ULTIMATE NY STAYCATION SUMMER 2021
Ride the Rails Like Never Before: Pedal Your Way through the Catskills
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BY GABRIELLE ARGO
ailroad travel has been a tradition in upstate New York for more than 200 years, and now there’s a new way to enjoy the region’s scenery on the tracks. Rail Explorers offers trips though the Catskills, using pedal-powered rail vehicles ideal for couples, families and groups of friends. The Explorers, built for comfort and practicality, feature two-seaters or quads (four seats) with compartments for personal belongings. Whether you’re looking to enjoy a romantic day with your partner or gather family and friends for a group experience, the rail trail is a great way to spend a spring or summer day soaking up the beauty and stillness of abandoned railroad tracks that wind through some of the most stunning passages of the Catskill Mountains. Tracking History Several trail options offer varying tour opportunities on the historic Ulster & Delaware Railroad along Esopus Creek in Ulster County. As far back as the 1870s, when railroads were exploding as the preferred method of travel across the United States, the U&D Railroad was known by many as “the only all-rail route to the Catskill Mountains.” During its most extensive operations, the U&D stretched from Kingston Point through the Catskill Mountains to its western terminus in Oneonta, expanding hundreds of miles through Ulster, Delaware, Schoharie and Otsego counties. The service benefited passenger and freight customers, frequently traveling from New York City.
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Ulster & Delaware’s former railroad station in Phoenicia is pictured in the late 1800s.
Riders enjoy the natural beauty and peace the Catskill Mountains have to offer in this undated photo. Contributed.
In 1932, the rail line was acquired by The New York Central; passenger trains operated through the early 1950s, though far less frequently, and regular passenger service ended entirely midway through the decade. Today, the skeleton of the U&D Railroad persists throughout the region, with some portions still used for tour traffic in the Hudson Valley and freight carriage. In Otsego County, the line’s former terminus station is what is known contemporarily as The Depot Restaurant in Oneonta. All Aboard! Rail Explorers pedal tours begin at the former U&D junction hub in Phoenicia. Along with the imprints of decades and
centuries past, pedaling passengers can rediscover the landscape once considered the premiere connection of industry and tourism to upstate New York. Passengers glide along quiet, partially overgrown tracks canopied by Catskill forests and cross rail bridges that have stood the test of time. If interested in a Rail Explorers excursion, pack a lunch, anticipate a glorious disconnection from cell service and allow approximately two and a half hours for adventure. Rail Explorers is a safe activity for all ages. Book a trip by visiting railexplorers.net or call 1-877-833-8588.
