CHAUTAUQUA COUNTY, NY has many miles of unused rail corridors as beautiful as the land itself. They
traverse picturesque countryside and the villages therein, with views of Lake Erie and Chautauqua Lake. These pathways cross vineyards, woodlands, fields, farmland, wetlands, and skirt the Chautauqua Lake shore.

Chautauqua Rails to Trails is an all-volunteer 501c3 organization that has been working since 1991 to convert and maintain almost 30 miles of rail trail for recreational purposes. It is a shared-use trail system for walking, running, hiking, bicycling, cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, birdwatching, horseback riding, and snowmobiling. With the exception of the Carroll Area Nature Trail, the trail system is in the northern half of Chautauqua County. The surface of the trails is primarily dirt and cinders. Mountain bikes, hybrids, and fat bikes are recommended. Trails paved with asphalt can be used for one mile in Brocton and 1.5 miles in Mayville. The requirements of locomotives of the past resulted in trails that are relatively straight, level, and wide, in contrast to the Overland Trails maintained by the County of Chautauqua. Three locations necessitate road use, for a total of 3.5 miles. Not permitted are motor vehicles, ATV’s, golf-carts, firearms, camping, and grumpiness.

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