New York Empire State Trail Bike Tour

Explore the Hudson Valley on this Empire State Trail bike tour! This trail, completed in 2020, allows cyclists to experience the Empire State’s urban centers, village main streets, rural communities and diverse history. Over six days, we’ll travel along the Hudson River Valley from downtown New York City to Albany, New York.

The trail is mostly on paved and crushed-stone rail trails, but it does include some riding adjacent to motor vehicle traffic. Request a Tour Itinerary for more detailed information and logistics.

Day 1:   

This morning our cycling adventure starts with a 30-minute ferry ride from Staten Island to Battery Park in Manhattan. You’ll pass the Statue of Liberty and get a great view of the Manhattan skyline! See the Statue of Liberty, take some time to reflect at the 9/11 Memorial, get a classic NYC bagel lunch, and ride all the way to Tarrytown. Please note: Cycling through New York City is an amazing experience, but it is a busy place! Riders must be experienced riding both with traffic and on busy bike paths.

Day 2: 

Travel northeast along the former Putnam rail line north into Westchester, where the route then follows the South County Trail. Despite passing through densely populated areas, the rail-trail is surprisingly park-like and quiet, buffered from adjacent development and the Saw Mill River Parkway by dense woods. End in historic Hopewell Junction at Le Chambord at Curry Estate.

Day 3:  

Start riding today on the Dutchess Rail Trail, passing through wooded areas, local parks, and residential communities. The highlight today is in Poughkeepsie at the world’s longest elevated pedestrian bridge, Walkway Over the Hudson State Park. The Walkway is a spectacular 1.5-mile park built on an historic railroad bridge over 200 feet above the Hudson River. Ride this to the Hudson Valley Trail, which extends almost all the way to Kingston. Here we’ll stay at Hotel Kinsley, a chic, restored bank building from the 1860s.

Day 4:

Continuing north, ride scenic roads from Kingston to Hudson, where you’ll have lots of time to explore the town. With its galleries, coffeehouses, and open-kitchen restaurants attracting hipsters, writers, artists, and movie stars, Hudson has been called the Un-Hamptons, New York’s Upstate Downtown, and Brooklyn North.

Day 5:

Today you’ll cruise along the Albany-Hudson Electric Trail. The 36-mile “AHET” runs from the City of Hudson to the City of Rensselaer, just outside of Albany. Much of this trail is off-road on crushed stone, and it runs northeast past woods, streams, wetlands, farm lands, and small hamlets. Then ride the Mohawk Hudson Bike Hike Trail to the capital city of Albany. After that, we will jump on the Erie Canal Trail for a while, and ride along the Hudson River all the way to Troy where we will stay for the evening.

Day 6:

The ride today starts in Troy and mostly follows the Mohawk River Bikeway, which is part of the Erie Canalway Trail. You’ll pass by scenic views of the Mohawk River, woodlands, wetlands, and residential areas. Make sure to take a quick stop at Cohoes Falls to see the impressive waterfall. The rest of the journey is mainly off-road until you reach Schenectady. In Schenectady, you’ll have a final lunch together before saying goodbye and shuttling back to Newark.