The trail runs from Manhattan north to the Canada–United States border in Rouses Point near the northern tip of Lake Champlain, and also from Buffalo to Albany.

[1] On December 30, 2020, Governor Cuomo announced that these construction projects were finished, and that the Empire State Trail was officially completed and open to the public.

[3] The Hudson River Valley Greenway runs from New York City to Albany along numerous greenways and rail trails, including the Hudson River Greenway in Manhattan, the North County Trailway and South County Trailway in Westchester County, the Walkway Over the Hudson, the Albany–Hudson Electric Trail, and others.

After the completion of the Empire State Trail, this section is almost entirely off-road, with notable on-road gaps remaining between Clyde and Port Byron, Schuyler and Frankfort, and Cohoes and Watervliet.

The Champlain Valley Trail runs from Albany to the Canada–United States border in Rouses Point.