Vestal Rail Trail

Quick Bits

Main Activities - Hike,  Bike
Distance -3.8 miles (Combined East & West)
Quiet - A lot of road and highway noise.
Surface - Smooth macadam, maintained year round. Wheelchair accessible.
Elevation - Flat
Pets - On leash no longer than 4'. (While some Vestal Parks do not permit dogs, the Rail Trail is one that does).
Address - Vestal, NY

In a Nutshell

You don’t have to get muddy to enjoy this walk and you won’t get lost. A bit noisy, but has a lot to offer.

Location and Parking

Several places to park for the Rail Trail, the three key parking areas are the following, but there is also accees from other playground areas and neighborhoods. Just note that because of fences, barriers, and ditches, you can't just jump on anywhere.

From Town of Vestal Brochure

More details

While the Rail Trail opened October 27, 2001, it was almost decades later before I would walk it. I incorrectly thought it was too suburban for me. But, while it is terribly straight and terribly flat, that doesn't mean it's boring. The two main trails (West and East) provide almost 4 miles and you can add a little more if you want that I'll describe later. One of the things that struck me the first time I walked it was the variety of trees, everything from sycamore, oak, hickory, maple  to white pine and spruce trees line the walkway. 

The Vestal Rail Trails are part of the larger Two Rivers Greenway Trail System, where the two Rivers are the Susquehanna and Chenango Rivers. This project includes not only improving and extending paths and recreational areas, but marketing these areas and adding cultural and historic education along the paths. With that in mind, you will find several historic features on the Vestal Rail Trail. These include historic sign markers for things such as the Lackawanna Train Wreck and the Chugnut Native American village. 

The Train wreck was occurred on June 8, 1901. The Rail Trail, or at least most of it, was built on the rail bed of the what was originally the Delaware, Lackawanna, and Western (DL&W), connecting Binghamton to Buffalo. This historic  accident involves two trains in head-on collision. One train was stopped, taking on water, while the other returning from Scranton was moving at a high speed. What's worse is included in the cargo that fateful day was a load of dynamite. Five people were killed with many others hurt, and much property damage.

On the West Trail, you'll also cross the Choconut Creek as it flows north to the Susquehanna River, which you'll also get glimpses of overflow areas a bit west of the bridge. The smaller Willow Run Creek flows under the East Trail. There is also some marshland on the East Trail. With all this variety comes a variety in the birds you may see along the way. 

The banks of the Choconut Creek was home of Native Americans referred to as the Chugnut. It is believed this name was more of a moniker for those living here than any specific tribe, as the village may have been a mix of tribes. The Chugnut were wiped out by General Enoch Poor as part of the Sullivan-Clinton Campaign in 1779.

A couple side trips off the East Trail is to see parts of the Wetlands. You can get to Wetlands by either a trail near Airborne Ave entrance, or about 0.4 miles east of there. Along the Wetlands Trail to the east, you'll find a raised observation deck for bird watching. You'll leave the paved path and have dirt under you shoes here. For a side trip on the West Trail, at the eastern end on Main Street head north and turn onto Pumphouse Road. Walk along there and a path will merge back onto the Rail Trail near the Vestal Fire Training Site.

Links of Interest