Route ideas for New England/Upstate NY ?

[bmike-vt]

Thanks jhl99!

I have family in the Utica area, so the wife is going to head out when I leave town for work, then I'll return home, drop off my rental, and ride from VT to NY the next 2 days.

The route I've mapped out might be a bit ambitious at 300 miles for 2 days, especially as I have no data on a section. I can't get a clear answer on connecting from Woodhull Lake to North Lake / South Lake and then on to Haskell Rd. I really want to ride Moose River Plains, but I'm not keen on riding Rt. 28 most of the way down to Utica.

I've attached the center section of my track to this post. I show lots of other trails in there that are open to MTB, and I could reasonably bail out near Gull Pond and Mill Brook Rd, which I believe is 4wd and snowmo trail.

[jhl99]

I can't offer much help.  Here is my info:
http://i111.photobucket.com/albums/n160/jhl99/2011/2011Forum/McKeever-1.png Some of the tracks indicate that I've had difficulty locating trails in the past.... the USGS 7.5 maps and ADK GIS info don't always match up.

That connector definitely looks interesting.

Woodhull Lake to the turn to the east at N43.569, W75.050 (About where Mill Brook is crossed) is not a problem.  I've ridden through to Gull Lake and Woodgate a couple times (actually in the reverse direction).  

As you indicate the stretch over to North Lake could be a wildcard.  The good news is that it looks like it doesn't cross through many boggy areas.... but who knows about blow down.  Blown down is a killer in the ADK because of the sandy soil.  I doubt remote snowmobile trails get cleared until late in the fall.  Maybe the NY DEC can provide some trail conditions?

If I was doing the 33 mile stretch from Woodhull to Nobleboro, I would allow 8 hours for that section... Although you could bail at North Lake Road (Atwell).

***
Uncas Road from Raquette Lake to Eagle Bay is  nice dirt road cruise.

It's been a few years since I've been up there, but Route 28 is an ok ride until merges with Route 12 at Alder Creek Station (I'm sure you know that).  From Alder Station to Utica would not be pleasant, but there seems to be many choices in secondary roads.

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300 miles in 2 day seems pretty hardcore to me.  If that ends up being the plan, I would really consider dumping any questionable snowmobile trails.

[bmike-vt]

Hey, thanks. Got some information from the ADK forums. Basically from Sand Lake Falls to just outside of North Lake is snowmobile trail that crosses some pretty swampy / beaver pond terrain. So for this trip, that is out, as I have family commitments to get to.

Plan is for ~130 miles from my place in Burlington, VT to the middle of Moose River Plains via pave and some dirt road. I'll stick to the Moose River road (dirt, with campsites along its length, and in pretty rough shape), or explore Otter Brook Truck Trail, if I have lots of daylight and feel good when I get to Indian River. From there I will exit at Inlet, and either follow some trail around the lakes to Old Forge or just hit 28 when looking for breakfast. That will leave me 80 to 100 to Utica area depending on which way I decide to connect in. I might side trip off to one of those lakes if i am feeling good in the morning. Due to time constraints I'll have to get back this fall to make a 200 mile plus dirt / trial loop work out, and I'll likely drive over so I can spend more time exploring. This trip will be 70% pave, so it is certainly scaled back from my original intent, but as this is a through trip, I don't have time to be 20 miles into a connector trail and find it disappears or turns to beaver pond. I look :forward to that sort of thing usually, when I have more open ended schedule. And I'll be able to shake out any issues with the new Fargo carrying gear...

 
Shakedown2 by mbeganyi, on Flickr

[bmike-vt]

~230 road, dirt road, a bit of trail. ADKs. Wish I had more time. Planning another trip I. September.

Too much pave for this through trip, but some great dirt roads.


 
Middle, of Moose River Plains by mbeganyi, on Flickr


I'll write something up in another thread.

[mikemack]

If you're interested in a delightful ride in the New Hampshire north country, I've recently revisited an overnight loop in the White Mountain National Park that I'm going to write up for the forum in the next week after down loading some pics of the ride.  It's a wonderful ride on old logging railroad beds, gravel access roads, great single track, meadows, bogs and hiking trails.  It's a trail system that I've done over the last 15 years many times with friends and family.  It'll be a ride that you'll be able to bring your youngsters on once they're comfortable with riding mountain bikes.  My three kids first rode it in their preteens.

You can also lengthen the trip on each end to add an additional night out..........

I'll have it posted after the weekend.  So stay tuned!

Mike

[bmike-vt]

Would love to see the NH loop. Itching to get out this fall...

[dnegreiro]

This is an awesome thread.

[derailljammedinspokes]

https://www.facebook.com/Bikepacking-New-England-Dirt-long-ass-rides

[bmike-vt]

Well, as most things these days go: