a bridge
and enter a more wooded, quiet environment. You'll come to a picnic area located
along the banks of the river at 1.6 miles. Notice the mileage marker located
here and others along the trail. I'm not sure what the distance indicated refers
to, as it’s much further then the distance to
Albany
is. You'll get some more great views of the river at 2 ½ miles where some
benches are located. The pavement gets a bit rougher at 2.8 miles as the trail
opens up a bit. Just shy of 3 ½ miles you pass beneath the I-90 Bridge
over the river. Here you get your first views of the
Albany
skyline as you pass through the wide open fields of the Corning City
Preserve. You come to a picnic area at 3 ¼ miles after which the pavement
improves. The trail narrows as it passes between the highway and river. You
reach the I-787 parking lot at 4 miles, which is located below the
elevated highway. A boat launch is located here as well. Next, you pass beneath
a railroad bridge over the river at 4 ½ miles, which then brings you into
Riverfront
Park
, where a second parking lot is located. There are restrooms located
here. This was once the
Albany
Basin
where the
Erie Canal
had a lock at the
Hudson River
. The Basin has been filled to create this park and the pond that the trail
passes by as it reaches the
Hudson River
Way
Pedestrian
Bridge
at 4.9 miles.
Note;
This bridge takes you over I-787 and into downtown
Albany
. There is a granite relief of the
Hudson River
above the promenade and you must check out the artwork that adorns the bridges
columns.
Just beyond the bridge is a Visitors Center,
with restrooms and snacks available. Past this on your left is a pumping
station, below which resides the Half Moon ship. This ship is a working
replica of one that Henry Hudson sailed in 1509. At 5 ¼ miles, a tunnel
under I-787 will take you over to Broadway. There is also a ramp that
will take up and across the Dunn Memorial Bridge over the
Hudson River
. The trail officially ends here, but if you continue underneath the
Dunn
Bridge
, you will come to the USS Slater, a Navy warship docked at 5.9
miles.
HH
CLICK
HERE FOR MAP
LETTERBOX LAST VERIFIED
ON
AUGUST 12, 2007
TO EMAIL A VERIFICATION
CLICK
HERE
BEFORE YOU SET OUT BE
SURE TO READ THE
WAIVER
OF RESPONSIBILITY AND DISCLAIMER
BIKE IT OR HIKE IT
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