Name: Wallkill Valley Rail Trail
Rating: 4.7

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Family Friendly Tons of history, great views, bridges, parks and towns for rest stops, food and events. Check the wvrta.org website for event postings.

The WVRT never closes during daylight hours. Though running and biking events are occasionally hosted on the trail, it remains open to other users. Hikers and bikers, however, must yield to horses on the shared trail.

Description

Limited road-side parking at Denniston Road, but ample parking two miles north in Gardiner. The Wallkill Valley Rail Trail has mile markers every half mile from Denniston Road.

Along the way, the trail passes near Skydive the Ranch then Gardiner Center, Majestic Park, orchards and forests. Also nearby are organic farms and farmer's markets. Stop at Plattekill Creek for a great view of the Gunks at mile 6.5. At mile 8 is Sojourner Truth Park with kayak launch. The WVRT then passes Water Street Market in New Paltz with restaurants and shops and Main Street businesses and at mile 9 is the Huguenot Historic District, oldest continuously inhabited street in the US. Woods and farms dot way until the spectacular Rosendale Trestle at mile 15.5. Once the highest bridge in the US, Rosendale was the source of the cement that would build the Brooklyn Bridge and the world's first skyscrapers. Further north are lakes and the home turf of the sociological and infamous "Jukes" clan. There, numerous old cement mines emitting chilly breezes (and bats at night) along the way.

The trail's northern end currently terminates at a large parking area. Take a road route to Kingston's historic Stockade District with its restaurants and small shops. Currently there is a route to the 20+ mile O&W (aka D&H) Rail Trail at Washington Avenue and at the back end of the Motel 6 parking lot.