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Northville-Placid TrailContact: Department of

Environmental ConservationRegional HeadquartersRay Brook, NY 12977(518) 897-1200

Route: Northville, Fulton Countyto Lake Placid, EssexCounty.

Distance: 133 miles.

The Northville-Placid Trailruns through approximately 133miles of Adirondack forests. Thetrail crosses state and private lands,with a large portion of trail mileagein wilderness areas. The terrain onthis trail may be rugged becausemore remote trail segments receivelimited maintenance. When youencounter private land, please stayon the trail. Respect the

Long Distance Trailslandowner’s rights and do nottrespass. The trail is marked withblue markers and requires an aver-age of 19 days to hike.

The trail follows a northerlycourse from the scenic Adirondackfoothills to the breathtaking HighPeaks region to the north. Lakes andponds of all sizes and uncountedstreams lie near the trail as it windsnorthward up valleys, along ridgesand over mountains. The land ismostly forested, and though none ofthe timber is virgin, trees of consid-erable size reflect over 50 years ofstate ownership and conservation.

Excellent trout fishing in thespring, bass, pickerel and pikefishing in the summer and fall andbig game hunting in the fall, arepermitted according to state rulesand regulations.

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Finger Lakes Trail SystemContact: Finger Lakes Trail

ConferencePO Box 18048Rochester, NY 14618

Route: From Allegany State Parkand the Lewiston-Queenstone Bridge on theNiagara River to theFinger Lakes NationalForest, and then eastwardto the Catskill Park whereit connects with the LongPath Trail.

Distance: 800 miles (in the system.)

Much of the Finger Lakes Trailis on private land. The continueduse of the trail and trail systemdepends on the rights of the privateproperty owners who have givenpermission for people to walkthrough their property. There are anumber of branch trails whichemanate from the main cross statetrail. These trails take you tointeresting natural features andvillages of New York State.

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The Long PathContact: New York-New Jersey Trail

Conference156 Ramapo Valley RoadMahwah, NJ 07430-1199(201) 512-9348

Route: Fort Lee, New Jersey to JohnBoyd Thacher State Park.

Distance: 326 miles.

In the 1930s, Paul and VincentSchaefer developed the idea of creatinga New York version of Vermont’s LongTrail. Vincent Schaefer envisioned NewYork’s Long Path as an unmarkedmeandering route from the GeorgeWashington Bridge to WhitefaceMountain in the Adirondacks. Currently,the trail travels from Fort Lee on theNew Jersey side of the George Washing-ton Bridge through the Palisades, manyState Parks and State Forest lands, theShawangunk Mountains, the CatskillMountains, the Helderberg Escarpmentto reach its terminus in John Boyd

Thacher State Park just west of Albany.The NY-NJ Trail Conference is workingon extending the trail to the MohawkRiver and into the Adirondacks. Thetrail offers hikers a variety of experi-ences from partial day hikes to back-packing adventures. For most of it’slength the trail is marked with turquoisepaint blazes except within the CatskillPark, where plastic discs of variouscolors mark the trail. Within the CatskillPark, several lean-tos are available forovernight camping. Sections of the pathare on private property and in usethrough the permission of the landowner. When traveling these segments,respect the rights of the landowner bystaying on the trail and do not camp,build fires or litter. Contact the NewYork-New Jersey Trail Conference formore information regarding the route ofthe Long Path.

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North Country Scenic TrailContact: North Country Trail

Association49 Monroe Center,Suite 200BGrand Rapids, MI 49546(616) 454-5506

Route: Allegany State Park toCrown Point State HistoricSite, Port Henry, NY.

Distance: 250 + 300 miles of theFinger Lakes Trail.

The trail enters New York Stateat Allegany State Park from Pennsyl-vania. The trail is not completethrough New York but follows 300miles of the existing Finger LakesTrail. The trail crosses the GeneseeRiver in Letchworth State Park andcontinues eastward to Watkins GlenState Park. Near Cortland, the trail

turns north and eventually intersectswith the old towpath of the Old ErieCanal State Park. The trail reachesRome, NY, and Fort Stanwix NationalMonument, then follows the OldBlack River Canal to Booneville, NY.At this point the trail enters theAdirondack Park. The trail’s originallegislated route was proposed to crossthe High Peaks Wilderness of theAdirondack mountains. A morewidely accepted route through thesouthern Adirondacks has since beenproposed and is shown on the map.When completed, the trail will crossthis six-million-acre park and reach itseastern terminus at Crown Point StateHistoric Site on the shores of LakeChamplain.

National Scenic Trails

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Appalachian Scenic TrailContact: Appalachian Trail

ConferencePO Box 807Harpers Ferry, WV 25425(305) 535-6331

Route: Schaghticoke Mountainto Greenwood Lake.

Distance: 95 miles.The trail is primarily a wilder-

ness footpath which extends fromBaxter State Park in Maine toSpringer Mountain in Georgia. Theentire length is 2,100 miles. Travel-ing from north to south, the trailenters New York at SchaghticokeMountain. The trail continues in a

southwesterly direction toFahnestock State Park, crosses theHudson River via the Bear MountainBridge and heads toward the BearMountain/Harriman State Parksection. This section was the firstpart of the Appalachian Trail to becompleted. The trail continuesthrough the new Sterling Forest®

State Park, skirting around Green-wood Lake, and enters into NewJersey.

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GreenwaysHudson River ValleyGreenwayContact: Hudson River Valley

GreenwayCapitol BuildingRoom 254Albany, NY 12224(518) 473-3835

Route: New York City to theVillage of Waterford.

Distances: 137 nautical miles, 156miles of bike route, and135 miles of community-based trails.

This state program works withstate agencies, municipal govern-ments, non-profits and citizen groupsto identify, link, and develop localtrails as part of a regional trail system.This network includes scenic byways,heritage trails, on-road bike routes,

trails created from abandoned railroadrights-of-way, as well as simplefootpaths. Trails designated as part ofthis regional system allow for strollsto the river’s edge, mountain hikes,horseback rides, walks throughriverside villages, to bike rides alongcountry roads, access to hunting orfishing areas, and visits to historicsites or heritage areas. The historicHudson River is a major shipping lanealso open to recreational boaters.Efforts continue to be made toincrease access to the river forrecreational uses.

When completed, the Greenwaywill have a network of interconnect-ing, various-use trails that will helprecreationists to explore the HudsonRiver Valley from New York City tothe Village of Waterford in SaratogaCounty.

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Genesee Valley GreenwayContact: Friends of the Genesee

Valley GreenwayPO Box 42Mt. Morris, NY 14510(716) 658 - 2569

Route: From Rochester, NY, toLetchworth State Park.

Distance: 50 miles open for use.

The trail is complete from itsjunction with the Barge Canal inRochester to a few miles south ofMt. Morris (30 miles). More thanseven miles are open from Nundathrough Letchworth State Park, andin Allegany County there are fivemiles open in Cuba.

The Greenway follows the pathof the old Genesee Valley Canal andthe abandoned Pennsylvania Rail-

road. The Canal operated in the mid-1800s as a link between the ErieCanal and the Allegheny River. Itceased operation in 1878 and theright-of-way was taken over by therailroad, which ran passenger trainsuntil the time of the Depression andfreight service into the 1960s. Thetrail now follows the canal’s bed,towpath and railroad bed.

The Greenway is a multiple-use trail with a natural surface thatprovides opportunities for walking,jogging, cross-country skiing,biking, birding, and more. The trailwinds through scenic woodlands,rolling farmlands and peacefulvalleys. When complete, this trailwill extend to the Pennsylvaniaborder making the trail approxi-mately 90 miles long.

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NY Thruway Authority200 Southern Blvd.Albany, NY 12201(518) 436-3034

Route: Lockport, NY, to Albany,NY, to Glens Falls, NY.

Distance: 220 miles (524 mileswhen completed).

The Canalway Trail is a multi-use trail following the canal systemthat opened the Atlantic Ocean to theGreat Lakes. Currently, the trailsystem is comprised of four majortrail segments. These segmentsfollow old canal towpaths andabandoned railway corridors.

Erie Canal Heritage TrailRoute: Lockport, NY, to Fairport,

NY.

Distance: 70 miles.

This segment follows thetowpath of the Erie Canal. The trailis also designated as a NationalRecreation Trail. Most of the trailhas a gravel surface, but somesections are paved. Motorizedvehicles are not allowed, but usessuch as biking, hiking, cross-countryskiing and horseback riding arepermitted on the trail.

The Canalway Trail

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Old Erie Canal StateHistoric ParkContact: Andrus Road RD #2

Kirkville, NY 13082(315) 687-7821

Route: Dewitt, NY, to Rome, NY

Distance: 36 miles.

This trail segment followsabandoned portions of the originalErie Canal. This segment is alsodesignated as a National RecreationTrail. The linear park which makesup this trail segment offers picnicareas, parking, restrooms, and footbridges for access to the towpath of

the old Erie Canal. The trail issurfaced with stone dust and accom-modates trail uses such as hiking,biking, cross-country skiing andhorseback riding. No motorizedvehicles are allowed.

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Mohawk-Hudson BikewayRoute: Rotterdam Junction, NY,

to Cohoes, NY, to Albany,NY.

Distance: Approximately 30 miles.

This trail segment is built onthe abandoned towpath of the oldErie Canal and the old Penn CentralRailroad bed. There are a number ofsmall parks to stop at along the wayfor a picnic or a rest. There aresome short on-road trail sectionsalong the way, and one brings you tothe overlook of the Cohoes Falls,where the Mohawk and Hudson

Rivers converge. From this point thetrail heads southward to Albany,where it stops at the Erastus CorningPreserve. The trail is paved asphalt,except when it travels through theColonie Town Park, where it issurfaced with stone dust. Motorizedvehicles are not allowed. The trail isused most often by bikers, hikersand cross-country skiers.

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Glens Falls Feeder CanalTrailRoute: Glens Falls, NY, to Fort

Edward, NY.

Distance: 8 miles.

This trail segment follows thetowpath of the Feeder Canal, whichis one of the last surviving sectionsof New York State's original 1820scanal system. The Feeder Canal wascompleted in 1829 to help maintainthe water level in the ChamplainCanal, which runs from Fort Ann toFort Edward. The Feeder Canal runsfrom the Feeder Dam on the HudsonRiver through Glens Falls and to the

Champlain Canal in Fort Edward.The trail is surfaced with stone dust.Trail uses include hiking, biking andcross-country skiing. No motorizedvehicles are allowed.

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Lake Champlain Bike RouteContact: Lake Champlain

BikewaysC/O Lake ChamplainVisitors CenterRR1, Box 220,Crown Point, NY 12928(518) 597-4646

Route: Whitehall, NY, toChambly, Quebec,Canada.

Distance: 163 miles (New Yorkside) 200 miles (Vermontside).

This interstate and interna-tional bike route encircles LakeChamplain, for the most partfollowing paved, rural roads, al-though some sections are unpaved.These unpaved roads provideinteresting views as well as othertypes of biking experiences. Thebike route provides access to localservices and spectacular scenery.Also, some alternate routes areprovided to allow the cyclist tocustomize his/her personal experi-ence.

Trails and Routes

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Long Island GreenbeltTrail SystemContact: Long Island Greenbelt

Trail Conference23 Deer Path RoadCentral Islip, NY 11722(516) 360-0753

Long Island Greenbelt Trail: 31.8 miles.Nassau-Suffolk Greenbelt Trail: 19.5 miles.Walt Whitman Trail: 5.5 miles.Walt Whitman Loop: 4.2 miles.Pine Barrens Trail: 50 miles.

The system consists of five majortrails which provide opportunities toexperience diverse ecosystems and solitaryexperiences.

The Long Island Greenbelt Trail isthe oldest in the system and travels in anorth-south direction from Sunken Mead-ows State Park to Hecksher State Parkfollowing the routes of the Connetquot andNissequogue Rivers. The trail featuresbeaches, pine barrens, deciduous forests,and tidal marshes. Observant hikers mayspot deer, fox, raccoon, opossum, egret,kingfisher and many other species.

The Nassau-Suffolk Greenbelt Trailis also a north-south route from Cold SpringHarbor State Park to Massapequa. In anarea of heavy development, this trail is a narrowbelt of green space that offers sights of picturesqueponds, morainal ridges, open fields andincredibly diverse flora and fauna. The

northern end offers a surprising challenge incontrast to “flat” Long Island. Both theLong Island Greenbelt Trail and the Nassau-Suffolk Greenbelt trail have been desig-nated National Recreation Trails.

The Walt Whitman Trail and LoopTrail take the hiker on a trip through history.The Walt Whitman Trail begins at WaltWhitman’s birth place, a world renownedhistoric site, and ends at the Nassau- SuffolkGreenbelt Trail giving users access to morehiking opportunities. The Loop Trail stayson the property of a county park. This loopoffers views of the Atlantic Ocean as ittravels through hills of oaks, maples, andhickories mixed with beech, mountain laureland trailing arbutus.

Lastly, the Pine Barrens Trail bisectsthe core area of a fire adapted ecosystem.The Long Island Pine Barrens incorporatethe largest tract of undeveloped land on theisland. Walt Whitman noted that the areahas a peculiar aroma. This aroma is derivedfrom the pitch pines, scrub oak, blueberry,huckleberry, bearberry, wintergreen andsweet fern found throughout the area.Hikers may find deer, fox, flying squirrels,grouse and pheasants. The trail is markedwith blazes from Rocky Point to theShinnecock Canal. Because of the area’ssusceptibility to fire, the route is subject tofrequent changes.

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Notes

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Notes

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Notes

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Equipment Checklist

Helpful Advice

For a safe recreational experi-ence, please determine which ofthe following items you may needwhenever hiking within New YorkState. It is advisable to carry thefollowing items:• Map and compass• Full canteen or water bottle• Knife• Flashlight with new batteries• Sun protection (glasses, hat,

sunscreen)• Emergency food

• Insect protection• First aid kit, personal medica-

tions, spare eyeglasses• Rain gear and / or warm cloth-

ing• Small plastic garbage bag to

carry out your trash.In addition, it is recom-

mended that you check:• Local weather forecasts• Hunting seasons / Fishing

regulations• Permits

Use caution and be sure thatchildren are supervised while using thetrails. It is advisable that you hike withsomeone.

Trails often lead to remote loca-tions. You should:- Let someone know where you are

going and when you expect to return.- Take a map and compass, and know

how to use them.- Wear proper clothing and shoes.

Clothes should be loose-fitting andoffer protection from wind, rain andcold. The weather at the foot of amountain is often quite different fromthat at the top.

- Sign in at trailhead registers, whereavailable.

- Bring your own water. Never assumethat any water found along the trail iscompletely clean and safe to drink.

Insects can be annoying and maycause illness. Mosquitoes are commonthroughout New York. Black flies aretroublesome in the Adirondack andCatskill Mountains in the spring. Deerticks can cause Lyme Disease. Knowabout the precautions to prevent tick bitesand the symptoms of Lyme Disease.

Poison Ivy may be found alongNew York State trails. Know the charac-teristics of the plant and be careful.

Be careful with fire. When buildinga campfire use only dead and down wood.

Please stay on the trail, especiallywhen crossing private lands.

Many trails are in “Carry-in, Carry-

out” facilities. This means if you carry itin, carry it back out with you. This on-your-honor policy helps to keep our trails,state parks and forests clean. Litter is aproblem for the environment and un-sightly to others.

Know the symptoms of hypo-thermia, its causes and how to treat it. Inthe winter, wear or pack additional warmclothing and take other necessary precau-tions.

Only a few poisonous snakes arefound in New York State, and snake bitesare rare. If you are bitten and are in doubtas to whether the snake is poisonous,assume that it is and seek medical help asquickly as possible.

If someone is injured, treat theinjury and make the injured person ascomfortable as possible. Do not leave theinjured person alone, if possible. Some-one should go for help, using the trail.Contact a forest or park ranger, stateemployee or police officer with informa-tion about the person, where the injuredperson may be located, the extent of theinjury and how it happened.

If you get lost, STOP where youare, make yourself comfortable, rest andprepare to stay warm and overnight. Youhave notified people where you are goingand have signed a register. Help willarrive.

Be Careful and Enjoy New YorkState Trails.

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A Guide to Weather in the Empire StateNew York State experiences four

distinct seasons and the weather can beunpredictable at times. The followinginformation is provided to give outdoorenthusiasts a basis for planning theiractivities to compliment the potentialweather conditions. These seasonalaverages are to be used for generalplanning purposes only. Plan ahead andbe prepared. Contact the NationalWeather Bureau of a local airport for up-to-date forecasts before starting out.

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01 43 82 22 61 01 3 3- 9- 51- 12- 72- 43- 04- 64- 25- 85-

51 92 22 51 9 2 5- 21- 81- 52- 23- 83- 54- 25- 95- 56- 27-

02 52 81 11 4 3- 11- 81- 52- 23- 93- 64- 35- 06- 86- 57- 28-

52 22 51 8 0 7- 51- 22- 03- 73- 44- 25- 95- 76- 47- 28- 98-

03 02 31 5 3- 01- 81- 52- 33- 14- 84- 65- 46- 17- 97- 78- 49-

53 91 11 3 5- 21- 02- 82- 63- 44- 15- 95- 76- 57- 38- 09- 89-

04 81 01 2 6- 41- 22- 03- 83- 64- 35- 16- 96- 77- 58- 39- 101-

54 71 9 1 7- 51- 32- 13- 93- 74- 55- 36- 17- 97- 78- 59- 301-

05 71 3 1 7- 51- 32- 13- 04- 84- 65- 46- 27- 08- 88- 69- 401-

Mountainous regions will havewidely varying temperatures, even insummer. In winter, special precautionarymeasures should be taken, such as takingappropriate equipment and notifyingsomeone where you will be and whenyou will be back. Also, windchills canmake the temperature much colder, sopay attention to wind speeds as well astemperature when planning your trip.

Average High and Low Temperatures

Wind Chill Factors

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Useful Telephone NumbersOffice of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation (OPRHP)

Main Office, Albany (518) 474-0456OPRHP Regional Offices:

New York City Region, New York City (212) 866-3100Long Island Region, Babylon (631) 669-1000Palisades Region, Bear Mountain (845) 786-2701Taconic Region, Staatsburg (845) 889-4100Saratoga-Capital District Region, Saratoga Springs (518) 584-2000Thousand Islands Region, Alexandria Bay (315) 482-2593Central Region, Jamesville (315) 492-1756Finger Lakes Region, Trumansburg (607) 387-7041Genesee Region, Castile (585) 493-3600Allegany Region, Salamanca (716) 354-9101Niagara Region, Niagara Falls (716) 278-1770

Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC)Main Office, Albany (Campgrounds) (518) 457-2500Main Office, Albany (Trails) (518) 402-9428

DEC Regional OfficesRegion 1 - Stony Brook (631) 444-0200Region 2 - Long Island City (718) 482-4900Region 3 - New Paltz (including the Catskill Preserve) (845) 256-3000Region 4 - Schenectady (518) 357-2234Region 5- Ray Brook (including the Adirondack Preserve) (518) 897-1200Region 5 - Emergency Assistance (Forest Rangers) (518) 891-0235Region 6 - Watertown (315) 785-2239Region 7 - Syracuse (315) 426-7400Region 8 - Avon (585) 226-2466Region 9 - Buffalo (716) 851-7000

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------State Trails Coordinator (518) 486-2909Lake Champlain Bikeways (802) 652-2453NYS Canal System 1-800-422-6254Appalachian Trail Conservancy (304) 535-6331North Country Trail Assoc. 1-866-445-3628Hudson River Valley Greenway (518) 473-3835Parks and Trails New York (518) 434-1583I Love NY (Department of Economic Development) 1-800-225-5697State Police - Capital District Headquarters (518) 783-3211Emergency (most localities, check before you go) 911NYS Thruway Road Conditions 1-800-847-8929Useful World Wide Web SitesOffice of Parks Recreation and Historic Preservation www.nysparks.comDepartment of Environmental Conservation www.dec.ny.usNew York State Canals www.nyscanals.govI Love NY www.iloveny.comWeather conditions www.weather.comUnited State Geological Survey www.usgs.govU.S.G.S. map orders http://store.usgs.govNational Park Service www.nps.govNew York-New Jersey Trails Conference www.nynjtc.orgAdirondack Mountain Club www.adk.orgRails-To-Trails Conservancy www.railtrails.orgGeneseeValley Greenway www.fogvg.orgFinger Lakes Trails Conference www.fingerlakestrail.orgNorth Country Trail Association www.northcountrytrail.orgNew York State Horse Council www.nyshc.orgParks and Trails New York www.ptny.org

State of New York • David A. Paterson, Governor

NYS Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation • Carol Ash, Commissioner

Department of Environmental Conservation • Alexander B. Grannis, Commissioner

New York State Canal Corporation • John Buono, Chairman