water trail

noun

plural water trails

: a route on a waterway

In the story, Deering leads his outlaws through the water trail, men and horses swimming the river until they reach the entrance of the cave.

—Omaha Daily Bee

especially : one designated for recreational use especially with nonmotorized watercraft (such as canoes and kayaks) and often for environmental protection : blueway

The water trail follows the New York State Canal System across the full expanse of upstate New York, offering visitors a wealth of places to visit and sights to see.

—Register-Star (Hudson, New York)

—often used in the names of specific routes

the 192 mile Arkansas River Water Trail in Kansas

Examples of water trail in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Comprehensive lists of both land and water trails can be found on the National Park Service's website. — Sarah Perkel, USA Today, 8 July 2026

There went my photos, travel notes, interactive water trail map, reservation emails, flight info, bank card. — Betsy Andrews, Condé Nast Traveler, 2 July 2026

The Shirley Heinze Land Trust has received a grant from the Chi-Cal River Fund to finance the development of a water trail on the Little Calumet River. — Jim Woods, Chicago Tribune, 11 June 2026

These are all connected by our 7-mile waterfront promenade, 30 miles of water trails on the Baltimore Blueway and public water taxi and Charm City Circulator service that extends to neighborhoods throughout the city. — Dan Taylor, Baltimore Sun, 17 Jan. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1881, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for water trail

• abigail
• cottontail
• countervail
• fingernail
• martingale
• mesoscale
• microscale
• monorail
• nanoscale
• ponytail
• swallowtail
• wensleydale