Distance:
10 miles, out and back
Highlights:
Hopewell Junction marks the beginning of the Empire State Trail section known as The William R. Steinhaus Dutchess Rail Trail.
Five miles out and five miles back will take you through the New York towns of:
- East Fishkill
- Wappinger
Starting Line:
Parking at the Hopewell Junction trailhead is luxurious. It’s spacious and easy. There are public bathrooms and lots of maps. There’s even a museum.
Route:
This stretch of the Empire State Trail is entirely paved, off-road and completely flat. It gets a lot of love and diverse use from dog walkers, runners, and rollerbladers, and strollers, wheelchairs, and bikes.
Just past the gates, you’ll probably be surprised to see signs warning of a nearby shooting range. You’re passing alongside the Whortlekill Rod & Gun Club in East Fishkill. Stay on the trail and keep going.
Mile markers and benches line the trail, along with sporadic bat boxes and historic placards. In about a mile, Lake Walton will be on your left. In approximately one more mile, there will be a couple parking lots with porta potties, one after another. The second lot is across the town line in Wappinger.
The mile between markers three and four is designated the Veterans Memorial Mile, and there’s some fascinating information about the history of nearby Camp Whitman.
After the Diddell Road parking lot on your right, continue for about another 1.5 miles. Mile marker five will be just before Maloney Road and the town line between Wappinger and LaGrange.
Finish Line:
The Empire State Trail literally continues on to the Canadian border, and The William R. Steinhaus Dutchess Rail Trail‘s terminus is the Walkway Over the Hudson in Poughkeepsie. So, a finish line is up to you and your endurance. For a flat 10 miles, though, turn around and head back to the depot.
Want to keep going? If you’re not tired yet, check out the LaGrange to Poughkeepsie stretch of the trail here and a downtown Poughkeepsie loop across the Walkway Over the Hudson here.
