Map of bike paths / walking paths in the Poughkeepsie area

Recreational trails for walking, running and cycling in Poughkeepsie, New York

Poughkeepsie is located along the Hudson River in Southeastern New York State. This region has a number of recreational trails that stretch for miles across the lush New York countryside. Trails in town include the Walkway Over the Hudson, the Dutchess Rail Trail,  the Hudson Valley Rail Trail and other trails that travel along the shores of the Hudson River.

Walkway Over the Hudson

Walkway State Park is located in Downtown Poughkeepsie and features the Walkway Over the Hudson. The walkway is a 1.28 mile long trestle pedestrian bridge that spans across the Hudson River. The walkway is the longest elevated pedestrian bridge in the world. This bridge is the Poughkeepsie-Highland Railroad Bridge built in the late 19th century.

The bridge offers beautiful views of the Hudson River Valley, with the forested hills to each side and the boat traffic 212 feet below. The walkway connects to the Hudson Valley Rail Trail on the west side and the Dutchess Rail Trail on the east side.

The Walkway Over the Hudson allows pedestrians and cyclists. The park also includes a glass elevator at Upper Landing Park for those that don't want to walk the entire route.

There are trailheads with parking at each end of the Walkway Over the Hudson. The west trailhead is located along Haviland Road. The eastern trailhead is located on Parker Avenue just west of Garden Street.

Hudson Valley Rail Trail

The Hudson Valley Rail Trail is a 3.4-mile long paved pathway that spans between Tony Williams Town Park in the community of Lloyd through the community of Highland to the trailhead at Haviland Road. The trail connects to the Walkway Over the Hudson at the Haviland Road trailhead. There is parking and a restroom at this location.

Dutchess Rail Trail

The Dutchess Rail Trail is a 13-mile long paved pathway that stretches from the Walkway Over the Hudson in Downtown Poughkeepsie southeast to Hopewell Junction. The trail goes past Morgan Lake Park, College Hill Park and close to Vassar College.

The Dutchess Rail Trail was constructed along an abandoned railroad corridor and has bridges or underpasses for crossing many of the busy streets.

The north end of the Dutchess Rail Trail is located at the trailhead for the walkway at Parker Avenue just west of Garden Street. The southeast end of the trail is located at the end of Martin Road, just south of Route 82 in Hopewell Junction.

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Resources

Following are links to official off-site resources to find out more details about the recreational trails located in Poughkeepsie, New York.