Shortly after the Wallkill Valley branch of the New York Railroad closed in the 1980s, the Wallkill Valley Land Trust purchased the stretch of the corridor between New Paltz and Gardiner, leading to the opening of the first stretch of trail in 1993. Today, the trail stretches a total of 24 miles and runs along its namesake river from Gardiner to Kingston. Half of the trail, from New Paltz to Kingston, has been designated as part of the statewide Empire State Trail, which, when complete next year, will stretch 750 miles, running from New York City to Canada and from Albany to Buffalo.

The southern end of the Wallkill Valley Rail Trail is at Denniston Road in the Ulster County town of Gardiner, and it runs north towards New Paltz. True to the corridor’s original use as a rail line, the trail is generally flat. However, especially at this southern end, the trail is unpaved and best suited in the summer for hikers or for bicycles with wider tires. A short distance south of this terminus is the Walden-Wallkill Rail Trail, which runs along the same former rail right of way between its two namesake villages. This stretch was first opened back in 1993, running 12 miles north towards New Paltz, where it runs just west of SUNY New Paltz and connects with Sojourner Truth Park.