October 19, 2026
Pedal the Rails: Rail Bikes & Heritage Trains Through Peak Catskills Foliage
Most people see the Catskills foliage from a car window, stuck behind a line of brake lights on Route 28 while everyone in the family independently announces that the leaves are pretty. There is a better way, and it does not require hiking boots or agreeing on a playlist. You can pedal a rail bike — a two-person bike built to ride old train tracks — straight through the color, or sit on a heritage train that has been running this exact route since before cars had cup holders.
Both are running right now, which is exactly why they made this list.
Rail Explorers, Phoenicia
Getting there: About 1 hour 45 minutes. Take the Thruway north to Route 28 west into the Catskills — the depot is at 70 Lower High Street, Phoenicia, with free parking right at the old railway station.
What to explore: the roughly 8-mile round trip runs on the old Ulster & Delaware line along Esopus Creek, and it is the best leaf-peeping you will do without a windshield in the way. Rides start around $34 a person, and the real move this time of year is the golden hour or lantern ride — you finish as the light goes gold and the mountains turn to silhouette. Book ahead; the good slots go the way the good parking spots go, which is to say immediately.
Delaware & Ulster Railroad, Arkville
Getting there: About 2 hours. Continue west on Route 28 to Arkville. If pedaling sounds like work, this is the lazy version, and we mean that as a sincere compliment.
What to explore: the Delaware & Ulster has revived its western route toward Halcottsville — a 45-minute round trip along the East Branch of the Delaware, running Saturdays through October 31. Sit by the window, watch the water, and let somebody else worry about the road for an hour.
One Honest Note on Timing
A few of the big-name foliage trains wrapped their 2026 runs in mid-October, so check the schedule before you commit — but the rail bikes and the Delaware & Ulster are still rolling, which is the entire reason they are on this list instead of something that ended while you were reading about it.
Rent Direct With Frosty Flame — Skip the Fees, Keep the Perks
Book through a marketplace and you pay a middleman on top of your rental. Book direct with us and the money stays where it should:
No marketplace fees — you pay the rate, not a platform surcharge.
Contactless pickup & drop-off in Bergen County, with delivery across North Jersey.
EZ Pass pre-loaded so tolls are handled before you reach the booth.
Custom protection plans built for your trip, not a one-size-fits-all add-on.
Curated in-ride playlists (Volumes 1–4) so the drive is part of the experience.
A real local host — Bergen County based, reachable, and obsessive about a clean, ready-to-go ride.
Book Direct With Us
Written by Frankie
Frankie is Chief Editor & Marketing Director for Frosty Flame Vehicle Rentals.
#nyc #newjersey #nj #VisitNJ #ExploreNJ #NJSpots #ILoveNY #UpstateNY #ExploreNY
Permalink: frostyflame.llc/blog/rail-bikes-catskills-fall-foliage.html