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Uncle Sam Bikeway
The Uncle Sam Bikeway is a three mile paved path with
wildflowers, waterfalls and shale cliffs providing
scenery alongside the route. The bikeway provides excellent
walking for handicapped persons and for pushing wheelchairs
and strollers. The bikeway is built on an old railroad
roadbed and is entirely level with gentle curves as
it follows the contours of the adjacent hill. The roadbed
was constructed in 1850-52 by the Troy and Boston Railroad,
which was leased to the Fitchburg Railroad in 1887,
and then to the Boston and Maine Railroad in 1900.
The tracks were dismantled in 1972-73 and the bikeway
was opened in 1981.
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Trail Facts
Trail End Points: Troy to Lansingburgh
Counties: Rensselaer
Trail Length: 3.5
miles
Trail Surfaces: Asphalt
Trail
Activities: Walk,
Bicycle, Inline Skates
Trail Closing: The
bikeway
is closed from dusk to dawn
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Oakwood Cemetery is above the path
on the hilltop to the east, and the houses of Lansingburgh
are just below to the west. There are a large variety
of trees, shrubs, and wildflowers along the trail.
Trees include oaks, aspen, cottonwood, sugar maple,
black cherry, mulberry, elm, tree-of-heaven, butternut
and locust. There are black walnuts at the Cemetery
Road crossing and a hackberry near Gurley Avenue. Shrubs
to be seen are smooth and staghorn sumac, honeysuckle,
pussy willow and chokecherry. Wildflowers such as coltsfoot,
celandine, garlic mustard, Jack-in-the-pulpit and columbine
can be found in the spring. Summer wildflowers can
also be found, including Joe pyeweed, Queen Anne's
lace, chicory, touch-me-not, phlox, giant ragweed,
hoary alyssum, false foxglove and rose. Fall coloring
is brilliant due to a large number of different tree
species.
At the culvert about one-quarter mile north
of the monument at Knickerbacker Park an unmarked trail
branches off to the east. This trail leads up through
a ravine known as "Devil's Kitchen," past
two waterfalls, into Oakwood Cemetery. This cool, moist
ravine has many interesting ferns and wildflowers,
but parts of this trail network are steep and sometimes
slippery. There are great views across the Hudson Valley
from the bluff at the top.
From 101st Street south,
the Bikeway is no longer in the woods but passes
houses and businesses on both sides.
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Caution
Children should be watched where streams cross
the bikeway as the culverts are high. The bikeway
is in an urban area, and it is recommend that
you bring a friend along.
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Parking and Trail
Information
The Uncle Sam Bikeway is located in Lansingburgh and
north Troy. There is access from State Route 142 (Northern
Drive), from the east end of 124th Street, from Cemetery
Road at 119th Street, from Gurley Avenue at 114th Street,
from Knickerbacker Park (by walking across the fields
to the monument) and from Ingalls Avenue and Middleburgh
Street. Handicapped access is best from Route 142,
Gurley Avenue and Cemetery Road.
Rails-to-Trails History
In the early 1900's there were more than 300,000 miles
of railroads carrying passengers and goods to all corners
of the United States. With the consolidation of railroad
companies and the rise of the automobile and the interstate
system this network has now dwindled. The corridors
left behind by the railroads have been converted into
places for people to walk and bicycle. The reasons
why are easy to see. Rail corridors are straight, have
gentle grades, and connect communities and the countryside.
They provide a traffic-free environment where users
can enjoy scenic views, get close to nature, rediscover
the past, and gain access to downtown shopping, industrial
areas, and new developments alike. Most importantly
for transportation planners, the corridor is already
in place and does not have to be pieced together as
it would if the path were created from scratch.
Contact Us
If you have any questions or concerns regarding the
Uncle Sam Bikeway call the Troy Parks and Recreation
department at (518) 235-7761 or use the form on our
contact us page.
The information on this page including the photos
have been provided by the Rails-to-Trails Conservatory.
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