Home⎟Hikes & Wanderings⎟New York⎟Hudson Valley⎟Winding Waters Trail

Distance: 2.6-mile loop

Time: 1 hour 15 minutes

Difficulty: Easy

Elevation Gain: None

Dog Friendly: No dogs allowed.

Trailhead Directions: From Warwick, take County Route 1 to Pine Island. Continue straight through the traffic light in Pine Island to Oil City Road. Make a right here, and continue to the trailhead parking lot on the eastern side of the Wallkill River (on the right side of the road).

Hike Directions: From the trailhead parking area, take the open dirt packed trail as it runs parallel to the Wallkill. About a quarter mile in, you’ll reach an open intersection. It’s a lollipop loop hike and completely flat, so it really doesn’t matter which way you turn here, but I usually turn left to continue walking beside the Wallkill. Eventually the trail departs right and away from the river, taking you onto an abandoned railroad grade that the wilderness has reclaimed as a beautiful, canopied path.  The railroad grade turns right, continues another 0.25 miles, and departs to the right, winding back to that initial open intersection. Continue straight through the intersection, walking again along the Wallkill River as you make your way back to your car.

Scenery: 8/10