Have you dusted off your bicycle and planned your Upstate summer escape yet? If not, there’s one trail system you do not want to miss before the season wraps up!
According to Google Trends data, search interest for “bike trails” among New York residents hits its absolute peak between July and August each year. But this summer, cyclists aren’t just hunting for smooth pavement or endurance loops—they’re looking for iconic photo ops.
A new study by Holland Bikes analyzed over 5,000 cycling routes across New York to construct the 2026 Trail Index. By scoring routes on trail ratings, popularity, and photo engagement, the study crowned the state’s most photogenic places to ride.
The take away? Cyclists on New York’s top trail are uploading an impressive average of 584 photos per review, proving that the perfect shot is now just as essential as the ride itself.
Here’s where to find New York’s top ranked visual route—and why scenery is officially beating distance this summer!
The #1 most picturesque bike trail in New York
Taking the top crown on the 2026 Trail Index with a near-perfect score of 94.14 out of 100 is the Blackhead Range Traverse via Kaaterskill Falls in Haines Falls, Greene County–you know, upstate NY town known as the “Emerald Isle of the Catskills!”
Located just a 3-hour drive north of New York City in the eastern Catskills, this legendary corridor blends dramatic mountain ridgelines with one of the most famous natural landmarks in the state.
Why it’s taking over cyclists’ feeds:
- The Crown Jewel Waterfall: The route winds right past Kaaterskill Falls, a spectacular 260-foot two-stage waterfall spilling down Spruce Creek. Long a favorite subject for Hudson River School painters, it has officially become the ultimate pit-stop photo for two-wheeled adventurers
- Catskill Mountain Overlooks: The trail offers front-row views of the high peaks in the Windham-Blackhead Range Wilderness, where dense mountain forest meets sweeping ledge drops.
- Multiple Route Options: Kaaterskill Falls proved so popular in the study that variations of its surrounding trail network hit the top 10 four separate times across different route configurations
Other key stops and highlights along the trail
- Scenic Ledges & Overlooks: Historic viewpoints among the Escarpment Trail including Artist’s Rock, Newman’s Ledge, and Inspiration Point
- North Point: A rocky peak providing panoramic vistas over the North-South Lake and Hudson River valley
- Thomas Cole Mountain: The first major 3,000+ foot peak in the range offering steep scrambles
- Black Dome: The second-highest peak in the Catskills featuring a dramatic viewing ledge
- Blackhead Mountain: The final rugged high peak summit before descending toward Barnum Road
Scenery over mileage: Why photo-dense trails are winning
The 2026 Trail Index highlighted a clear shift in how cyclists are choosing their weekend routes.
Trails with high “photos per kilometer” scores—such as the Inspiration Point Loop and the Kaaterskill Rail Trail—are outperforming massive 50+ mile endurance routes in visual engagement.
Rather than grinding out long distances, riders are deliberately planning routes around high-reward stops like gorge lookouts, historic stone bridges, and cascading falls.
Lake Placid emerges as New York’s ultimate cycling hub
If you’re looking to make a full weekend out of your Upstate getaway, look further north to the Adirondacks.
With more individual routes in the top 100 than anywhere else in the state, Lake Placid officially takes the title of New York’s premier base camp for riders chasing bucket-list views.
Whether you want a gravel ride along quiet alpine lakes or mountain bike trails winding around Olympic peaks, Lake Placid delivers the state’s highest concentration of visual routes.
How to visit & tips for your trip
- Getting There from NYC: Take I-87 North (New York State Thruway) to Exit 20 or Route 32 North into Greene County. Haines Falls and the Kaaterskill Wild Forest area are an easy 2.5 to 3-hour drive from Midtown Manhattan
- Pacing for Photos: Because trails like Kaaterskill Falls Loop average several photos per kilometer, build extra buffer time into your ride. You’ll want to stop frequently at viewing platforms and overlooks
- Beat the August Crowd: Search interest for cycling routes peaks in August. Arrive early at trailheads (especially near Haines Falls and Kaaterskill Rail Trail) to secure parking before peak mid-day traffic
- Respect the Outdoors: Stay on designated trail paths, keep eyes on multi-use pedestrian traffic near waterfall viewing decks, and follow Leave No Trace principles.