Fall foliage by rail bike: pedaling the old Ulster & Delaware line from Phoenicia

Rail Explorers runs electric-assist rail bikes on part of the old Ulster & Delaware Railroad in the Catskills. Rides leave from a depot in Phoenicia, about two and a half hours from New York City, and follow the Esopus Creek through the fall color.

Rail Explorers Catskills route from Phoenicia

The depot sits next to the Empire State Railway Museum, a building from 1899. Riders head east along the creek, pass a sculpture park at the Mt. Tremper Station and stop at Creekside Station, a rest area with red Adirondack chairs, before pedaling back. The custom-built bikes have electric assist, so the ride takes little effort. Watch for bald eagles in the woods along the way, and bring a snack and drinks for the stop. Rail Explorers says parking is free at all of its locations, including the Catskills depot, according to Rail Explorers. Each vehicle needs at least one rider aged 16 or older to operate the brakes, the company says in its Rail Explorers FAQ.

Rail bike tours: distance and how long they take

The River Run covers 8 miles in about 2.5 hours through the woods beside the river. The Golden Hour Tour uses the same 8-mile route but starts so riders reach the creekside stop around sunset and ride back as it gets dark. The Mt. Tremper Express is a shorter trip of 4 miles that takes about 90 minutes.

The railroad behind the ride

Thomas Cornell founded the line in 1866, and its first name was the Rondout and Oswego Railroad. The planned 129-mile railroad was sold to the public as the only all-rail way into the Catskill Mountains. Building through the rough terrain cost so much that the company went bankrupt. A reorganization in 1872 renamed it the New York, Kingston and Syracuse, and after another foreclosure in 1875, it became the Ulster and Delaware.

At its peak in 1913, the railroad carried nearly 700,000 passengers. It brought city vacationers to the big Catskill hotels and hauled freight such as dairy, coal and ice. The New York Central took over the line in 1932. The last passenger train ran in 1954, and freight ended in 1976 after parts of the track were cut for highway construction.

What it means for you

Tours run in rain unless Rail Explorers judges it unsafe, so riders should dress for wet weather, according to the Rail Explorers FAQ. Rescheduling or cancellation happens only when the company judges conditions unsafe, according to the Rail Explorers FAQ. Rail Explorers recommends arriving 15 to 30 minutes before departure, depending on the location, according to the Rail Explorers FAQ.

Looking for more fall color? Read our Branch Brook Park foliage guide.