Morningside

NYC

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Trail of the month

Ashokan Rail Trail

11.5 mi one way (23 mi out and back) Easy Flat reservoir walk with Catskill views and the Boiceville Bridge

11.5 flat miles along the Ashokan Reservoir between Boiceville and West Hurley: trailheads, hours, dogs and the DEP rules.

Get the trail notes
The Ashokan Reservoir under a clear blue sky, with low Catskill mountains across the water and dry grass on the stone shoreline

Some links on this page are affiliate links. Unplugged Cabins is our sister brand.

Checked October 19, 2026, against Ulster County’s Ashokan Rail Trail page. Rules can change, so check the county page before you drive.

The Ashokan Reservoir under a clear blue sky, with low Catskill mountains across the water and dry grass on the stone shoreline
The Ashokan Reservoir, with the Catskills across the water.

Eleven and a half flat miles of old Ulster & Delaware rail bed along the north shore of the Ashokan Reservoir, New York City’s water supply. It is the easiest big view in the Catskills: no climbing, a wide stone surface, and the reservoir and the peaks beside you most of the way.

At a glance

  • Distance: 11.5 miles one way, Woodstock Dike (West Hurley) to Boiceville. No loop, so out and back is 23 miles. Most people walk a piece and turn around.
  • Difficulty: easy. Flat, 12 feet wide, compacted fine crushed stone. Trail and trailhead parking are ADA accessible.
  • Hours: sunrise to sunset, all year.
  • Fee: none.
  • Dogs: yes, on a leash. Waste stations with bags at the trailheads. No dogs in the water.
  • Uses: walking, running, biking, horseback riding, cross-country skiing and snowshoeing. E-bikes are allowed for now; the county may ban some classes if speed becomes a problem.
  • Facilities: portable toilets (including accessible units) at each trailhead. Nothing in between, no running water.
  • Winter: the trailheads are plowed, the trail is not.

Where to park

  • Boiceville Bridge: 5080 Route 28A, Olive. The western end, about 10 minutes from Phoenicia.
  • Ashokan Station: 3045 Route 28, Olive. The middle; you reach the water fast in either direction.
  • Woodstock Dike: 1285 Route 28, Hurley. Closest to Woodstock and the Thruway, and the busiest on fall weekends.
  • Spots marked Angler Parking need a DEP parking tag and are for people fishing or hunting. The county tickets everyone else.

The rules

  • Stay on the trail. The shoreline and the woods beside it are DEP land, off-limits without a DEP Access Permit, and even then only for fishing or hunting. DEP Police write tickets.
  • No swimming or wading, for people or dogs.
  • No motor vehicles, apart from mobility devices (and e-bikes, for now).
  • Clean up after your dog. This is drinking water.

Make a day of it

Our Ashokan Rail Trail field guide has the full story of the Boiceville Bridge, each trailhead in detail, and where to eat. Boiceville is 10 minutes from Phoenicia, so the Phoenicia field guide covers dinner, and the Woodstock field guide picks up near the eastern end.

Where to stay near the Ashokan Rail Trail

Our cabin · Hunter, NY · about 25 minutes to the Boiceville trailhead

Clove Creek Cabin

Clove Creek Cabin deck with red Adirondack chairs, a hot tub and a cedar sauna on the lawn in Hunter, NY
The deck, hot tub and sauna at Clove Creek.

From the Boiceville Bridge trailhead it’s west on Route 28 to Phoenicia, then north on Route 214: about 14 miles and 25 minutes. The cabin sits between two creeks, with a hot tub, a sauna, an indoor fireplace and two queen bedrooms. Cell service on Route 214 is close to nil, but the Wi-Fi is strong.

See the cabin
Check dates on Airbnb

Clove Creek is run by Unplugged Cabins, our sister brand.

Nearby · Tannersville · about 35 minutes to the Boiceville trailhead

Blue Heron

Round wood dining table under a big window at Blue Heron cabin in Tannersville, NY
The dining table at Blue Heron.

A quiet two-bedroom cabin a five-minute walk from Tannersville’s Main Street. Sleeps four, takes dogs, and has a fire pit and a real workspace. From Tannersville it’s Route 23A to Hunter, down Route 214 and east on Route 28: about 22 miles and 35 minutes to the Boiceville lot.

Check dates on Airbnb

Blue Heron is run by Unplugged Cabins, our sister brand.

Further out: we are building Juniper Ridge, a tiny cabin near Jefferson, NY. It is not open yet. Join the list to hear when it is.