New York · Hiking

Darlington Nuclear Waterfront Trail

Darlington Nuclear Waterfront TrailPhoto: zappowbang, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)
0.5 mi
round trip
65 ft
climb
Out and back
route
Easy
difficulty
Jun–Sep
best months

The Darlington Nuclear Waterfront Trail is a short, easy hike in western New York, about half a mile long and just over 50 feet of elevation gain. It's an out-and-back route, starting at about 348 feet and reaching a high point of 404 feet before returning to the starting elevation. The climb is front-loaded, with the steepest stretch at about a quarter mile into the trail, and the total trip takes roughly half an hour. Late spring and early fall are the most comfortable times to go. Typical averages from a nearby weather station at Youngstown run to highs around 68°F in May and 74°F in September, with July the warmest month at about 83°F. Winter is cold, with January highs near 34°F. Several other trails lie within a few miles. The Osprey Trail is about 3 miles away, and the Soper Creek Trail and Bob Mills Boardwalk Trail are each within about 4 miles. The Waterfront Trail is roughly 6.5 miles off.

  • Best time to go · Jun–Sep

    Best time to visit Darlington Nuclear Waterfront Trail

    Best months: June–September. Best months have typical highs of 55–85 °F, lows of 30 °F or warmer (32 °F where the station doesn't record snow), at most one snowy day and no more than 12 wet days.

    1. Jan

      34° / 19°

      18 wet

    2. Feb

      35° / 19°

      15 wet

    3. Mar

      43° / 25°

      13 wet

    4. Apr

      55° / 35°

      14 wet

    5. May

      68° / 46°

      14 wet

    6. Jun

      77° / 57°

      12 wet

    7. Jul

      83° / 62°

      11 wet

    8. Aug

      81° / 61°

      12 wet

    9. Sep

      74° / 54°

      12 wet

    10. Oct

      61° / 44°

      17 wet

    11. Nov

      50° / 34°

      15 wet

    12. Dec

      39° / 26°

      16 wet

    Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Youngstown 2 E, NY, 45.4 mi away at 295 ft. This station doesn't record snowfall. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.

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