 | This article is written like a travel guide. (May 2021) |
The Onondaga Creekwalk is a mostly paved, partly bricked, multi-use trail running 4.8 miles (7.7 km) in Syracuse, New York, which has so far seen more than three decades of planning, construction, and delays, starting in 1988. The trail is designed for bicyclists, skaters, and pedestrians to approximately parallel any desired portion of Onondaga Creek's run connecting Kirk Park on Syracuse's South Side, downstream through downtown at Armory Square, and then on to Onondaga Lake at the creek's ultimate mouth.
During both of the two overall phases completed so far, designers were able to route the trail partly as a brand new, dedicated path that stayed within view of Onondaga Creek. Other parts were built as compromises in the face of creekside obstacles, generally co-locating the trail with pre-existing street and sidewalk pavement, usually at a significant distance from the water.
When added to pre-existing parkways and city streets paralleling Onondaga Creek between West Colvin Street at Kirk Park, upstream to Ballantyne Road in The Valley neighborhood, the total available creekway distance can be interpreted as a paved run of 6.1 miles (9.8 km).