From New York City through the Hudson River and Champlain Valley up to Canada, and from Albany to Buffalo along the Erie Canal, New York State’s 750-mile Empire State Trail is the longest single-state multi-use trail in the United States. Weaving in and out of village main streets, urban centers, and rural communities across the state, the Empire State Trail provides a safe and scenic pathway for residents and tourists to experience New York’s varied iconic landscapes, rich history and diverse recreational offerings one mile at a time.

The Empire State Trail is also open year-round, including winter, welcoming bicyclists, walkers, cross-county skiers and snow-shoers of all ages and abilities. This National Trails Day, we celebrate this jewel of the New York State Parks system, which connects 20 regional trails to create a continuous statewide signed route –75 percent of which is off-road on a mix of gravel and paved paths.

In this first installment of our Empire State Trail itineraries series, we invite you to explore the Capital Region, Central New York, Mid-Hudson Valley, and Western New York.  We’ll see you out there!