Putnam County Trailway

Putnam County Trailway is a 12 mile long path that is paved and great for families with children, or anybody looking for bicycling in Putnam county without much motor vehicle traffic. It is located in the western parts of Putnam County, New York, around Mahopac + Carmel.

Characteristics: Flat to gentle, mostly off-road. The sections most people use are paved.

Traffic:  The trail itself is mostly off-road, but it intersects with public roads or driveways at several points, some with high-speed vehicle traffic -- so special care is required in detecting, approaching, and crossing those.  Also at least the section is in the shoulder of a high-speed vehicle road.

Also, there can be lots of non-motorized users on the path:  walkers, runners, skaters, bicyclists, etc -- sometimes at high speeds, sometimes oblivious to other users, sometimes not following rules or the directions of signs.  Need to take seriously the risk of interactions and collisions with them. 

Traffic -- nearby roads:  Most users of the trail stay only on main trail route.  If you decide to go off the trail, be aware that most of the streets and roads nearby have high traffic volume, often at high speeds, and often little or no shoulder.  That's a whole different set of risks, with a whole different set of skills and strategies needed forhandling them. 

Warning:  Riding a bicycle off-road -- and on roads -- is risky. 

Visit Putnam County Trailway for updated information and directions.