Hike #49

Dryden Rail Trail — two hikes

Hike A

Meet: Kenny van Sickle Ballfield parking lot, Corner of Wall and Elm Streets Village of Dryden

Park in the ballfield parking lot located here

The Dryden Rail Trail is still a work in progress.

In its current state the Rail Trail runs from the Village of Dryden opposite the Jim Shug Trail, more or less northwesterly to the Village of Freeville where it currently ends at DPW Drive. Future expansion of the Trail will extend it to the hamlet of Varna

See more information on the Trail here:

The current ends of the Rail Trail in the Villages of Freeville and Dryden do not offer much in the way of group parking, and starting at either end involves a small amount of road walking or walking on asphalt that is less appealing. Starting at van Sickle ballfield offers more parking for the group and cuts out the road walking and asphalt.

From the parking area, hikers walk northwesterly towards the village of Freeville. The Trail is primarily a grassy or graveled flat less strenuous route that passes through various low-lying swampy and lightly forested areas. Crossing over Springhouse and George Rds, the trail continues through property belonging to the William George Agency before ending at DPW Drive in Freeville. The road crossing at George Rd offers vistas of the surrounding countryside.

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Hike B

Meet at end of unsigned service road on Stevenson Rd. The service road is opposite the section of the Dryden Rail Trail that goes to Game Farm Rd. Park along the shoulder of the service road before it turns  into the solar farm.

Map

Hikers will follow the old rail bed in a generally northeasterly direction, crossing over a couple of roads and the old FX Fox overpass that spans State Route 366 in Varna.

Hikers go as far as state Route 13 before turning around.

Near Monkey Run Rd hikers will take the orange blazed trails in a loop that return the group to the rail bed near the FH Fox overpass.

Last revised 05/2022 JFR