LACKAWANNA RAIL TRAIL:
ELMIRA, NEW YORK
-BIKE IT OR HIKE IT-
Last Updated: January 05, 2025
Length: Lackawanna Rail Trail; 8.7 miles
Eldridge Park Loop; 1.1 miles
Mark Twain Riverfront Park Trail; 0.4 miles
Difficulty: Easy. Flat paved rail trail.
Directions:
From I-86/Route 17 take exit 56 to E Water St and head west. The East Water Street parking lot [Central Section] is on your left. Enter and head left to the trail head.
The Lackawanna Rail Trail follows the rail bed of the former Delaware, Lackawanna & Western Railroad to North, Eldridge Park. Here the trail leaves the old rail bed heading East, alongside Diven Creek. For more information visit; ELDRIDGE PARK .
Starting from the East Water Street parking lot [Central Section]; The paved Lackawanna Rail Trail travels East, underneath E Water St and comes to an *Intersection. Map Board here.
Lackawanna Rail Trail; Southern Section:
The paved Lackawanna Rail Trail; Southern Section heads right, South, back underneath E Water St, where it travels across an old railroad trestle over Newtown Creek near Jones Island bringing you alongside I-86. I haven't checked out this section. Here the trail follows the old rail bed South, alongside I-86, ending at the Lowman Crossover Road parking lot in Lowman after 5.5 miles. It parallels the Chemung River, however, there are only occasional views of the river, especially after the leaves have fallen. If you head left along Lowman Crossover, cross the highway you'll come to the Oneida Road parking lot on your right.
Lackawanna Rail Trail; Northern Section:
From the *Intersection, the paved Lackawanna Rail Trail; Northern Section [Re-zeroing Mileage] heads left, Northwest, below a Levee on your left and Newtown Creek. Travel underneath E Church St at 0.5 miles. You then cross over the Levee and Sullivan St along a high berm. Pass by a spur to Quatrano Park at 1.3 miles. Informational board. Cross over Madison Ave, Lake St and E Washington Ave before coming off the berm and traveling through a commercial district alongside Route 14. Cross Maxwell Pl and Division St before traveling alongside Baldwin St. Come to Diven Ave, where you follow a narrow sidewalk, North, out to E Thurston St. Two cross-lights, West, will get you across busy Route 14 and some RR tracks. Head right, North, along a sidewalk next to E Woodlawn Ave, into Eldridge Park and you'll come to a paved trail at 2.6 miles. To your left is the Eldridge Park parking lot #1.
Note; This is the start of the Eldridge Park Loop, heading West. See Below.
Continue right, North, past Eldridge Lake to another intersection and continue straight. Travel past Eldridge Park parking lot #2 and across Diven Creek to another intersection.
Note; Straight, North, is where the Eldridge Park Loop returns. See Below.
Head right, East, along the paved Lackawanna Rail Trail, crossing the RR tracks and a crosswalk over Grand Central Ave. Here the isolated trail travels alongside Diven Creek before ending at Lake St after 3.3 miles.
Eldridge Park Loop:
Starting from the Eldridge Park parking lot #1; The paved Eldridge Park Loop travels West, along Eldridge Lake and past the sports fields & a Dog Park, before turning North, between the Lake & RR tracks. Come to an intersection.
Note; Right, East, takes you along the Northern Tip of the Lake, past the the Eldridge Park Carousel, carnival rides, paddle boats and the Mark Twain Mini Golf Course and Train ride. Facilities. See; ELDRIDGE PARK .
Continue left, North, alongside Eldridge Park Rd. Pass by Eldridge Park parking lot #3 as the trail travels past sports fields, turning East, then South. Pass by an old Erie RR car along the RR tracks before coming to another intersection.
Note; To your right is the Eldridge Park Skate Park. Left, East, is the continuation of the Lackawanna Rail Trail.
Continuing South, you pass by Diven Creek and Eldridge Park parking lot #2 before coming to another intersection.
Note; Right, the trail takes you along the Northern Tip of Eldridge Lake past the Mark Twain Mini Golf Course and Train ride, Eldridge Park Carousel, carnival rides and paddle boats. Facilities. See; ELDRIDGE PARK .
Continue straight, South, back to the Eldridge Park parking lot #1 and Lackawanna Rail Trail after a 1.1 mile Loop.
Riverfront Park Trail:
Starting from the East Water Street parking lot; I haven't checked out this trail. To reach the Mark Twain Riverfront Park Trail, you'll need to travel on-road. Travel West, on-road along E Water St (wide shoulder), passing by East Water Street Park. Come to Lake St after 0.7 miles. The Lake Street pedestrian bridge crosses the Chemung River. [Re-zeroing Mileage] The brick lined Mark Twain Riverfront Park Trail begins just across Lake St and winds alongside the river, although it's blocked by a cement dyke wall. Pass by a water fountain before traveling underneath Clemens Center Pkwy. You then travel underneath a RR bridge before ending at Main St after 0.4 miles.
Future plans call for continuing the trail North, along the 8.5 mile Chemung Canal Connector, to Pine Valley and the Southern End of the Catherine Valley Trail . See; CHEMUNG CANAL CONNECTOR MAP .
Note; A study is underway in 2024, to create the Chemung River Greenway, which will travel 20 miles from the Corning Riverfront Trail in Corning, East, connecting to the Big Flats Trail in Big Flats. It will then continue East to the Lackawanna Rail Trail in Elmira.
HH
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