HUDSON VALLEY RAIL TRAIL:
LLOYD-HIGHLAND, NEW YORK
-BIKE IT OR HIKE IT-
Last Updated; August 01, 2023
Length: Hudson Valley Rail Trail; 7 miles
On-road Connection to Wallkill Valley Rail Trail; 1.6 miles
Difficulty: Hudson Valley Rail Trail; Easy. Flat, paved rail trail.
On-road Connection to Wallkill Valley Rail Trail; Moderate. On-road hilly section.
Directions:
To start from the Route 299 parking lot in Lloyd [Western End]; From I-87 (NY State Thruway) take exit 18 to Route 299 east for 1.5 miles. Parking lot is on your right.
To start from Tony Williams Park in Lloyd [Center Section]; From I-87 (NY State Thruway) take exit 18 to Route 299 east. After about 2 ¼ miles, turn right onto New Paltz Rd (Route 12) and travel 0.7 miles to a left hand turn onto South River Rd. Turn right into Tony Williams Park. The trail starts to the left past the basketball courts.
To start from the Hudson Valley Rail Trail Depot parking lot in Highland [Eastern End]; From I-87 (NY State Thruway) take exit 18 to Route 299 east. After about 2 ¼ miles, turn right onto New Paltz Rd (Route 12). The parking lot will be located next to the right side of the road. You'll see a sign and a large pavilion.
To start from the Walkway Over the Hudson in Highland [Eastern End]; From I-87 (NY State Thruway) take exit 18 to Route 299 east. Head south on Route 9W through Highland. Just before the turn off for the Mid-Hudson Bridge turn left down Haviland Rd. The first parking lot on your left is for the HVRT.
The Hudson Valley Rail Trail runs along the former rail bed of the New York, New Haven & Hartford Railroad. The railroad used to cross over the Hudson River via the Poughkeepsie Railroad-Highland Bridge. This bridge, at 6,768 feet long and 212 feet above the river, was hailed as the longest railroad bridge in the world when it was completed in 1888. It served as the only Hudson River train crossing south of Albany, NY until a fire put it out of commission in 1974. This trail travels west from the Walkway Over the Hudson to the Wallkill Valley Rail Trail . From the east side of the Walkway Over the Hudson the Dutchess Rail Trail travels southeast to Hopewell Junction. For more information visit; HUDSON VALLEY RAIL TRAIL .
The Hudson Valley Rail Trail is part of the Empire State Trail , which is a continuous 750-mile route spanning the state from New York City to Canada and Buffalo to Albany, creating the longest multi-use state trail in the nation. To the west it connects to the Wallkill Valley Rail Trail and to the east you continue along the Walkway Over the Hudson .
Starting from the Western End of the Walkway Over the Hudson in Highland; Restrooms, food vendors, water fountain, picnic tables, informational boards, Map Board, Walkway West Pavilion and the Walkway West Visitor Center are located here. Head West along the paved Hudson Valley Rail Trail and you'll quickly come to the HVRT parking lot. An old 1926 red caboose and Map Board are located here. After traveling through a deep rock cut you travel through two tunnels underneath Mile Hill Rd and Route 9w. A spur trail at 0.6 miles leads to Route 9w. Next a bridge takes you over Routes 44 & 55 bringing you to a small parking lot along Commercial Ave at 1.1 miles. Another Map Board located here, as well as, an old train signal. The trail opens up along here as a fitness course follows alongside the trail. You'll come to the Hudson Valley Rail Trail Depot parking lot at 2.1 miles. A second 1915 red caboose is located here along with restrooms, a picnic pavilion and water fountain. Continuing along the trail you head back into the woods, underneath an old iron "Farmers Bridge" and through a deep rock cut. Travel through a tunnel underneath New Paltz Rd at 2.5 miles and cross into Lloyd. Look for an old RR signal tower on your right at 2.8 miles. Walk up to the top of the small knoll behind the signal light and turn right. Then walk 18 paces (2 steps = 1 pace) along the knoll up a small hill. A large boulder will be to your right, but you head left 14 paces along the edge towards a stone wall. This should bring you to a double-trunked tree shaped like a V on the opposite side of the wall. A large rock with white quartz should be on top of the stone wall. Just below this rock, remove 2 small rocks blocking a cavity in the wall. Under a flat rock used to keep the box secure is the Hudson Valley Rail Trail Letterbox. Continuing along the trail you'll pass by a silver pole and rail holder (these were used by the railroad to hold extra rails) on your left. Come to a side trail at 3.1 miles for the Black Creek Water Trail. The Black Creek is a Class A protected trout stream and access is a fairly easy scramble down the embankment. Finally you travel along a high berm with steep drop-offs before coming to Tony Williams Park parking lot at 3.5 miles. Map Board, playground, picnic tables and restrooms located here. Nice views of the rolling hills and Illinois Mountain on your left. The trail then travels through a tunnel underneath S Riverside Rd, followed by a rock cut and a second tunnel underneath New Paltz Rd. Cross a bridge over Black Creek at 3.9 miles in New Paltz. Look left at 4.5 miles to spot some old iron RR Track holders. Come alongside Route 299 and pass by the Route 299 parking lot at 5.2 miles. Map Board. Cross-light over South St. Come to Ohioville Rd at 6.4 miles where two cross-lights get you to the northern side of Route 299 as the trail continues west. Cross over I-87 and come to Putt Corners Rd after 7 miles. An on-road connection is required to connect to the Wallkill Valley Rail Trail. Head right along Putt Corners Rd following a BIKE LANE. Turn left down Henry Dubois Dr which consists of both BIKE LANES and BIKE SHARROWS. This is a hilly road. Come to Route 32 after 8.5 miles.
You have 2 Options to connect to the Wallkill Valley Rail Trail;
Option 1; Travel right on-road (wide shoulder/sidewalk available) to Mulberry St and Head left (not sure if there is a crosswalk) where you'll pick up the Wallkill Valley Rail Trail after 8.6 miles.
Option2 ; Travel left via a narrow sidewalk to a cross-walk over right over Route 32. Then head down Broadhead Ave where you'll pick up the Wallkill Valley Rail Trail after 8.6 miles.
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CLICK HERE FOR HUDSON VALLEY RAIL TRAIL MAP
CLICK HERE FOR HUDSON VALLEY GREENWAY MAP
CLICK HERE FOR EMPIRE STATE TRAIL MAP
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