Explore the best rated trails in Fredonia, NY, whether you're looking for an easy walking trail or a bike trail like the Niagara Scenic Parkway Trail and Great Gorge Railway Trail . With more than 30 trails covering 508 miles you're bound to find a perfect trail for you. Click on any trail below to find trail descriptions, trail maps, photos, and reviews.
On a cold, blustery, cloudy, gloomy early October weekday, I ventured out on the loop with low expectations for this bike ride. In an effort to beat the rain and just get in my Pennsylvania ride to check off state #36 in my quest to bicycle all fifty states, my negativity soon changed to joy as I thoroughly enjoyed my surprisingly fun trip around the peninsula.
Trail Link states it's a 13.4 mile loop, but I managed to do 18 which shows how often I was tempted to veer off the main path to enhance my experience, views, and photo ops.
There's so much to savor as the trail meanders through woods with the beginnings of fall color, goes by a multitude of ponds and bays, sandy beaches, and delivers you to several lighthouses. What was especially fun for this Southern Californian was the contrast between the relatively calm Presque Isle Bay side of the peninsula, and the sandy beaches with its wind driven waves crashing upon the shoreline. It truly sounded and looked like one of my beloved SoCal beaches.
If you're worried about the portions of trail where you have to ride on the road, don't be. The speed limit for autos is 25 MPH, and the bike lane is often just as wide as the auto lane.
For what it's worth, Trail Link's GPS helped me out quite a few times when I made a wrong turn, was unsure where to go, or was not quite sure where I was on the loop or peninsula. Thanks Trail Link!
I'll bet this park is a beehive of activity and swarming with people in the warmer months, but I thoroughly enjoyed the seclusion and beauty the time of year and threatening weather provided for me. It was almost as though I had the whole place to myself. I'm so glad I chose this location for my Pennsylvania bike ride. All in all, this retired teacher gives Presque Isle and Karl Boyes Trail an A+.
Walked the John C. Sheldon trailhead with my dog. Always mindful of checking for ticks, I proceeded to remove 10 of them from my dogs jacket and fur!!! Otherwise a very enjoyable walk.
Many improvements have been made to this trail in the last couple of years. There are no longer any wet or muddy areas. It is now part of the Erie to Pittsburgh Trail as well.
About a 45 minute ride on the Erie Canal path ,starting at the Medina lift bridge, through farmland and villages (Middleport, Gasport) herons that are absolutely not afraid of you! Beautiful in the fall!
Trail not marked very well. Had to use trail app and gps to stay on track. Have to contend with busy intersections. Noisy due to trail being parallel to busy highway. Mostly asphalt and concrete
We started near the north end of the trail, which tends to be the muddiest if wet. Parking was not easy to find, I couldn’t find an address, and instead headed for a church camp near the trail. The trail head sign is not out at the roadway, instead it is at the beginning of the trail, facing so that it is not readily visible from the road. There is a small parking lot across the street, but it is not named for the Pat McGee trail. If you see a sign dedicated to Keith T. Young, you have found the trail and parking. We had a period of heavy rain the night before, and this end of the trail was particularly slippery. The rest of the trail was dryer. There was a community pool that allowed us to use the restrooms and we ate lunch at their pavilion. All in all, a nice trail.
We did not see any asphalt. This trail is not for biking or on line skating. It is all grass and there is no parking except on the road.
While in the area we went to Hydetown to ride the new section, completed Spring 2023. Trail runs from Hydetown and goes North to Road T854. Surface is crushed limestone and approx 2.5 miles in length. Park at Hasbrouck Park in Hydetown and follow signs through town to the trail. Hydetown is very small so the trail is easy to locate.
Visited on a Monday. It's usually busy on weekdays. We try to ride this trail at least once a year. Trail is a paved loop and some on park roads. Numerous parking lots along the trail. Presque Isle State Park is free, as all Pennsylvania State Parks are. There are 2 lighthouses within the park. Many picnic areas, some with shelters. And modern restrooms in the park. At the entrance there is a burger place / ice cream place. Trail is flat. Not every shaded, most of its full sun. Park has fishing areas, kayak rentals and free beaches. Enjoy the day, or multiple days!
First time riding with little time invested in pre-study. Parked near Gallagher Beach. I ended up going past nature preserve before realizing that I needed to first go south to cross and go north. In downtown, construction caused some detours which also got me lost at the Erie Basin Marina and a little more into downtown. I needed to refer to map too often, which suggests signage in not adequate and obvious.
Once I got north of downtown, the route became more intuitive and obvious to follow even through a park that was under reconstruction and required a detour. A fair stretch was in a dedicated and protected bike lane along Niagra Street which was simple and comfortable.
I went as far north as Tonawanda and the trail in this northernmost section was in great shape, well designated and quite scenic along the Niagra River.
Rode on a Friday afternoon and although a fair number of people were out enjoying the day, none of the trail was ever to congested to ride at a fair pace.
*PLEASE NOTE that the portion from Bridge Street to the Onondaga Creek, Syracuse NEEDS UPDATING on the Trail map, as connecting trail is now available and this isn't reflected in the map.* Today was our 3rd ride (each out and back) on this trail, completing the section from Port Byron to the Inner Harbor in Syracuse. Today's ride in nice weather was 21 miles round trip to the Camillus Museum from Syracuse. We enjoyed the museum and the newer section that is paved along the west side of Onondaga Lake from the Fair Grounds parking area to the south part of the lake. We did miss a turn heading up the hill to turn off the trail to the parking area so we could cross 690; not sure there was clear signage on that; there was going back down. We were able to go through the portion on the NYS Fairgrounds and noted that this is not open to biking during the colder months (I believe Oct-April 1); it wouldn't be hard to go around, but signage would be helpful on that, too. Signs for this portion of the Empire State Trail were quite good otherwise. Since we haven't had much rain in the past month, trail conditions were excellent on today's portion. Least favorite was the road portion (or "sidewalk ride") on Hiawatha Blvd as it was very busy. Parts of the portion we did today is hillier than most sections; it was not difficult for us "intermediate level" bikers, but parts wouldn't be the best for younger children or somebody who hadn't biked in a while.
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