ONEONTA SUSQUEHANNA GREENWAY
A scenic, traffic-free trail for outdoor recreation for all ages!

New Island Trails

Access to New Island:

Park in Catella Park (accessed from Neawha Park). Walk or bike along the fence toward the highway. At the corner you’ll see a gate, a sign to New Island, and a path to Lettis Highway.

A short walk along the highway under I-88 and past the entrance ramp gets you to another sign next to a break in the guard rail, where you’ll see a path. The path winds around a bit, through a field, and eventually comes to an old railroad bed.

Near the South Side dam you’ll come to a spot that almost always has water in it. If it’s impassable, look for a trail to the left. That trail, which is much drier, will loop around to bring you back to the main trail. 

Interpretive sign explains history of New Island

History of New Island

The Susquehanna River has been a source of water for consumption, agriculture, recreation, and energy. In 1898, an area of land named Big Island was surrounded by water when Electric Lake was created to produce electricity. When Oneonta acquired the land in 1984, it was renamed New Island in honor of Dr. John New, environmentalist and former professor at SUNY Oneonta.

The lake has long since been drained, so New Island is no longer surrounded by water. It is, however, still an island of sorts, cut off from vehicular access, and only legally accessible by foot or bike.

New Island area circa 1915 USGS Topographic Map

The New Island access trail brings you to a scenic view of the Southside Dam.
A second interpretive sign provides information about the Susquehanna River and this dam.
This old railroad bridge provided trail access through the wetland until it was condemned a few years ago. Future plans for the area include replacing the bridge.
The bridge was built in the early 1900s part of the Southern New York Railway and remained in use for freight service until the early 1970s.

Timeline of the trestle’s use:

 
  • 1898: Big Island was surrounded by the newly-created Electric Lake.
  • Early 1900s: The Oneonta, Cooperstown & Richfield Springs Railway, which became the Southern New York Railway, built its track across the lake bed and what became New Island.
  • 1933: Regular passenger service on the Southern New York Railway was discontinued. It remained in use for freight service until the early 1970s.
  • Early 1970s: The Southern New York Railway shut down completely, marking the end of the trestle’s use for railroad purposes.
  • Late 1970s: A portion of the railway trestle was observed partially collapsed.
  • 1984: The city of Oneonta acquired the land, and it was renamed New Island.
  • Recent: The old railroad bed, including where the trestle stood, was incorporated into the New Island Trails but was subsequently condemned and is unsafe for use even for light use such as hiking and biking.