2016_spring

Shelby Farms Greenline

(Tennessee)

Family outings don’t come much bet-

ter than excursions on the Shelby Farms

Greenline, which offers an easy bike ride

or walk on a paved, level route that begins

in midtown Memphis and heads nearly 7

miles eastward. The trail is shady and qui-

et, with a wide, unpaved shoulder on each

side. Since opening in 2010, the popular

pathway, which sees as many as 200,000

users annually, has helped inspire a new

culture of biking and walking in Memphis.

Anchored by Shelby Farms Park

( shelbyfarmspark.org )

, the Greenline

provides a unique connection to nature

for city dwellers. One of the largest urban

parks in the country, Shelby Farms spans

a whopping 4,500 acres and abounds in

woodlands, wetlands and lakes. The park

even contains a herd of buffalo! The young

and young at heart will enjoy its immense

and whimsical Woodland Discovery

Playground, horseback riding stables, disc

golf and zip-lining courses, watercraft rent-

als and hiking trails.

Building on the positive momentum of

the Greenline, Shelby County and Shelby

Farms Park Conservancy broke ground last

summer on a 4-mile eastward extension of

the trail. Once it reaches the former rail-

road depot in Cordova (expected to hap-

pen in fall 2016), the corridor will cover

10.5 miles, making it the longest rail-trail

in the state. If added to the Rail-Trail Hall

of Fame, it also will be noteworthy as the

first rail-trail in Tennessee to make the list.

GETTINGTHERE:

Memphis International

Airport (MEM) is less than 20miles from

the trail.The Greenline is accessible from

multiple points, but many visitors will want

to start on its east end in Shelby Farms Park

(500 N. Pine Lake Drive).To get to the park

from the west:Take Interstate 240 to the

Walnut Grove exit and go east to the third

stoplight.The park is on both sides of the

road.Turn left at the light. From the east:

FollowWalnut Grove or Mullins Station

Road until you see signs for the park.

MORE INFO:

shelbyfarmspark.org/

shelbyfarmsgreenline

Hudson Valley Trail

Network

(NewYork)

Offering an unforgettable experience of

beauty, adventure and charm, the Hudson

Valley Trail Network encompasses the

Walkway Over the Hudson, Hudson

Valley Rail Trail and William R. Steinhaus

Dutchess Rail Trail.

The magnificent Walkway Over the

Hudson provides a journey through the

sky. The longest elevated pedestrian bridge

in the world, it spans just over a mile

across the Hudson River and yields dra-

matic views of the river more than 200 feet

below and of the surrounding New York

countryside.

A glass-walled elevator takes visitors

on a 70-second ride back to the ground,

where they can catch the Dutchess Rail

Trail on the river’s east bank. The trail

winds through Poughkeepsie and contin-

ues southeast for 13 miles, ending at the

restored Hopewell Depot (

hopewell

depot.org )

, which serves as a visitor cen-

ter and museum. A unique feature of the

trail is its Military Mile, honoring the five

branches of the U.S. military—Air Force,

Army, Coast Guard, Navy and Marines—

through special signage.

On the Walkway’s west side, travelers

will find the quaint hamlet of Highland,

with its charming shops and eateries.

From there, the Hudson Valley Rail Trail

heads northwest through hardwood forests

and rock cuts and under two picturesque

stone-arch bridges. After nearly 4 miles, it

ends in the town of Lloyd. Two cabooses

along the route, one dating from 1915

and the other from 1926 (this one housing

historical exhibits), present a tangible con-

nection to the trail’s railroad past.

Together, the three rail-trails, total-

ing 18 paved miles, provide an easy and

spectacular way to experience the Hudson

Valley.

GETTINGTHERE:

The HudsonValley trails

are about a two-hour drive fromNew

York City.They also can be reached by

train; take Amtrak or a Metro-North train

(the Hudson Line) fromGrand Central

Station inManhattan to Poughkeepsie.

TheWalkway Over the Hudson is a few

blocks from the station (about a 15-minute

walk). If flying in, the closest major airport

is Stewart International Airport (SWF) in

Newburgh, about 25 miles from the trail

system.

MORE INFO:

walkway.org,

hudsonvalley

railtrail.net

and

dutchesscountytrails.com

GHS Swamp Rabbit Trail

(South Carolina)

In the backyard of two major Southern

cities, Atlanta and Charlotte, N.C.,

Greenville’s Swamp Rabbit Trail is an eas-

ily accessible treasure in the foothills of

COURTESY SHELBY FARMS PARK CONSERVANCY

KRISTINA QUINONES

rails

trails

spring/summer.16

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