New York Susquehanna Basin Water Trail
centroid 59 mi from Albany
The New York Susquehanna Basin Water Trail offers an inspiring new opportunity to explore the northern headwaters of the Chesapeake Bay watershed. As a Chesapeake Gateways Place, this water trail spans more than 59 public access points along the Susquehanna and Chemung rivers, connecting communities from Corning to Cooperstown’s Otsego Lake. Designed for paddlers, anglers, and nature enthusiasts, the trail highlights the rich natural, cultural, and historical landscapes of upstate New York.
Visitors can enjoy scenic river stretches, explore small towns, and discover how these waterways contribute to the health of the Chesapeake Bay. Interactive maps and digital resources guide recreation while fostering environmental stewardship and public appreciation for conservation efforts. The New York Susquehanna Basin Water Trail builds on existing trails like the Chemung Basin River Trail and Tioga Paddle Trail, linking seamlessly to Pennsylvania’s Susquehanna River Water Trail – North Branch.
By enhancing river access and awareness, the trail encourages responsible outdoor recreation and supports local economies across the region. Experience the headwaters of the Chesapeake Bay firsthand along this dynamic new water trail. Learn more about river access, maps, and regional highlights by visiting Paddle the 607.
- States
- DC
- Trail type
- trail
- Centroid nearest city
- Albany, NY · 59 mi · ~1.7 hr drive
- Centroid coords
- 42.7016°, -74.9194°
About Chesapeake Bay
This trail is inside Chesapeake Bay, a national park service unit managed by the U.S. National Park Service. Conditions, road status, trail closures, and reservation requirements are published on the park's NPS page — check it before driving in, especially in winter or during major weather events.
Official NPS trail page: https://www.nps.gov/places/nysbwt.htm
Park homepage: https://www.nps.gov/cbpo/index.htm
Plan your hike
Maps + permits: long-distance trails like this often require permits for through-hiking, backcountry camping, or specific sections (especially in National Parks). Check with the maintaining organisation listed above and the relevant land manager before booking travel.
Water + supplies: water sources vary seasonally on most U.S. trails. Carry a filter and consult current trail-condition reports — through-hiker journals (PCT-L, AT Reddit, etc.) and the maintaining organisation publish regular updates.
When to go: hiking seasons vary widely with elevation, latitude, and snowpack. Through-hikers traditionally start the AT in March-April (Springer northbound) and the PCT in late April (Campo northbound). High-elevation western trails (CDT, JMT, Wonderland) generally aren't passable until July.
If you've hiked New York Susquehanna Basin Water Trail and have current notes (water sources, trail closures, permit changes), tell us at /contact — we update pages as we learn.
Stay nearby
Other trails within 50 miles
Sources
Trail data on this page is compiled from OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL), the maintaining organisation's public-facing materials, and Wikipedia (CC BY-SA where excerpts are quoted). Distance, terminus, and descriptive text for nationally-designated trails are hand-curated from federal land-manager websites and trail-association sources. We do not modify the underlying data; this page presents what is already publicly recorded. To suggest corrections, see our methodology page.