1 Tank Adventure: South County Trailway at 30

HUDSON VALLEY, NY —It's hard to believe the South County Trailway is 30 years old — when the trail was conceived, "rails to trails" was a relatively novel concept.

The trail, of course, has a rich history prior to being used as a sort of 14-mile-long, open access, secret passageway winding through the backyards, golf courses and along the isolated waterways of the Hudson Valley. The paved bicycle and pedestrian path is located primarily on right-of-way lands of the former Putnam Division of the New York Central Railroad. The line was affectionately referred to as the “Old Put.”

The train cars providing passenger service from 1881 to 1958 between the Bronx and Putnam County have been replaced with cyclists, hikers and lunchtime walkers. Much like a commuter train ride, the experience on the trail can fluctuate from urban cityscapes to glimpses of undisturbed woodlands in a moment's notice.

It sometimes feels like trespassing when hiking or riding the trail that snakes past the loading docks, backyards and thickets of the Hudson Valley. (Westchester County Parks, Recreation & Conservation)

On Wednesday, Westchester County Executive George Latimer marked the occasion of the trail's 30th anniversary by cheering on the cyclists taking advantage of the hidden artery through the county.

"The Westchester County Trailways are the most used facilities in our park system," Latimer said. "They provide visitors with a great outlet to get a bike ride, jog or stroll in, pounding the pavement on centuries of history. Traces of the 'Old Put' can even be found along the South County Trailway and I am thrilled to celebrate this milestone for such a historic trail."

The paved trail runs through Westchester County between Yonkers and Greenburgh. With the exception of a few intersections with roadways, the pathway is blissfully distant from car traffic.

The South County Trailway is part of a four-trail system that includes the Old Putnam Trail, the North County Trailway and the Putnam Trailway.

"Our Trailway system is celebrated everyday by visitors who use it as a naturally essential outlet for physical and mental health," Westchester County Parks Deputy Commissioner Peter Tartaglia said. "The 30th anniversary of the South County Trailway is special as it is exciting to see how far it has come in such a short amount of time."

IF YOU GO:

• The trail runs from just south of McLean Avenue near Tibbetts Road in Yonkers to the North County Trailway at Old Saw Mill River Road in Elmsford.
• Parking is available at several points in between, including Ardsley.
• Van Cortlandt Park and Tarrytown Lakes Park make great pitstops along the way.

SEE ALSO:

• 1-Tank Adventure: Bear Mountain State Park
• 1-Tank Adventure: St. Paul's Church National Historic Site
• 1-Tank Adventure: Stone Barns Center For Food And Agriculture
• Hudson Valley 1 Tank Adventure: Building Memories At Legoland
• 1-Tank Adventure: Buttermilk Falls Inn & Spa
• 1-Tank Adventure: 'See For Miles' At This Hudson Valley Overlook
• 1-Tank Adventure: Old Rhinebeck Aerodrome