The Crossings of Colonie
Park
156 acres6.4 mi of trail
Blue TrailRed TrailYellow TrailGreen Trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Photo: Tyler A. McNeil · CC BY-SA 4.0A−Outdoors
Outdoors in Colonie
Colonie has 77 miles of mapped trails, 1.4 for every square mile of land
The biggest trail networks: The Crossings of Colonie (6.4 mi), Colonie Mohawk River Park (6.3 mi), Ann Lee Pond (2 mi). 2,499 acres are parks and preserves, 29 per 1,000 residents. 7% of Colonie’s land is conserved, about 2,582 acres.
Ahead of 85% of U.S. towns · #178 of 758 in New York. What drives it
Conserved land
7%
2,582 acres · of 56.0 sq mi of land
Trails
77 mi
1.4 per sq mi of land
Park land
2,499 ac
29 acres per 1,000 residents
Near a park
78%
of residents within ½ mile
Bike routes
20 mi
5.2 mi lanes · 15 mi paths
Lakes & rivers
7
5 boat launches
What kind of outdoors town is Colonie?
Read from the map. The page puts what stands out first.
Outdoors grade
How much outdoors does Colonie have?
On conserved land, trails, park land and how close residents live to a park, Colonie is ahead of 85% of U.S. towns, #178 of 758 in New York. All four inputs are above most U.S. towns; trail miles rank highest, the share of residents near a park lowest.
A−
OutdoorsA character grade: shown, never part of Colonie’s overall grade.
Conserved land7% of the land · typical NY town 5% · U.S. 4%B+Trails1.4 miles of mapped trail per square mile of land (77 mi) · NY 0.4 · U.S. 0.4APark land29 acres of park per 1,000 residents (2,499 acres) · NY 31 · U.S. 13B+Parks close to home78% of residents within a half mile of a park · NY 70% · U.S. 72%B
All U.S. towns we grade (21,298)Ahead of 85%
LessMore
New York towns of 2,500+ (758)Ahead of 77%
How sure. Graded on any three of the four inputs instead, the letter would range from A− to A. Trails and many small parks come from OpenStreetMap, mapped by volunteers, so coverage varies from town to town; the half mile is a straight line from each census block, so a river or highway in the way isn’t counted against it.
PAD-US, OpenStreetMap (© OpenStreetMap contributors), Census 2025 Gazetteer and 2020 blocks; details in Sources below. How TownRatings grades the outdoors →
The map
Conserved land, trails & bike routes
Tap a number to zoom to a park. Tap a layer to hide it.
Easements protect land from building but are usually private.© OpenStreetMap contributors · USGS PAD-US
Places to walk
Pick a walk
The longest trail network is The Crossings of Colonie, with 6.4 miles. Directions go to the nearest trailhead or public parking.
Colonie Mohawk River Park
Park
148 acres6.3 mi of trail
HikingSingletrackRabbit RunShelter Cove+1
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Ann Lee Pond
Managed by Albany County
177 acres2 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Sage Estate Preserve
Managed by Village of Menands
63 acres2 mi of trail
Ravine trail (Red)Lower Loop trail (Green)Entrance trail (Blue)Lower Loop trail (Purple)+1
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto Sage Estate Preserve Main Entrance LotWebsite ↗
Albany Pine Bush Preserve
Managed by New York State Department of Environmental Conservation
477 acres1.8 mi of trail
Karner Barrens Yellow TrailKings Highway Barrens Red TrailTruax Trail (green)
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lotWebsite ↗
Stump Pond Open Space
Managed by Town of Colonie
127 acres1.3 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Fox Preserve
Nature preserve
70 acres1.1 mi of trail
Orange TrailWhite Spur
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
All 36 parks & preserves
The Crossings of Colonie156 acres · 6.4 mi of trail
DirectionsColonie Mohawk River Park148 acres · 6.3 mi of trail
DirectionsAnn Lee Pond177 acres · 2 mi of trail · Albany County
DirectionsSage Estate Preserve63 acres · 2 mi of trail · Village of Menands
DirectionsAlbany Pine Bush Preserve477 acres · 1.8 mi of trail · New York State Department of Environmental Conservation
DirectionsStump Pond Open Space127 acres · 1.3 mi of trail · Town of Colonie
DirectionsCook Park59 acres · 1.2 mi of trail
DirectionsFox Preserve70 acres · 1.1 mi of trail
DirectionsSchuyler Flatts Cultural Park33 acres · 1.1 mi of trail
DirectionsWeare C. Little Memorial Park21 acres · 0.8 mi of trail · Weare C. Little Memorial Park Association
DirectionsNewtonville Park19 acres · 0.8 mi of trail
DirectionsNature Conservancy207 acres · 0.7 mi of trail · Nature Conservancy
DirectionsMaywood Pocket Park28 acres · 0.6 mi of trail · Town of Colonie
DirectionsWest Albany Memorial Park12 acres · 0.6 mi of trail
DirectionsMohawk Hudson River Bike Trail Park103 acres · 0.5 mi of trail
Ashford Glen Preserve12 acres · 0.3 mi of trail · Mohawk Hudson Land Conservancy
DirectionsTown of Colonie136 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · Town of Colonie
Albany Pine Bush41 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · Albany Pine Bush
MHLC25 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · Mohawk Hudson Land Conservancy
Polk Switzer Park7 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsLoudon Green Park1 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsColonie Open Space21 acres · Town of Colonie
DirectionsBoght Baseball Fields19 acres
DirectionsMohawk Riverside Landing Park10 acres
DirectionsLatham Kiwanis Park10 acres
DirectionsTivoli Nature Preserve8 acres
DirectionsGanser Smith Memorial Park5 acres
DirectionsMaplewood Historic Park4 acres
DirectionsPalma Park3 acres
DirectionsCalifornia Pocket Park3 acres
DirectionsCity of Schenectady2 acres · City of Schenectady
Schuetzen Park2 acres · German American Club
DirectionsMichael J. Anson Memorial Park2 acres
DirectionsAlleghany Park2 acres
DirectionsWoodlawn Preserve1 acres
James F. Egan Memorial Park1 acres
Who protects it
2,582 conserved acres
7% of Colonie’s land. Who manages Colonie’s conserved land, from the USGS Protected Areas Database. Approximate, because parcels can overlap.
Town or city1,052 ac
Other state land743 ac
Land trusts & nonprofits732 ac
County347 ac
State conservation298 ac
Other or Unknown Local Government155 ac
State parks58 ac
Local Park · 1,145 acState Recreation Area · 743 acPrivate Conservation · 686 acLocal Conservation Area · 408 acState Conservation Area · 356 ac
Good to know
Conserved doesn’t always mean open to visitors. 23 acres are conservation easements, usually private land. Public access isn’t recorded for 6 of 57 parcels. The walks above are places people visit.
The biggest protected parcels
| Parcel (PAD-US) | Managed by | Acres | Public access |
|---|---|---|---|
| Albany Pine Bush Preserve State Conservation Area | State conservation | 1,061 | Open |
| Erie Canal State Recreation Area | Other state land | 742 | Open |
| Colonie, Town of Land Local Park | Town or city | 577 | Unknown |
| Ann Lee Pond Nature And Historic Preserve Local Conservation Area | County | 176 | Open |
| Albany County Land Local Park | County | 171 | Open |
| Colonie Town Park Local Park | Other or Unknown Local Government | 133 | Open |
| Colonie, Village of Land Local Park | Town or city | 118 | Unknown |
| Mohawk Hudson Land Conservancy Land Private Conservation | Land trusts & nonprofits | 97 | Open |
| Cook Park Local Park | Town or city | 59 | Open |
| Bauer Environmental Park Local Conservation Area | Town or city | 59 | Open |
5 smaller protected places aren’t shown.
Things to do
83 places to go in Colonie
Beaches, playgrounds, peaks, falls and more. Pick a kind.
Public pools in Colonie
1 public pool without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see it.
Playgrounds in Colonie
61 playgrounds are on OpenStreetMap in all; the list shows named ones from the first 30.
Dog parks in Colonie
3 dog parks without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see them.
Boat launches in Colonie
5 boat launches without a name on the map.
Waterfalls in Colonie
1 waterfall without a name on the map.
Scenic views in Colonie
Mohawk River view
DirectionsObservation Deck
Directionsviewing platformIn Weare C. Little Memorial Park
DirectionsPlus 4 scenic views without a name on the map.
Picnic areas in Colonie
5 picnic areas without a name on the map.
Trails & water
25 named trails and 7 lakes & rivers
Named trails
Open to bikes · 15.9 miUnpaved · 24.6 mi
Hiking1.7 mi
Kings Highway Barrens Red Trail1.3 mi
Blue Trail1.3 mi
Singletrack1.3 mi
MTB trail1.2 mi
Pasta Loop1.1 mi
Karner Barrens Yellow Trail1.0 mi
Red Trail0.9 mi
Orange Trail0.9 mi
Yellow Trail0.8 mi
15 more trails
Nature Trail
0.7 miRabbit Run
0.5 miHell N Back
0.5 miDellside Trail
0.5 miRavine trail (Red)
0.5 miShelter Cove
0.4 miCliff
0.4 miMister Twisty
0.4 miTruax Trail (green)
0.4 miGreen Trail
0.4 miLower Loop trail (Green)
0.4 miThe Ridge
0.4 miNew Middle Climb
0.4 miMain Trail (Orange)
0.4 miWhite Spur
0.3 miLakes & rivers tap for directions
Biking & sports
20 miles of bike routes
Bike lanes are often missing from the map in smaller towns, so that number is likely low.
5.2 mi
painted or protected bike lanes
15 mi
off-road bike paths
0.6 mi
shoulders & shared lanes
Courts & fields
84Tennis
54Baseball
36Basketball
31Golf
29Soccer
14Pickleball
12Multi-sport
12Tracks
Includes school and college facilities, which aren’t always open to the public.
History along the way
History →45 places on the National Register
The country’s official list of places worth saving (National Park Service). The map also marks 14 historic points from OpenStreetMap: plaques, memorials and old buildings.
Watervliet Shaker Historic DistrictDistrict · listed 1973
About itNewtonville Post OfficeBuilding · listed 1973
About itBryan's StoreBuilding · listed 1979
About itD. D. T. Moore FarmhouseBuilding · listed 1979
About itGodfrey FarmhouseBuilding · listed 1979
About itGorham HouseBuilding · listed 1979
About itHughson MansionBuilding · listed 1979
About itLoudon Road Historic DistrictDistrict · listed 1979
About itSpringwood ManorBuilding · listed 1979
About itWheeler HomeBuilding · listed 1979
About itWhitney MansionBuilding · listed 1979
About itAlbany Rural CemeteryDistrict · listed 1979
About it33 more on the History page.
When to get out
The best walking months in Colonie: May and August
NOAA’s 1991–2020 normals for the town and the daylight at its latitude. Outlined months have long days, highs of 59 to 86 °F and little rain for the place.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Daylight (h) | 9.4 | 10.5 | 11.8 | 13.3 | 14.6 | 15.3 | 15.0 | 13.9 | 12.4 | 11.0 | 9.7 | 9.0 |
| High (°F) | 32 | 36 | 45 | 58 | 70 | 79 | 83 | 81 | 74 | 61 | 49 | 38 |
| Rain (in) | 2.7 | 2.3 | 2.9 | 3.2 | 3.5 | 4.4 | 4.3 | 3.9 | 4.0 | 4.0 | 3.0 | 3.3 |
February is the driest month (2.3 in) and July the warmest (highs of 83 °F). 4.4 inches fall in June, the wettest month. The climate in Colonie →
Next door
Colonie and its neighbors
Colonie has the most mapped trails of the 8 towns around it. Tap a town to see its outdoors.
Colonie77 miAlbany49 miGuilderland48 miHalfmoon12 miWaterford11 miRoessleville4.6 miCohoes2.7 miWatervliet0.9 mi
| Town | Conserved of land | Trail mi per sq mi | Park acres per 1,000 | Near a park ½ mile | Outdoors |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Colonie | 7% | 1.4 | 29 | 78% | A− |
| Watervliet | 3% | 0.7 | 3 | 99%+ | B+ |
| Cohoes | 6% | 0.7 | 9 | 98% | A− |
| Albany | 15% | 2.3 | 19 | 98% | A |
| Roessleville | — not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town | ||||
| Guilderland | 10% | 0.8 | 46 | 67% | A− |
| Waterford | 14% | 1.7 | 73 | 95% | A+ |
| Halfmoon | 3% | 0.4 | 22 | 91% | B+ |
The four inputs of the Outdoors grade, from the engine; shares are of land, not water.
Questions about parks and trails in Colonie
Where can I hike in Colonie?
The longest trail networks: The Crossings of Colonie, 6.4 miles; Colonie Mohawk River Park, 6.3 miles; Ann Lee Pond, 2 miles; Sage Estate Preserve, 2 miles. Each one is on the map above, with directions to the nearest trailhead or parking.
How much of Colonie is conserved land?
7% of its land, against a typical 5% for a New York town and 4% nationally (PAD-US). Conserved doesn’t always mean open to visitors: easements are usually private land.
Are dogs allowed on Colonie’s trails?
The Crossings of Colonie and Colonie Mohawk River Park don’t have dog rules recorded on the map; check the signs at the trailhead.
Where can I bike in Colonie?
20 miles of bike routes are on the map: 5.2 of painted or protected lanes, 15 of off-road paths and 0.6 of shoulders and shared lanes.
Is there public land near Colonie?
23,509 acres of parks and open public land lie inside Colonie or within 10 miles of it (PAD-US), 2,499 of them inside the town line.
How much outdoors does Colonie have?
Ahead of 85% of U.S. towns on the Outdoors grade, #178 of 758 in New York. The grade combines the share of land that is conserved, miles of mapped trail per square mile of land, park acres per 1,000 residents and the share of residents within a half mile of a park. It’s a character grade, so it isn’t part of the overall grade. How it works.
Trail talk
Conditions, parking and favorite walks from Colonie neighbors.
Share a tip
Sources
Where this page comes from
Conserved and public land: USGS Protected Areas Database of the United States (PAD-US), service updated July 2026. Parks, trails, playgrounds, beaches and other places: OpenStreetMap (© OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL), map data as of 2026-10-28. Land and water area: Census 2025 Gazetteer. Residents near a park: 2020 Census blocks. National Register: National Park Service. How TownRatings grades the outdoors →