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| Putnam Trail |
| North County Trail |
| Old RR Bridge over Croton Reservoir |
| South County Trail |
| Tibbett's Brook Park |
| Van Cortland Park |
Putnam, North County and South County Trails
Welcome to Hikinglite.com
This page was last updated October 2006
The Putnam Division of the New York Central Railroad lives mostly today as a rail trail,
known as the Putnam, North and South County Trails. Some sections of the right of
way have been lost forever to highways and local structures due to Robert Moses and
other New York State and local 'visionaries'. Those sections off the right of way are on
roads with wide shoulders and are clearly marked.
This is a long rail trail and a very beautiful way to see Putnam and Westchester
Counties. The Putnam Trail is about 7 miles long and the North and South County
Trails total over 30 miles. To go around the gap in Elmsford, heading south on the
northern portion of the South County Trail, turn left on Warehouse Lane, right on 9A,
right on No. Payne, left on Hayes. Take this under 287 and continue to Main St. Go
right on Main and then a quick left at the opening for the trail. These trails are a great
transportation and recreation resource for the two counties.
In November of 2005 I biked, what was then the entire trail, from Seminary Hill Road
(at Glenida Ct) in Carmel to Barney Street in Yonkers (cross the Saw Mill Pkwy at
Hearst St) as part of a longer ride from Brewster to the Bronx. As far as I know, the
trails are maintained by the respective counties, Putnam and Westchester, and are
considered separate trails. My favorite sections are the Putnam Trail between
Seminary Hill Road and Croton Falls Road, the North County Trail from Yorktown
Heights to Millwood, Rt 117 to Saw Mill River Road in Tarrytown and the South County
Trail from Main St, Elmsford to Ashford Ave. With a map you could easily make a loop
using the Old Croton Aqueduct Trail or MetroNorth, for those wishing to combine the
two trails, or who want to start and finish at the same spot.
There is a lot of rail trail work being accomplished in Yonkers. I don't know who to
thank, but the gaps in the South County Trail are being filled in at an amazing pace.
Since I am now out of the area, please use the links below for updates. The recently
opened southern section of the South County trail crosses over the Old Croton
Aqueduct at Yonkers Ave, just to the left of the Yonkers Gateway Motel. This section
was just a narrow dirt path when I rode it in the fall of 2005. It seemed like it had seen
some recent maintenance, but I had no idea how quickly it would be transformed into a
paved rail trail. South of the Yonkers/NYC line, the right of way is a dirlt path thru Van
Cortland Park to the paved Cross Bronx Bike Path and is known as the Old Putnam
Trail.
Lunch Spots: There are places in Carmel, Yorktown and Elmsford near the trail. My
favorite is Country Deli in Millwood, just west of the trail.
Links:
http://www.westchestergov.com/parks/SideBar/Trailways.htm
http://www.roberts-1.com/bikehudson/r/east/wct/index.htm#North_County_Trail_Westch
ester
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_York_and_Putnam_Railroad
The Putnam Division of the New York Central Railroad lives mostly today as a rail trail,
known as the Putnam, North and South County Trails. Some sections of the right of
way have been lost forever to highways and local structures due to Robert Moses and
other New York State and local 'visionaries'. Those sections off the right of way are on
roads with wide shoulders and are clearly marked.
This is a long rail trail and a very beautiful way to see Putnam and Westchester
Counties. The Putnam Trail is about 7 miles long and the North and South County
Trails total over 30 miles. To go around the gap in Elmsford, heading south on the
northern portion of the South County Trail, turn left on Warehouse Lane, right on 9A,
right on No. Payne, left on Hayes. Take this under 287 and continue to Main St. Go
right on Main and then a quick left at the opening for the trail. These trails are a great
transportation and recreation resource for the two counties.
In November of 2005 I biked, what was then the entire trail, from Seminary Hill Road
(at Glenida Ct) in Carmel to Barney Street in Yonkers (cross the Saw Mill Pkwy at
Hearst St) as part of a longer ride from Brewster to the Bronx. As far as I know, the
trails are maintained by the respective counties, Putnam and Westchester, and are
considered separate trails. My favorite sections are the Putnam Trail between
Seminary Hill Road and Croton Falls Road, the North County Trail from Yorktown
Heights to Millwood, Rt 117 to Saw Mill River Road in Tarrytown and the South County
Trail from Main St, Elmsford to Ashford Ave. With a map you could easily make a loop
using the Old Croton Aqueduct Trail or MetroNorth, for those wishing to combine the
two trails, or who want to start and finish at the same spot.
There is a lot of rail trail work being accomplished in Yonkers. I don't know who to
thank, but the gaps in the South County Trail are being filled in at an amazing pace.
Since I am now out of the area, please use the links below for updates. The recently
opened southern section of the South County trail crosses over the Old Croton
Aqueduct at Yonkers Ave, just to the left of the Yonkers Gateway Motel. This section
was just a narrow dirt path when I rode it in the fall of 2005. It seemed like it had seen
some recent maintenance, but I had no idea how quickly it would be transformed into a
paved rail trail. South of the Yonkers/NYC line, the right of way is a dirlt path thru Van
Cortland Park to the paved Cross Bronx Bike Path and is known as the Old Putnam
Trail.
Lunch Spots: There are places in Carmel, Yorktown and Elmsford near the trail. My
favorite is Country Deli in Millwood, just west of the trail.
Links:
http://www.westchestergov.com/parks/SideBar/Trailways.htm
http://www.roberts-1.com/bikehudson/r/east/wct/index.htm#North_County_Trail_Westch
ester
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_York_and_Putnam_Railroad
