Rail Trail Overview

Welcome to our Rail Trail Tour. We will be engaging on an exploration of this major facet of Southern Tier life, which preserves the natural environment our towns and cities are built upon. Here you will experience the wetland’s biodiversity, which will offer many plants and animals to observe. Be sure to soak in the sights as we move along, since you never know what you will find here. Perhaps you will encounter a rare bird, occasionally seen turtle or seasonal species along the way.

       Before moving on, let us tell you about the Rail Trail itself. The nature trail was built along what was once a major railway system that spanned all the way from Buffalo to New Jersey, hence the use of “rail” in its name. While this venture was highly successful in the early 20th Century, declines in the coal industry weakened the advantages of rail transportation, and the creation of the Interstate Highway System made it into the uncommon form of transit it is today.

       The modern nature trail is a part of the Two Rivers Greenway, which is a complex of recreation areas throughout Broome and Tioga Counties. Our tour will lead you along two miles of the Vestal portion of this larger trail, which extends as far as Owego to the west. Once you are done with our tour, please explore more of the Greenway at your leisure. Maybe you could even challenge yourself to walk the full extent of the trail someday.