WALLKILL VALLEY RAIL TRAIL:
ROSEDALE, NEW YORK
-BIKE IT OR HIKE IT-
Planted: NO LETTERBOX PLANTED AT THIS TIME
Length: Wallkill Valley Rail Trail North; 7 miles
Wallkill Valley Rail Trail South; 8.1 miles
Difficulty: Moderate. Flat rail trail with many different surfaces. Some sections are hard packed cinder or dirt, while other sections are rough gravel or
grass lined single and double track. A mountain bike is recommended.
Directions:
To start from New Paltz; From I-87 (New York State Thruway) take exit 18 to Route 299 west into New Paltz. Just before crossing over the Wallkill River Bridge, take a right onto Hounert Street and another right into the parking lot. The trail is located on the opposite side of the old Train station.
To start from Mountain Road; From I-87 (New York State Thruway) take exit 18 to Route 299 west into New Paltz. Take a right onto Route 32 north and head towards Rosendale. After crossing over Rondout Creek, take a left onto Route 213 west. Take another left back across the river onto Keator Ave. and then a right onto Mountain Road. The parking area will be on the right where the trail crosses the road.
To start from Gardiner; From I-87 (New York State Thruway) take exit 18 to Route 299 west into New Paltz. Take Route 32 south and turn right onto Route 44 west into Gardiner center where the trail crosses the road. Parking is available here.
The Wallkill Valley Rail Trail runs along the former rail bed of the Wallkill Valley Railroad. In the late 19th century, the Wallkill Valley Railroad ferried fresh produce and vegetables from the farmlands of Ulster County to the streets of New York City. It also served as a commuter railroad for passengers traveling along the Hudson Valley. For more than a half century, the railroad supported business and tourism, provided jobs and created a critical economic link between upstate and downstate. By 1933 only one passenger train ran daily each way, and four years later, all passenger service came to a halt. Over the next few decades, numerous stations along the Wallkill line closed. In 1977, the Wallkill Valley Railroad took its last freight run.
The trail is divided into north and south sections emanating from New Paltz. The northern section heads towards Rosendale and travels a more wooded path then the southern section, which travels towards Gardiner and is more out in the open with scenic vistas. The northern section has two very scenic trestle crossings, one across the Wallkill River and a "not to be missed" partial crossing high above Rondout Creek with fantastic vistas. Do Not Miss This Treasure which is easily accessible from the Mountain Road parking lot. The northern section from New Paltz starts out with some rough gravel sections and then becomes smoother as it travels along compacted dirt and cinder, while the southern section is smoother overall, but with many different trail surfaces ranging from stone dust to hard packed dirt and cinder to single and double track grass lined surfaces. If you only have time to ride one section, I recommend the northern section, starting from Rosendale. For more information visit; WALLKILL VALLEY RAIL TRAIL .
Starting from
Note;
The trail goes north from the parking lot
for less then a ¼ mile, but it is not to be skipped as it contains the most
scenic point along the entire trail. Heading
north you cross ¾ of the way over the old 1920 railroad trestle where
the trail currently ends. The trestle crosses about 100 feet above Rondout
Creek with wide open vistas of the surrounding hills.
Heading south
from the parking lot the trail crosses
Starting from New Paltz;
From Route 299 in downtown New Paltz the trail heads south along an old paved
surface. The
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BEFORE YOU SET OUT BE SURE TO READ THE
WAIVER OF RESPONSIBILITY AND DISCLAIMER
BIKE IT OR HIKE IT LETTERBOXING