Hunter Regional Trails · Tannersville, NY

Huckleberry Rail Trail West

Best for: a quiet flat walk out of the village

The quieter half of the Huckleberry, running from the park at Lake Rip Van Winkle west out to Bloomer Road. Same flat packed surface as the eastern half, so strollers and bikes are fine.

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Huckleberry Rail Trail West

The western half picks up on the far side of the park and runs out to Bloomer Road.

The trail does technically carry on through the park itself, so the Huckleberry is walkable end to end at roughly 2.7 miles. We have split it into two pages because the park in the middle makes them feel like two different walks, and because either half on its own is a reasonable outing.

This half is the quieter one. Same flat grade, same easy walking, less village.

What to expect

Flat, quiet, out and back, same packed multi-use surface as the eastern half. Packed but not paved. A sturdy stroller is fine, and bikes are welcome.

Along with the eastern half, this is the only part of the Hunter Regional Trails that works for wheels.

Getting there

Coming from the shop on Main Street in Tannersville, the two lots on either side of Railroad Ave sit right where this half starts, by the bridge. Lake Rd near the pickleball courts also works. There is also a lot at the Bloomer Road end.

One thing worth knowing if you ride: the Bloomer Road lot is also the access point for the Colonial Trails mountain bike network. Riders park there and head straight out. It is not a route you would reach by riding the rail trail, but if you did not know the two share a trailhead, now you do.

Good to know

  • Bikes are welcome on the Huckleberry.
  • Leashed dogs are welcome along the whole system.
  • No day-use fee.
  • Cell service is mostly good out here, though it goes spotty in places.
  • Winter: nothing is plowed or maintained, but this stays walkable when the high peaks turn into an ice problem. Good for snowshoes or cross-country skis. When it is icy, microspikes help.
  • Apps are not gospel. The system is on AllTrails as a list of the Hunter Regional Trails, though the tracks are not always exact. We carry the NY-NJ Trail Conference Catskill Trails Map ($17.95, printed on Tyvek).
  • Official info: the Town of Hunter keeps it at townofhunterny.gov/hunter-regional-trails.

Nearby

East, through the park, is Huckleberry Rail Trail East. The whole system is mapped on the Hunter Regional Trails page. Note there is a long road gap west of here before the Hunter Branch, so the two do not connect on foot in any pleasant way yet.

We are on Main Street in Tannersville, a few minutes from this trailhead. If you are not sure which segment fits your group, stop in and ask.