Town of Rochester Trail Committee

All cleared after the tropical storm .

More drainage work done near the town hall , Highway dept and Buildings and Grounds staff have really stepped up to the plate . Next work will be done in the area of williams lumber over the fall and early winter .

Please avoid the section of trail between Lucas Ave and Kyserike road for now . Central Hudsons subcontracted line clearance crew has made an unsafe trail surface .

Explored a very nice section of O and W rail trail from the Ellenville end of the trail . It starts near the ellenville little leaguefields with limited parking there .

Metrotrails Then and Now Series: A historic view of the last canal boat over the Delaware and Hudson Canal at Napanoch, New York, compared to the same scene on ...our 2019 hike, with the ominous Napanoch Prison, which had recently been completed, directly behind. Note the dome can still be seen through the trees in the modern photo. The canal passed through here from 1828 to 1899 and reportedly served the construction of the then new prison. After closing, the New York, Ontario, and Western Railroad constructed its Kingston Branch along the canal route, sometimes on the towpath, sometimes directly in the canal. The line remained in use from 1902 until abandonment in 1957. Today, an interconnected greenway trail along the historic route of the canal as well as the O&W Railroad is much in place, with new sections to be added. See more

Spring greenery in full force .

On this beautiful weekend, please be excellent social distancers with people you are not with. And, please wear masks when passing others, whether walking, running or biking. If trail head parking areas are full, please have an alternate area trail to visit. Enjoy this gorgeous weekend.

Metrotrails Then and Now Series: Ellenville, New York historic image on the Delaware and Hudson Canal, compared to the same scene on our 2019 hike. This is the ...site of buried Lock #31, which lifted boats about ten feet. This one was difficult to match up, as historic structures that still exist have been moved, and the canal here has been filled in. It was necessary to line up the existing prism beyond with what was behind. Much of the canal through Ulster and Orange Counties is a public greenway, with brief interruptions. See more

NEW YORK HIKING FRIENDS: At least for this weekend, please DO NOT come hiking in NJ for our park opening! Officials are ready to take photos of your license pla...tes, not to get you in trouble, but to justify park closure again. This is the main reason they closed in the first place. They want people to stay local...so if you are from NY, please head up to Harriman/Bear Mountain, or other upstate sites Saturday and Sunday. If the weekend goes well, we should be good moving forward. See more

It's pretty much impossible to breathe wearing these masks while going up steep inclines, yet some parks are considering requiring they be worn at all times. Ne...w York does not yet require them, but Bear Mounting was completed loaded with discarded masks from people who could not handle the climb with them. Walking is fine without masks...just respect the recommended six foot space. By all means, DO NOT discard masks and gloves along the trail!!! The amounts of PPE litter on trails is downright alarming. No one wants to pick up your potentially contaminated mask. See more

The trail has already had its two worst spots cleaned up , take some time and do what you can near your own house to make a difference . Cans and plastic can be bagged together , and glass separate , recycling them is free if you have a dump permit .

Home sweet home

Metrotrails Then and Now Series: Historic postcard image of the Delaware and Hudson Canal bridge in Wurtsboro, New York shortly after the 1899 closure. Ground w...as first broken for the canal in Wurtsboro, and through service began here in 1828. Today, much of the historic canal route is a trail. With only short interruptions, it can be followed all the way from Port Jervis to High Falls. See more

Please message this page if you see trees down across the trail or any other issues . Share this post to your friends who use the trails and ask them to like the page .