ONEIDA RAIL TRAIL:
ONEIDA, NEW YORK
LENOX RAIL TRAIL:
CANASTOTA-WAMPSVILLE, NEW YORK
-BIKE IT OR HIKE IT-
Last Updated: Sept 20, 2021
Length: Oneida Rail Trail: West Shore Division RR Section; 1.7 miles
Lenox Ave Trail; 0.6 miles
Lenox Rail Trail; 3.6 miles including on-road sections
Difficulty: Oneida Rail Trail: West Shore Division RR Section; Easy. Flat, paved and stone-dust rail trail.
Lenox Ave Trail; Easy. Flat paved trail.
Lenox Rail Trail; Easy. Flat paved rail trail. Some on-road sections.
Directions:
To start from Port Street [Lenox Rail Trail-Western End]; From I-90 take exit 34 to (Route 13) N Peterboro St and travel south to Canastota. After a mile turn right on Rasbach St and follow to end. Turn left then an immediate right on Port St. Follow to end. parking for a couple of cars.
To Start from Route 10/Madison County Highway Dept [Oneida Rail Trail-Western End]; From the junction of Routes 5 & 10 in Wampsville follow Route 10 north 0.4 miles to the trailhead on your right.
To Start from Hubbard Place [Oneida Rail Trail-Center Section]; From the intersection of Routes 5 & 13 in Canastota travel east on Route 5 for 3 miles. Turn left on Hubbard Place and travel 0.5 miles. The trailhead is on your right.
To Start from the Seneca Street/ Oneida HS parking lot [Oneida Rail Trail-Eastern End]; From the intersection of Routes 5 & 13 in Canastota travel east on Route 5 for 5 miles. Turn left on Seneca and travel just past the High School entrance. A parking lot is next to the trail head on your left.
The Oneida Rail Trail is a planned trail system of three interconnecting rail beds creating a Loop around the city. Three abandoned rail beds, the NY Central RR, West Shore Division RR and the NY Ontario & Western RR all passed through town. For more information visit; ONEIDA RAIL TRAIL . I believe only 2 sections are currently developed. The Lenox Rail Trail follows the rail bed of the former NY Central RR that continued east into Oneida. Future plans call for connecting both rail trails.
Lenox Rail Trail:
Starting from Port Street in Canastota; The narrow, paved Lenox Rail Trail travels north to reach the old rail bed of the former NY Central RR.
Note; To your left a grass lined path (orange arrow signs) leads west past a small pond and back onto the rail bed. Part of the North County Trail.
It then turns right heading east through the woods as a wider trail. An active RR line follows above along your left. Come to S Main St after 0.8 miles. The rail bed is blocked ahead. Head left (Caution no crosswalk) on-road underneath the RR bridge. Turn right along Railroad St (low traffic), then right on S Peterboro St and back underneath the RR bridge. Pick up the Lenox Rail Trail on your left next to the Skate Park at 1.1 miles (Caution no crosswalk). Informational board and small brick building? The wide, paved trail continues east below the RR line passing by the Skate Park along open woods. I haven't checked out this section yet. Come to Willow Acres Rd at 2.6 miles and turn right (not sure if the trail is along this road or shares the road). You quickly pick up the trail on your left where it continues east along an open corridor. Come to a road at 3.1 miles and the end of the paved trail.
Note; If you continue straight along this road past the Madison County Highway Dept you'll come to Route 10 after 3.4 miles in Wampsville. Across the road is the start of the Oneida Rail Trail .
Oneida Rail Trail:
Starting from Route 10; I haven't checked out this section yet. The paved Oneida Rail Trail travels east along the old West Shore Division RR bed along open grass before entering the woods. Cross the Bridge at Hubbard Place over Cowaselon Creek before crossing Hubbard Pl at 0.7 miles. Here you'll find the Hubbard Place parking lot. I haven't checked out this section since it's been upgraded. I believe this next section is now stone-dust as it continues east through the woods. You emerge at Lenox Ave at 1.7 miles. The old West Shore Division RR bed continues across the road, but currently no access. Another section of the West Shore Division RR is complete further east. See; Below. The paved Lenox Ave Trail crosses here. This trail heads right for 0.1 miles and left for 0.5 miles and alongside Lenox Ave.
Starting from Route Seneca Street/Oneida HS parking lot. The wide grass lined rail trail travels west along a residential corridor atop a berm ending after only 0.5 miles at Sayless St.
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CLICK HERE FOR ONEIDA RAIL TRAIL MAP
CLICK HERE FOR LENOX RAIL TRAIL MAP
BEFORE YOU SET OUT BE SURE TO READ THE
WAIVER OF RESPONSIBILITY AND DISCLAIMER
BIKE IT OR HIKE IT