Where nature, history, and two lakes come together

The Keuka Lake Outlet Trail

There are plenty of ways to explore the Finger Lakes—by boat, by car, or along a wine trail. But one of the most unique ways to experience the region is by following a trail that literally connects two of our finger lakes.

The Keuka Lake Outlet Trail roughly stretches seven miles between Penn Yan on Keuka Lake and Dresden on Seneca Lake following a waterway shaped by the glaciers nearly 10,000 years ago. The landscape we see today has transformed over time from a natural waterway, to grist mills and sawmills, and to a transportation corridor moving grapes and baskets. Today, the trail is a peaceful wooded corridor filled with waterfalls, historic ruins and remnants of the region’s transportation past. The National Park Service identifies it as the only natural waterway connecting two of New York’s Finger Lakes. The Keuka Outlet Trail is a must visit for all. 

A Trail Built on History

The mills came first with the first European-American settlers coming to the area in the late eighteenth century. Around 1790, the first mill was operating along the waterway, and by 1820 more than 20 mills were reportedly operating along the stream.

Mill owners built races, dams, wheels, shafts, and structures to harness the moving water. Gristmills processed grain. Sawmills turned timber into lumber. Into the 19th century industry brought distilleries, tanneries, paper processing, and textile processing along the Outlet to this booming region.

In the nineteenth century transportation by boat exploded. The Erie Canal opened in 1825 transporting goods from Buffalo to New York City.

The Crooked Lake Canal opened in 1833, connecting Keuka Lake with the Erie Canal system through Seneca Lake. 

The canal itself was an ambitious attempt. The route followed the outlet for approximately eight miles and had to overcome the waterway's roughly 270-foot elevation difference. A series of locks made that possible and connected the communities and agricultural resources around Keuka Lake with the broader canal network of New York. 

But in the late nineteenth century the railroad arrived. The canal ultimately proved unable to compete economically and was abandoned in the 1870s. Its right-of-way, however, was about to acquire a new purpose. 

The Crooked Lake Canal’s towpath was acquired by The Penn Yan & New York Railway in 1877. The Rail changed the landscape of the Keuka Outlet and opened up new prospects for Penn Yan. The new railroad carried passengers and freight, including agricultural products such as grapes and flour, textiles and paper, lumber and coal.

For decades the railroad was prosperous but with the invention of the automobile passengers traveled by car. The railroad began to decline nationwide. The railroad on the Outlet finally came to an end in the aftermath of Hurricane Agnes in 1972. Heavy flooding severely damaged the railroad washing out portions of the line. For the first time in generations, the corridor no longer served as an active transportation route.

But its next chapter was already taking shape. In 1984, local residents formed Friends of the Outlet, Inc., a nonprofit dedicated to preserving and protecting the lands and waters along the Keuka Outlet for recreation, education, and stewardship.

The abandoned railroad corridor could have disappeared beneath development or simply faded away. Instead, the community recognized that its natural beauty and history were worth preserving. That vision produced the trail we know today.

Take a Walk on the Trail 

The trail today generally runs between the old canal bed and the creek and is relatively gentle, making it an enjoyable option for all ages and bringing along the dog.

It’s a wonderful place to slow down, to listen to the creek, to watch for wildlife, to photograph the waterfalls and to imagine what the area must have looked—and sounded—like when canal boats and trains traveled through the gorge.

Explore It Your Way

The Keuka Outlet Trail is a multi-use trail, open for activities including walking, bicycling, horseback riding and dog walking. During appropriate winter conditions, it can also be used for snowshoeing, cross-country skiing and other seasonal activities.

The western portion near Penn Yan is paved, while much of the trail farther east consists of dirt, gravel and old railroad ballast.

And you don’t necessarily have to complete the entire seven miles to enjoy it. I have yet to tackle the whole 7 miles in one expedition - though it is on the bucket list! Pick a section, explore at your own pace and save some energy for the next stop on your Finger Lakes itinerary. 

Check out the trail map on the Keuka Outlet Website: https://www.keukaoutlettrail.org/maps

Keuka Outlet Trail

Penn Yan Trail Head Location: 360 Elm St, Penn Yan, NY 14527

Dresden Trail Tail Location: 100 Seneca St, Dresden, NY 14441

Website: https://www.keukaoutlettrail.org