New 750-Mile Cycle Path Runs from NYC All the Way to Canada

Cyclists looking for a little adventure this summer can consider cycling all the way from downtown Manhattan to the border of Canada and beyond to Montreal on this mammoth of a cycling and walking path. The Empire State Trail connects up a number of trails along the way to form a 750-mile road for cycling, walking and hiking along.

Almost Four Years in the Making

The new trail uses a number of existing paths such as the Hudson River Valley Greenway Trail, the Erie Canalway Trail, and the Champlain Valley Trail along with about 180 miles of new pathways to connect and extend. Most older paths were also upgraded to be better suited for cycling and walking along. The route traverses all the way to the northern tip of Lake Champlain, at the border with Canada, passing through Albany. The path also veers off the the west of New York State to connect to Buffalo and Syracuse.

First announced in January 2017, the final touches of the Empire State Trail were made in December 2020 and it was recently opened to the public.

Places to Visit Along the Way

The trail passes through some of the most beautiful scenery in New York state along the way. From New York City it traverses along the Hudson River Valley, with plenty of beautiful nature spots to stop at. The north section skirts beside the incredible Adirondack Mountains, extending from Albany to the north tip of Lake Champlain. While the trail stops at the US-Canada border at Rouses Point, there are bike paths from there in Canada that allow you to easily continue onto Montreal and beyond.

Empire State Trail Breweries

Along with the opening of the new pathway, officials have partnered with breweries in New York State to form a Empire State Trail Brewery Passport. The passport allows craft beer enthusiasts to earn stamps and visit around 200 craft breweries along part of the trail.