The Long Way Through Fall

Photograph by John Verner

The Harlem Valley Rail Trail follows the bed of the old New York and Harlem Railroad, abandoned in the ’70s and reimagined as one of the region’s most beloved outdoor corridors. Today, 26 paved miles stretch from the Wassaic train station in Amenia north through farms, wetlands, forested hillsides, and historic village centers all the way to Copake Falls at Taconic State Park. Autumn is the trail’s finest hour, with canopies of color overhead, cool air, and the unhurried pleasure of moving through a landscape openly changing before your eyes. Flat and accessible, it rewards cyclists and walkers alike. ––hvrt.org