JOSEPH B. CLARKE RAIL TRAIL:
BLAUVELT-TAPPAN, NEW YORK
OLD ERIE PATH;
SPARKILL-NYACK, NEW YORK
RAYMOND G. ESPOSITO TRAIL;
SOUTH NYACK, NEW YORK
-BIKE IT OR HIKE IT-
Last Updated: March 22, 2024
Length: Joseph B. Clarke Rail Trail; 3.8 miles
Old Erie Path; 3.4 miles
Raymond G. Esposito Trail; 1.1 miles
Difficulty: Joseph B. Clarke Rail Trail; Easy. Flat paved rail trail.
Old Erie Path; Easy to Moderate. Hard packed dirt & gravel rail trail. Slight grade. Some washout issues. Mt bike recommended.
Raymond G. Esposito Trail; Easy. Relatively flat, hard packed gravel rail trail.
Directions:
To Start from Oak Tree Road in Tappan for the Joseph B. Clarke Rail Trail [Southern End]; From the Palisades Interstate Parkway take exit 5S to Route 303 south. Turn left on Oak Tree Rd and you'll quickly come to a small parking lot on your left.
To start from the Blauvelt Library parking lot in Blauvelt for the Joseph B. Clarke Rail Trail [Northern End]; From the Palisades Interstate Parkway take exit 6E to Orangeburg Rd. Turn left on Western Hwy and travel 1 mile to Blauvelt. Turn right past the Library into the Post Office lot (green Rail Trail parking sign). Head right around the Library where you'll find the parking lot.
To start from the Depot Square parking lot in Sparkill for the Joseph B. Clarke Rail Trail [Center Section] and the Old Erie Path [Southern End]; From the Palisades Interstate Parkway take exit 5S to Route 303 south. Turn left on Washington St, which becomes Main St. You pass by a playground an take an immediate left, then right on Depot Square where you'll find parking next to the trail.
To Start from the Rockland Landing parking lot in South Nyack for the Raymond G. Esposito Trail [Southern End] & Governor Mario Cuomo Bridge Path [Western End]; From the North & West; See; Map for directions. From the South & East; See; Map for directions.
To Start from Franklin Street Park in South Nyack for the Raymond G. Esposito Trail [Northern End]; From I-87/287 take exit 12 to Route 303 south. Take the Route 59 exit and head left (east) to Nyack. Turn right on S Franklin St, then left on Cedar Hill Ave (next to Franklin St Park) and park along street.
The interconnected, Joseph B. Clarke Rail Trail, Old Erie Path and Raymond G. Esposito Trail, follow the former right-of-way of the Erie Railroad's Nyack and Piermont Branch. The paved Joseph B. Clarke Rail Trail travels from Tappan, North to Depot Square in Sparkill. Here, it continues North to Blauvelt. The Old Erie Path starts from Depot Square in Sparkill, where it connects to the Joseph B. Clarke Rail Trail and travels Northeast to Piermont, then North to South Nyack, where the trail continues North, as the Raymond G. Esposito Trail, to Franklin Street Park, at the Nyack border. In South Nyack, you can connect to the Western End of the Governor Mario Cuomo Bridge Path . For more information visit; RAILS TO TRAILS .
Joseph B. Clarke Rail Trail:
Starting from the Oak Tree Road parking lot in Tappan [Southern End]; A Map Board is located here. The paved Joseph B. Clarke Rail Trail travels North, along an open corridor and alongside some transmission lines. Travel underneath the Palisades Interstate Pkwy where you cross into Sparkill. Cross Washington St after 1 mile via the brick cross-walks. You'll travel past a small playground before crossing Sparkill Ave and a Map Board next to the Depot Square parking lot in Sparkill, before encountering a stone-dust trail intersection at 1.1 miles. A sign reads "Piermont-Nyack".
Note; This stone-dust trail is the start of the Old Erie Path, which travels North through Piermont to South Nyack, where it becomes the Raymond G. Esposito Trail.
Continuing North, along the paved Joseph B. Clarke Rail Trail ("Orangeburg-Blauvelt") you follow a shaded residential corridor until you cross Kings Highway and rejoin the open corridor alongside the transmission lines. Cross Sparkill Creek at 1.9 miles and pass by the water treatment plant. Cross a bridge over Route 303 where you enter Orangeburg before coming to Greenbush Rd after 2.5 miles. Another Map Board located here. After crossing the road you'll encounter a slight uphill grade. Travel through a tunnel underneath Orangeburg Rd before crossing an iron arched bridge over an active RR at 2.9 miles. Cross Mt View Rd where the trail levels out as you enter Blauvelt. Pass by the Blauvelt Library parking lot before coming to the Western Hwy at 3.8 miles and the end of the trail. Across Western Hwy is Blauvelt Lions Town Park.
Old Erie Path & Raymond G. Esposito Trail:
Starting from the Depot Square parking lot in Sparkill [Southern End]; A Map Board is located here for the Joseph B. Clarke Rail Trail.
Note; The paved Joseph B. Clarke Rail Trail travels North and South from this parking lot.
Head right, North, along the paved Joseph B. Clarke Rail Trail to an intersection with a narrow stone-dust trail veering right. A sign reads "Piermont-Nyack". This is the start of the Old Erie Path. Follow this narrow trail North to the intersections of Orangeburg Rd, Highland Ave, Piermont Ave and Main St. Caution; No crosswalk. Cross the road and head past the gate where you'll find an Historical Marker "Crossroads: The Erie & Northern R.R.". You'll then travel underneath Route 9W along the wide, hard packed dirt & gravel path. This old rail trail slowly ascends along a ridge line with a brief view of Sparkill Creek down below. A few rocky sections but fairly smooth going. Cross Hudson Terrace at 1.1 miles and you'll come to the old Piermont Train Station. The trail improves some as you continue along the wooded ridgeline. Views of the Hudson River and Governor Mario Cuomo Bridge in the distance. Check out the large houses lining the ridge, most with elaborate stairs leading down to the trail. You cross an old RR bridge over a gorge. Check out the old brownstone abutments. Cross a gravel Rd at 2.4 miles and the hard packed dirt trail starts a slight descent as pass through Hader Park in Grand View-On-Hudson. This section of the trail is less developed, narrow and has some wash-out issues. At 2.8 miles an opening in the tree line affords you great views of the Hudson River and Governor Mario Cuomo Bridge. Cross S Broadway Ave at 3.4 miles and you'll enter South Nyack, where the Old Erie Path becomes the Raymond G. Esposito Trail. This wide, hard packed gravel trail soon travels alongside Route 9W, before becoming paved as it travels over I-87/287. Come to an intersection on your right at 4 miles.
Note; This paved Spur Trail travels South down to where the Governor Mario Cuomo Bridge Path crosses. Heading right, North, will take you to the Rockland Landing parking lot and Western End of the Governor Mario Cuomo Bridge Path.
The paved Raymond G. Esposito Trail continues North to Clinton Ave (stone-dust trail parallels). Map Board. Cross the road where the trail continues as stone-dust. You come alongside S Franklin St at 4.1 miles. This urban corridor then brings you through Franklin Street Park, where you'll find playgrounds, picnic tables and a water fountain. The trail then ends after 4.5 miles at Cedar Hill Ave.
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CLICK HERE FOR JOSEPH B. CLARKE RAIL TRAIL MAP
CLICK HERE FOR OLD ERIE PATH MAP
CLICK HERE FOR RAYMOND ESPOSITO TRAIL MAP
CLICK HERE FOR GOVERNOR MARIO CUOMO BRIDGE PATH MAP
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