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River-to-Ridge Trail
4.8 ★★★★★ 165 Google reviews · Running trail in New Paltz, New York · Posted hours
Runner's snapshot
- Surface
- Not reported
- Loop distance
- 90 mi
- Shape
- Loop
- Shade
- Not reported
- Access
- Posted hours
Confirmed from River-to-Ridge Trail's own listing, the park or land manager's website, and runner reviews. Blank cells mean we could not verify that fact — we would rather say "not reported" than invent one. There is no Easy / Moderate / Hard rating on this page on purpose: a one-word difficulty score tells you nothing about whether a trail suits your run. Surface, distance, shade and hours do.
Dog-friendly, kid-friendly hiking and biking area with scenic views.
What runners say about River-to-Ridge Trail
“The trail is much used and well-maintained and provides a nice link from the town of NewPaltz and the rail trail to the Mohonk foot hills and the Mohonk Preserve.”
“Perfect for a crisp fall day Tip: once you park in the lot, cross the road that you drove in on (Springtown Road) to access the bulk of the trail and the much more scenic part.”
“Easy trail for walking or biking and dog friendly great views and scenery awesome in the fall”
“Easy trail for walking or biking and dog friendly great views and scenery awesome in the fall”
10/2020: Beautiful, spacious gravel path meandering through fields and meadows. Keep in mind there’s no shade. Great for walking/running and biking. Mostly flat, with incline in a couple areas. Easy difficulty level for all ages. You eventually come to a gorgeous view of the mountains.
It was the first week of November on a perfect weather day we chose to explore this trail. There was a biking event going on and a couple of horse riders and several families with dogs. The splendid views and meadows with cows grazing made it one of the most memorable hiking trails.
What a gorgeous place to take a walk….beautiful views, well maintained. So glad we found this gem of New York.
I went on this trail around a year ago and it was very fun, scenic, and great for beginner bikers. The trail was very smooth, with no bumps or obstacles. Me and my family biked the trail for 16 miles. There were also some beautiful views, the fields looked like something out of a dream!
Trail conditions & character
“Perfect for a crisp fall day Tip: once you park in the lot, cross the road that you drove in on (Springtown Road) to access the bulk of the trail and the much more scenic part.”
“There was a biking event going on and a couple of horse riders and several families with dogs.”
“It has a good mix of challenging hills and relatively flat area.”
“The trail is much used and well-maintained and provides a nice link from the town of NewPaltz and the rail trail to the Mohonk foot hills and the Mohonk Preserve.”
“There is a spacious parking area off Springtown Road.”
“There’s a garbage can by the porta potties to throw out any doggie poo.”
“We walked 6 miles and it was an enchanting, easy trail.”
Plan your run at River-to-Ridge Trail
The practical stuff
- AccessPosted hours — posted hours below; park gates sometimes close earlier than the listing says
- Loop distance90 mi back to where you parked. Long enough for a real long run.
- ShadeNot reported. Assume some of it is exposed and carry water in summer.
- At the trailheadparking, restrooms, water — reported by runners
- DogsWelcome, per reviewers. Leash rules vary by park — the trailhead sign is the authority.
- Websiteopenspaceinstitute.org
- Phone+1 212-290-8200
- Social Instagram · Facebook
Hours
| Monday | 8 am–6 pm |
| Tuesday | 8 am–6 pm |
| Wednesday | 8 am–6 pm |
| Thursday | 8 am–6 pm |
| Friday | 8 am–6 pm |
| Saturday | 8 am–6 pm |
| Sunday | 8 am–6 pm |
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