Onondaga Lake

Lake Onondaga near Syracuse, NY was very polluted for many years. Recently great strides have been made to clean it up. The results have been good with wildlife returning and recreation now a part of the community. Part of the clean up included a trail around the lake. This trail is about 2/3 done and makes for a very enjoyable ride. I would love to stop by again when the remaining portion is completed. You can find additional information at Onondaga County website.

Update: I rode this trail again in June of 2024. The trail has two distinct sections, the east shore trail and the west shore trail. I start on the west shore since it is just off I-690. Since my last visit they have added a nice parking lot with boat launch facilities. New to me is an extension of the trail from this location (43.073005, -76.205753)  almost to the Destiny USA mall (formally Carousel mall), the largest mall in NY. This new section of trail includes a spectacular bridge over some water and railroad tracks.

The older section of the west shore trail traverses a natural area with trees and intermittent views of the lake. This section of trail had a surprise in the form of an amphitheater built directly on the trail. This is unfortunate for trail users since, in addition to destroying the natural habitat it as means the trail is closed during events. The trail runs through the amphitheater. The situation is made worse since the west shore trail is now part of the Empire State Trail used by many bikepackers for long, multiday trips.

The east shore trail generally unchanged. It passes through a nicely maintained public park and along a grassy beach. There are great views of the lake with residential properties along much of the opposite side of the trail. The trail itself is split with a meandering paved trail close to the lake for pedestrians and a wider straight trail a bit further from the water for cyclists. Both trails are paved. The cycling trail is also used by walkers, runners, dog walkers and so forth but without issue since it is very wide (20 feet I would guess). No cars are allowed except for a couple of crossings near the marina. 

view from new bridge

new bridge

amphitheater

bridge connection east and west shore