South County Trailway - Bronx and Yonkers

Bronx and Yonkers

This paved trail may be reached from the south, beginning at the parking lot of the Van Cortlandt golf course. Behind the golf course office is a packed dirt trail, formerly the New York and Putnam Railroad, that crosses a small bridge. This trail is in most places about 5–6 ft (1.5–2 m) wide. Plans to pave it have been controversial. The trail continues north for 1.5 miles (2.4 km) to the border of Yonkers, at which point it leads directly to the southern terminus of the South County trail.

The well paved trail continues north in southern Yonkers in very good condition, crossing to the right bank of Tibbets Brook at Alan B Sheppard Jr Lane which gives street access. It gently climbs above Tibbetts Brook Park for approximately 3 miles (4.8 km) and crosses Cross County Parkway and Yonkers Avenue where a stairway on the north side of the Yonkers Gateway Motel provides street access. A gated fence in the motel parking lot also allows at-grade access.

The summit section in central Yonkers began construction in the summer of 2011. By September, all portions had been widened to 10 ft (3 m) and in October 2011 paving was complete. A green-roofed market at the Palmer Road crossing, a replica of the former Bryn Mawr Park rail station half a mile (1 km) south of the summit of the line, provides another access to streets.