Trip Reports on 
Orange Heritage Trailway

Jon D in August 2012:

The route of the trail is still the 19.5 mile length from Goshen to the Monroe airplane park. Same four public road crossings. Not much changed in that department. I recommend bringing water; there are pretty long stretches with nothing around.

During the summer there are farmers' markets accessible from the trail: On Thursdays in Museum Village (get off the trail at the Monroe park & ride) and on Fridays in Goshen's village square (visible from the parking lot at the trail head).

Of interest to the adventurous: The grounds of the now-defunct Camp LaGuardia homeless shelter are near mile marker 6.

Xfactor in July 2008:

Bike this trail several times a week from Airplane Park in Monroe to Parking lot in Goshen and back. By my odometer 19.5 miles roundtrip. Mile markers start in Goshen ¼ from parking (Trail is paved to parking lot in Goshen) and count in ½ mile increments until 8.5 mile marker at Monroe bus station. Trail was extended another mile to Monroe Park.

Highlights of trail for visitors

Monroe – Airplane Park additional paved trail around two lakes.  Pizza place, Movie Theater, ice cream, all easy to bike to.  Bagel shop across 17M from Park.

Old cemetery dates back to the 1800’s just past mile marker 7 heading towards Monroe.

Chester train station (Small museum) mile marker 4. Great place to stop Parking available.

Farms and farmland throughout concentrated between mile marker 6.5 and 4.0. Mostly off road all paved with heavily wooded sections opening to pleasant views.

Ice cream shops about ¼ mile out of Monroe (No sign just look for gravel path leading to paved parking lot. Ice cream shop at mile marker 4.0 about 1 block away. Easy ride low traffic.

Golf driving range mile marker 2.0.

Goshen – Pizza, coffee, diner, bike shop, etc. all within biking distance mostly off town road.

Bathrooms – Portable potties at mile mark 4.0 and just after mile marker 2.0.  In businesses in Monroe and Goshen.

Terrain

Mostly off road but has 4 road crossings:

• Heading Monroe towards Goshen mile marker 3.5 entrance way to Chester Academy school (school parking entrance very light traffic).

• Just past mile marker 2.0 by golf driving range steep short uphill cross road at top with equally steep downhill opposite side. Usually light and slower traffic but poor sight line  (Usually make children walk).

• Between mile marker 1.5 and 1.0 service road to houses and farms.  Trail approach is flat very light traffic poor sight line for cars.  Just slow down check and go.

• South Street after mile marker 1.0 and before trail end in Goshen high use road higher speed traffic (Posted 30mph).  Be prepared to stop.  Highly recommend children get off bike and walk across.

Trail is very flat easy between Goshen and Chester but for very short hill around mile marker 2.0.  From mile marker 5.0 to just after mile marker 8.0 steady climb up can be tiring.

KenR, November 2001:  I met Janice, Eric, and Mark at the Monroe Park & Ride on a warm sunny day.  We were all on rollerskis, and we skated all the way to Goshen and then went back.  Then we drove over to the diner in Monroe and had lunch.  I came back and did some more poling practice.  It was pretty and pleasant. 

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