Maybrook Trailway Opens, Completing 750-Mile Empire State Trail

BREWSTER, NY — The Maybrook Trailway in Putnam and Dutchess counties is now open, completing the final, 23-mile segment of the Empire State Trail.

Essentially free of hills, the non-motorized path is designed for shared use by bicyclists, runners and walkers of all ages and abilities, and in winter, cross-country skiers and snowshoers. Along the route, the trailway winds through rural landscapes and wooded areas featuring seasonal waterfalls and crosses the Appalachian Trail.

The segment was built by Metro-North with $42 million in state funds. It runs alongside an unused railroad line owned by the MTA known as the Beacon Line, formerly owned by the Maybrook Railroad Company.

On Tuesday, local, state and Metro-North Railroad officials marked the occasion with a ribbon-cutting.

"Healthy, socially distanced outdoor recreation never seemed more important than it does now," said Catherine Rinaldi, President of Metro-North Railroad. "Metro-North is proud to have played a role."

The new path's southern trailhead is in Brewster. It runs northwest to Hopewell Junction, passing through the towns of Southeast, Paterson, Pawling, Beekman and its northern trailhead in East Fishkill.

In Brewster, the trailway connects to the existing Maybrook Trailway, a 5.5-mile scenic route along the East Branch Reservoir in Southeast, and the Putnam Trailway that connects with Westchester County’s North County Trailway en route to New York City.

"We are especially grateful to Metro-North Railroad, which built the 23-mile Maybrook Trailway from Brewster to Hopewell Junction despite facing difficult financial times," said Putnam County Executive MaryEllen Odell. "The new Maybrook Line section of the Empire State Trail is an amazing asset and a great way for cyclists and walkers to see the natural beauty that Putnam County has to offer."

In Hopewell Junction, the segment connects with the William R. Steinhaus Dutchess Rail Trail that leads northwest to Walkway Over the Hudson State Historic Park. (View a map of the Empire State Trail.)

"Dutchess County’s rail trails are recreational gems for residents and visitors alike and over the past year, more people than ever before have taken advantage of the opportunity to walk, run, bike and more while enjoying the natural beauty of Dutchess County," said Dutchess County Executive Marc Molinaro. "In 2020, we expanded our trail opportunities with the completion of the Harlem Valley Rail Trail to Columbia County and now as we begin we begin 2021, we are thrilled to have the addition of the Maybrook Trailway."

The Empire State Trail is the longest state bike and walking pathway in the nation, state officials said. It spans 750 miles from New York City to Canada and from Albany to Buffalo.

Metro-North stations at Brewster and Poughkeepsie provide access to the trailway, as does the northern terminal of the 1 line at 242 St-Van Cortland Park. New York City’s largest portion of the Empire State Trail – The Hudson River Greenway – can also be reached by numerous subway stations and bus routes in Manhattan from the Battery to Inwood. Detailed information including an interactive map detailing the route, designated parking areas and nearby attractions is available on the Empire State Trail website.

"For decades, Parks & Trails New York has envisioned a continuous Hudson Valley Greenway that connects people with natural areas, historic sites, and local communities through safe, off-road trails," said Dylan Carey, Project Director for Parks & Trails New York. "With the completion of the Maybrook Trailway and the Empire State Trail, we are excited to see that vision come to fruition. We thank Governor Cuomo for his visionary leadership in completing the Empire State Trail, and look forward to all the great recreational opportunities that the trail system offers."

The Beacon Line was the first all-rail freight connection across the Hudson River north of New York City.

It originally opened as a rail line in 1892 and served as a vital transportation link between New York and southern New England, carrying trains between Derby Junction and Maybrook, via the bridge over the Hudson River at Poughkeepsie that is now the Walkway Over the Hudson. Powerful steam locomotives once pulled and pushed heavy freight trains over the mountain between Brewster and Hopewell.

Passenger service ended in the 1930s and freight traffic tapered off later in the 20th century, especially after a 1974 fire that closed the Hudson River bridge to train traffic.

"The trailhead at Tonetta Lake in the Town of Southeast is surely the most beautiful section of the trail, which runs alongside lakes, forests and rolling hills," Putnam County Legislator Joseph Castellano said. "The Maybrook Trailway not only expands the opportunities for outdoor recreation in town, it will benefit businesses in the Village of Brewster."