West side of the Hudson River -- Reports
[ no reports yet ]
see reports for Manhattan
to Nyack route.
see [
Description |
map on Bikely |
download GPX ]
on these routes:
- - Manhattan
to Nyack
- - NYC to Bear Mountain
Adventure
- - GWB to Bear Mt Bridge
Loop
- - New York City to Albany
- - GWB - Bear Mt -- one-way Westside Route
KenR, July 2010:
On a dry day I rode down (very steep) from Rockland Lake to the
"picnic" spot at the end of the southern flat section by Nyack, then all
the way north to the end near Haverstraw. It was pretty with the views
of the river. It was quiet, saw a couple of other cyclists, a couple of
other hikers. Rode the whole way pedaling on my road bike with 700x25C
tires.
Path was open - (no "Closed" signs like the had some years ago).
Except for a tree fallen over the trail like ten feet from the north end
(had to get off and lift my bike over it), it was clear from obstacles.
Some sandy sections where my tires got slowed down and I almost fell
over. Some loose rocks on other sections. Very few signs of gullys from
water erosion -- amazing how well they've repaired it from years ago.
Earlier in the month Sharon and I rode the southern flat section from
Nyack to the picnic spot, and that was in good condition.
Greg,
June 2004:
I've ridden the 'closed' path between Nyack beach park and Haverstraw
twice in the past month. They are repairing a couple of washouts, it was
down to one major section as of last week. It did require portaging around
the equipment and there wasn't much road left there but they seem to be
making good progress. The rest of the trail was in fine shape, better than
the path around Dunderberg Mt.
Jeff, August 2002:
Took the trail from Nyack Beach State Park to Haverstraw. You can
park there without paying in the evening. (otherwise it's $5) After two
miles, you come to the fork in the trail. The right side is still
'officially' closed, but you can go between the boulders and get to it
without dismounting.
Parts of that trail are a little overgrown and there were a few trees
to duck under (and one small one to ride over). It get a little hillier
as you approach Haverstraw but the three of us felt relatively safe and
enjoyed the ride. We only saw 2 other bikes and a couple of hikers along
the way.
If you decide to ride into Haverstraw, be careful as you pass the
Tilcon plant. There can be alot of dust in the air and it can affect
your vision as well as making it difficult to breathe. (BTW, they've now
gone 852 days without an accident).
All in all, it was a nice ride. I clocked it at 5 miles each way. We
averaged about 9 MPH and made it there in just over 1/2 hour.
This trail should have even better views in the fall when the leaves
start to fall and change color.
July 2002 report from hannah:
Heading into Nyack Beach
State Park, you proceed as normal about two miles. Then you come to a
fork in the trail; to the left, the sign says bikes aren't allowed, and
to the right, the sign says the bike trail is closed due to
"hazardous conditions." We passed two parks vehicles right
before this point and they didn't seem to concerned that we looked like
we'd continue. Continuing along the "closed" bike trail
portion (to the right), we saw five other bikers in the next few miles,
leading me to believe that few people pay attention to the sign. The
only real hazards were a few fallen trees you had to duck under (while
still riding) and what looked like a rock slide at a downhill where
clean-up appeared to be in progress; I walked down this hill but riding
was possibly. At the north end of the trail, the sign says the
trail is closed. Coming out here, by the cement plant in Haverstraw, I
was happy to see that the plant had gone 852 days without an accident.
June 2001 report from hannah on NYC.bicycles newsgroup:
I took that path southbound, from a dead-end past a cement plant in Haverstraw, a few weeks ago on my way back from Montreal. I rode the full
length (5 miles) but had to duck under trees, work through thick gravel and
a seeming stream bed, and generally stay very alert. When we came out in
Nyack we saw signs that part of the path was closed to cyclists, but there
were no such signs on the Haverstraw side.
June 2001 -- Ken Roberts: The unpaved path from Nyack to Haverstraw is in much better condition
now. But the section which connects through Rockland Park between
Nyack Beach Park and Haverstraw is forbidden to bicycles. I jogged
most of it, and it looked like the worst of the 1999 storm damage is now
repaired, and that most of it would be ridable by someone with solid
skills for off-road dirt single-track. And in fact I was passed by
several bicyclists riding it.
April 2001 -- Ken Roberts: The section of the unpaved path by the Hudson river in Nyack Beach
park is now in good condition out to just before it climbs up into the
woods.
October 1999 -- Ken Roberts: The unpaved path that runs along the Hudson River from Nyack to Haverstraw --
through Nyack Beach, Rockland Lake, and Hook Mountain State Parks -- has
severely damaged by the big 1999 storm, and has been barricaded at the south
end. The whole road is blocked by a large rock-slide near the south
end. But an extensive section in the north half has the most sustained
damage, with trees, giant ruts, sand and small rockslides hindering
riding. In two places, the entire path was nearly washed down into the
Hudson. Recommend consider Route 9W as an alternative.
This is the unpaved Bicycle Route 9 section which parallels Route 9W for part of the
way south from the Bear Mountain Bridge to Tomkins Cove, as it goes around the
East side of Dunderberg mountain right next to the Hudson River.
on these routes:
- - Seven
Lakes to the River
- - NYC to Bear Mountain Adventure
- - GWB to Bear Mt Bridge Loop
- - New York City to Albany
- - GWB - Bear Mt -- one-way Westside
Route
August 2009
report by Charles:
The Jones Point dirt road is in rough shape. I rode it
on my touring bike that has 700x32 tires and it was all it could handle.
It would not take a lot of money to put it into "cairrage road" shape.
Two culverts, some grading and crusher run would do wonders for this
important right of way.
July 2006 report by Avi:
I approached this going north, and I found it impassable, even for my
hefty hybrid. There were rocks jutting all over the place. When I
reached a downed tree blocking the path about 1/4 mile from the start, I
just turned around, cut my losses, and went back. Meanwhile, I find the
9W road tolerable. Though there isn't a shoulder, there are two lanes,
so a speeding car can easily go around me.
Choosing the
Path versus Rt 9W road (reflections by Ken, June 2004):
Last fall I chose to use the Rt 9W road south-bound around Dunderberg
mountain. What I found going on that section of Rt 9W was: real
bad shoulders that I couldn't imagine wanting to ride on, some curves
(but not a lot), and some cars going like 60 mph and more (but not a
lot). But for sure the rolling surface on the traffic lanes was much
smoother than the off-road trail, and there are two traffic lanes going
in the uphill direction.
Someone wrote that section of road is no worse than other stretches of
Rt 9W. But I cannot think of another section of Rt 9W between Alpine
Approach Rd in New Jersey and the Bear Mt Bridge that has that
combination of characteristics: real bad (or non-existent?) shoulders
on a curve with a significant number of vehicles cruising at 60+ mph.
Also, Rt 9W going around Dunderberg has over 300 vertical feet of
climbing (at a steepness grade around 7% in the north-bound direction,
less steep going south-bound) -- the biggest climb on Rt 9W going
north-bound before reaching Storm King mountain. The Dunderberg bypass
path has much less climbing than that.
So for me, the "around Dunderberg" section of Rt 9W stands out because
it has: (a) 60+ mph vehicles on curves with real bad shoulders (b) a
substantial hill-climb (c) a simple alternative route for avoiding it.
I do most of my riding with Sharon who does not like (b),
especially in combination with (a) -- and I do like variety in my tours,
and I do enjoy the technical challenge of getting thru the trail on a road
bike. So I think I'll still prefer the path over the road more times in
the future.
June 2004 report by hannah on
NYC.bicycles:
I've ridden on the road there and didn't find it any worse than other
stretches. I once saw a copperhead on the unpaved trail.
June 2004 report by wk:
i know for sure i don't want to ride my
road bike over the unpaved terrain on that 2 mile dirt path again.
i had to dismount three times on the dunderberg dirt bypass, twice to
avoid riding over gravel (to spare my crotch and my wheels), and once when
i got stuck in sand. i have slick tires so traction was definitely a
problem, but i made do by riding on the more packed-down surfaces. i
wouldn't recommend riding the bypass trail to anyone with a road bike
(especially one with clipless pedals). i would either walk the trail or
take the road.
on the other hand, if i had a mountain bike i would wholeheartedly
choose to ride the bypass trail. no question about it. in fact the only
guy in our group with a mountain bike had a blast on that section of our
ride. he was handicapped for the most of the ride because he couldn't
climb or cruise as fast as us, and he was delighted to leave us in the
dust on the bypass trail!
September 2002 report by Ken:
Sharon and Tony and I rode
it south-bound. The path was sandy. Tony made it all the way
throught on his road bike -- and Sharon and I actually made it clean on
our tandem to within 20 feet of the south end.
August 2002 report by Ken:
I was very impressed with how
well the path has been repaired from the storm damage three years
ago. Somewhat sandy, but I found it a quiet and pleasant
alternative to Route 9W. Except for getting stuck in the sand and walking the first 50
feet, I was able to make it all the way north-bound riding on my 700x23C
tires.
July 2002 report from hannah:
The trail was thick with
gravel in a few places where I therefore chose to walk. This trail
appears to be much less used than the Nyack Beach to Haverstraw trail.
June 2001 report from hannah on NYC.bicycles newsgroup:
I rode on this one too. It was also ridable the whole way, if I
remember correctly, though definitely very tricky in spots, especially on a loaded touring bike. The one person riding a mountain bike in our group was
very happy on these trails! Last fall when I rode on the path it was so thick in sandy gravel that I had to walk in several spots. That wasn't the
problem this last time--just some rocky sections, some places where the trail is eroded, and I can't remember what else. We had a roadie with us and
he managed.
October, 1999 --
Ken Roberts:
The unpaved Bicycle Route 9 section which parallels Route 9W for part of the
way south from the Bear Mountain Bridge to Tomkins Cove has been damaged by the
big 1999 storm -- sandy sections and giant ruts. Some sections, especially
near the beginning and the end are pretty much unridable by anyone without
mountain bike gear and experience. Unfortunately the alternative of riding
on Route 9W itself for that section around Dunderberg Mt seems pretty risky,
with high-speed traffic, curves, and rather limited shoulders.
West Point -- US Military Academy
Travel by bicyclists, pedestrians, and motorists into and through the
US Military Academy has been restricted since the 9/11 events -- and
because the West Point campus is a possible terrorist target.
Sometimes they permit bicyclists to enter if they have photo ID, but
sometimes they deny entry altogether. One cadet told me that the
policy can change without warning in response to current level of
perceived terrorist threat. See the reports below for more detail,
and for ideas on alternate routes.
This could
impact some bicycle routes:
- - Bear
Mt to Newburgh-Beacon Bridge loop
- - New
York City to Albany
We recommend:
2010 - KenR: Sharon + I have taken variation E several times
early in the morning with less traffic on rt 9W north -- worked fine for
us.
2007: See Bear Mt /
Newburgh-Beacon bridge loop reports . . . One rider called in
advance and got permission to ride through . . . Another did not call
ahead and did not get permission . . . A club got permission in advance.
August 2006, Leigh:
I was able to ride through West Point Military Academy. I needed photo
ID and went through two inspection stations . . .
June 2004 - Ken:
We were not permitted to ride through the campus. After hearing two
more reports of riding through, Sharon, Tom, Bill, and I decided to try.
The guard said we could enter only if we had military ID. So instead
we went back south through the village of Highland Falls and turned west
on to Rt 218 North which climbs up a long hill with some steep-ish
sections. Then we rode a ways north on Rt 9W, which at that time had
a high volume of high-speed vehicle traffic. We rode carefully in
control either on the shoulder or (where the shoulder got difficult) on
the right edge of the traffic lane. Then we turned off onto Rt 218
North and rode down the long hill to rejoin the main route on Storm King
Mountain Highway -- which was plenty pretty even though we missed riding
thru the campus.
May 2004 - J
Mermelstein on
NYC.bicycles: . . . last weekend I entered West Point through
Thayer Gate (was asked for a photo id) and exited Washington Gate with no
problem.
October 2003 - Mike: see
report.
September 2003 - J Mermelstein:
The Sunday before last (September 7, 2003) I entered through Washington
Gate and exited at Thayer gate. The Washington Gate guard (although
intimitidatingly dressed in battle fatigues and combat helmet and holding
an M-16 across his chest) politely let me pass once I showed him my New
York State Driver's license. And this notwithstanding all the signs on the
approaches to West Point stating that only vehicles with DOD decals would
be permitted entry.
August 2003 - Michael: We
were able to ride through West Point this past Sunday morning(August
31/Labor Day Weekend). Entered through main gate, rode north, exit through
Washington Gate. One caveat, the guard at the gate asked for ID, luckily
my wife remembered her driver's license. Campus was very quiet,
perhaps because of holiday weekend. Made the mistake of riding south
on 9W from Storm King back to Bear Mt Bridge. Would not recommend, lots of
traffic and lots of climbing.
July 2003 - Jeff, on NYC.bicycles
[see
Google archive]: About 6 weeks ago, 3 friends
and I were asked for id's but there were no problems otherwise.
May 2003 - Ken: I talked with Steve, who led a
Mid-Hudson Bicycle Club ride with 14 people around both the Bear
Mountain and Newburgh-Beacon bridges. He said they rode to Thayer
gate, but the guard did not allow them to enter the West Point USMA
campus on that day. Instead they climbed the steep hill up to Rt
9W and rode north on that to Rt 218 / Storm King Mountain Highway.
Steve said nobody in the group seemed to mind riding on that section of
Rt 9W -- and actually most of that section felt more comfortable than
the 9W section that comes later further north on the on the Bear Mt /
Newburgh-Beacon loop route. Lots of people told him they had
a good time on the ride (even without the West Point campus).
October 2002 - Ken:
Here's another idea for bypassing the West Point campus when coming from
further South (it also fits with climbing to the top of Bear
Mountain): From the main Bear Mountain State Park area by the Bear
Mountain Inn, or from Rt 9W nearby: Consider
taking Seven Lakes Drive, Rt 6 West, Rt 293 North to Rt 218 North.
But make sure you've got some traffic-handling strategies for things
like high-speed highways with two lanes in each direction with no
usable shoulder, crossing entrance and exit ramps, and 2-lane
roundabouts / traffic circles.
More detail: First find the "Bear
Mountain" traffic circle / roundabout -- the little one inside
Bear Mt State Park (not the one next to the big Bear Mt bridge).
From big traffic circle at the West end of the Bear Mountain Bridge,
first go south into Bear Mountain State Park by the Bear Mountain Inn
(following directions in the Bear
Mt / Newburgh-Beacon Bridge loop), then continue south past the
big parking lots and look for signs for Seven Lakes Drive and Perkins
Memorial Drive and you soon reach the small traffic circle. From
further south on Rt 9W, just north of the Dunderberg Mountain bypass
path and Iona Island entrance, turn Left with signs for Bear Mountain
State Park, and climb up a substantial hill to the small traffic
circle.
From the Bear Mountain traffic
circle/roundabout: Follow signs for Seven Lakes Drive and Rt 6
West. Starts with a long climb, pass by Perkins Memorial Drive
(which goes to top of Bear Mountain), then down. Then cross
Palisades Interstate Parkway (including riding across some high-speed
entrance and exit ramps), following signs for Rt 6 West and Seven Lake
Drive. At the traffic circle/roundabout, bear Right onto Rt 6
West, then later turn Right onto Rt 293 North and take that to its intersection with Rt
9W. Go more or less straight onto Rt 218 North, which joins the
middle of the next section of the NYC to Albany route (mile 26 of the
second half of the Bear Mt /
Newburgh-Beacon Bridge loop).
May 22, 2002 - Ken Roberts: I talked today with a
Mid-Hudson Bicycle Club ride leader, and he said that he had obtained
permission to ride through the West Point campus if all the bicyclists
had photo ID -- but then he was told later that the policy had been
changed and he would not be permitted to enter.
I also called the West Point Visitor Center today,
and they said bicyclists were not being permitted to ride through the
campus -- that they only way to enter the campus was a part of a bus
tour.
November 2001 - Amit Mehta: I was turned away from the
Main Street entrance of West Point. I circumvented this by getting
back onto 218S (in Highland Falls) to 9W, taking 9W north (on a pretty
major hill, with little shoulder) to the 218 N exit, and then taking
that exit to rejoin your route. 9W is not particularly
biker-friendly there.
November 2001 - Ken Roberts: Sharon and I were denied
access when we arrived at Thayer gate on our tandem bicycle in the
middle of a nice sunny weekend day. We heard later from a cadet
that they had heightened security for the West Point campus just a day
or so before we arrived.
October 2001 - Joshua Mermelstein on NYC.bicycles:
I went up through West Point today. I entered through Thayer Gate. The
MP didn't ask for a photo ID, but did ask me where I was going. He
kindly directed me to bear left, around the parking lot, to avoid a
long line of cars. Lee Gate, which is one of the exits to 218 was very
closed -- barbed wire in front of the gate and along the sides into
the forest. I decided it was not the time to test exactly how far the
barbed wire went. The sign said Washington Gate was closed, but in
fact there was an MP there who cheerfully let me ride out that way and
onto 218.
October 2001, Ralph Yozzo on NYC.bicycles:
A person I know that lives in the West Point Area rode to West Point and
he says you only need a Photo ID (e.g., a driver's license).
Here's what he wrote:
Thanks for the info. I checked out
West Point myself with a bike. Jody and I rode through the campus
Sunday. They checked photo I.D. twice. Cars were being
examined 9 ways till Sunday (the engine compartment, dogs sniffing,
trunks, the whole thing). However, all Jody and I needed to show
was a picture I.D. (we showed drivers' licenses) and we were allowed
entry. It was in fact pretty smooth.
October 2001, Ken Roberts: I called the West Point
Visitor's Center, and they said you cannot get into the
West Point main campus without military ID -- whether by car, or
on bicycle, or on foot. As the www.usma.edu
website says, you can still ride to the Visitors Center and Museum --
but that's because they are in the village of Highland Falls outside the
main West Point campus.
Then Sharon and I were driving nearby, so we checked out Greg's
suggestion of Mine Rd. And now it looks like for connecting from
Bear Mountain Bridge to the Storm King Mt Highway, Mine Rd and Rt 293
make a reasonable alternative to braving the high-speed traffic and bad
shoulders on Route 9W around West Point.
We found big signs saying "Road Open" at both ends of Mine
Rd, and it was a regular 2-lane road with pavement in reasonable
condition. From Route 9W just north of the Bear Mt bridge in Fort
Montgomery, by the gas station on the west side and the post office, turn west
onto Firemen's Memorial Drive. Then bear Right at the sign for
Mine Rd. It starts up a hill which is the steepest on the whole
road. Perhaps some limited visibility around some curves.
(Seemed to us like a better overall deal than the climb up Rt 218 from
the village of Highland Falls to Route 9W.) Then there's more
climbing, along with some rests. And then a gentle cruise to Route
293, including some pretty lakes.
As for Route 293, we drove the section between Mine Rd and Rt 6 --
which is not the section you would ride to get to the Storm King Mt
Highway -- but it did have rather nice pavement and shoulders and
visibility. Then I have recently driven the section of Rt 218
north from Rt 293 to Lee Gate toward Storm King Mt, and it looked that
would be a fun descent.
October 2001, Ken Roberts: My interpretation of what I
see on the official website is that they are not permitting bicycle
rides on or through the West Point campus (even with photo ID). I
copied this from the www.usma.edu
official website on October 8:
SECURITY
1. Entry to West Point is for OFFICIAL BUSINESS ONLY,
ensure you have photo ID.
2. Visitors will be allowed in the Visitors Center and
Museum at Pershing Center. Visitors will only be allowed on main
post for religious services, weddings, reviews, cadet family visits,
conferences, band, athletic and club events. See special details for
Army football games.
3. 100% vehicle and photo ID check underway.
4. Entrance to the post is only possible through Stony
Lonesome and Thayer gate, all other gates are closed for entry.
I happened to be driving my car near West Point one evening, so I
stopped by and checked out Lee Gate, the one that meets the Storm King
Mountain Highway furthest north. In addition to being officially
closed -- and in addition to what other detection and defensive measures
they have there -- they have also fixed barbed wire in any place near Lee Gate that you
might think of walking a bike or carrying a bike around or over. (It
wasn't like that last time I was by there.)
I haven't thought of any good alternate route. Route 9W and
Route 218 around West Point and Highland Falls include some high-speed
or high-traffic sections with no shoulders or bad shoulders.
October 2001, Ed Ravin on NYC.bicycles:
The Five Borough Bike Club ride "Double Cross the Hudson" for
Saturday, October 6, was canceled for this reason. By the way, the
Academy's web site is www.usma.edu .
October 2001, Ken Roberts: A guy riding with Sharon and me today said that security around the US
Military Academy at West Point, NY has been greatly increased for anti-terrorism, and that there might now be restrictions on riding bicycles
through the academy.
Route 218 between West Point and
Cornwall-on-Hudson. Over the years this road has been closed for
repairs more than once. On these routes Bear Mt
- Newburgh-Beacon Loop, New York City to
Albany.
KenR, July 2010: Sharon + I rode thru just fine.
KenR, Sept 2009:
Saw some posts on bicycling forums that the road has been re-opened.
Ray, August 2009:
Rt. 218 North of West Point is Closed due to Rock Slides. This is the
portion of 218, which wraps around the face of Storm King Mountain and
has the Beautiful Scenic views of both the North and south portions of
the Hudson River from up High on the Mountain face, and exits at
Cornwall on the Hudson. there was no placard as to when the Road would
Open Up Again.
Peter, August 2004:
(by email to KenR) -- This weekend, I was near West Point and was hoping
to go through Rt 218 (Storm King Highway) to get to Cornwall. I
discovered that the road was closed and fenced off. The closure looked
rather permanent instead of temporary, as I also saw "Road Closed" signs
posted 1 to 2 miles before. Do you or your contacts have any information
about this closure? Is it permanent? What happened? It was still open
about a month ago when I was last there.
September 2003 -- Ken:
Just got a report from Steve. He called the Dept of Transportation
office that covers eastern Orange county, and they said
they close the Storm King Mountain Highway section of Rt 218 after heavy
rainfall -- because of the danger of rock slides onto the road.
I just called that number myself: They told me over the phone
that they must close that section of road for at least 24 hours after
the end of a period of rainfall of 1 inch or more. Then they check
the road and open it again when they think it's OK.
September, 2003 --
Argun: I discovered today (9/27/2003) that the Storm King
Mountain Highway is closed at West Point. Big chain-link fence across
the road, so sneaking by is questionable. The obvious detour on 9W is
pretty unpleasant as there is no usable shoulder until the top of the
hill. The gutter they have for a shoulder is unusable due to collected
crap and water running through it. (although there is a 2.5 mile, 45 mph
descent . . . on the other side)
August 26, 2000 -- Ralph Yozzo on nyc.bicycles newsgroup:
"The good news is that Storm King Highway (Rt. 218) is repaired.
Therefore, you can ride straight through without walking your
bike." (It had been washed
out, both lanes at one place.)
see also Trip Reports
Some key roads and paved paths along the Ashokan Reservoir were
closed for several months in response to the 9/11 events -- which could
impact several bicycle routes. See the reports below, and also
check the bikeMH
discussion group for more recent reports. Also see the NYC
Department of Environmental Protection website.
May 2004 -- Ken:
see Ashokan Reservoir
Dam reports
September 2003 -- Ken: Sharon and I rode alongside reservoir,
and found that the section of Monument Rd that crosses the main dam was
blocked by concrete barriers -- at its southwest end at its junction
with Rt 28A, and at its junction with Reservoir Rd. So it looks
like that section is closed to motor vehicles.
But there was an opening in each barrier wide enough to a allow a
person to go through, so we rode this whole section, and the pavement
was in good condition. (But the side turnoff to visit the monument
itself had signs forbidding entry.) We also rode the off-road
paved path, and that was open and in good condition, and we continued
riding past the the east end of that to the parking area and back to Rt
28A.
The Reservoir Rd on the bridge across the middle of the reservoir was
open to motor vehicles, and the continuation of Monument Rd southeast
from the junction with Reservoir was open to motor vehicles.
June 22, 2002 -- Ken Roberts: Sharon and I visited the
Ashokan Reservoir by car, and all the roads and the paved path were open
and in good condition -- even the bridge across the middle of the
lake. The main changes we saw were some new signs, and some new
guard checkpoints along some of the entrance roads. [
Photos ]
May 22, 2002 -- Ken Roberts: I just called the NYC Dept
of Environmental Protection phone number for the Ashokan
Reservoir, and the guy there said it is now OK to ride bicycles on the
roads by the Ashokan Reservoir -- including the paved path connecting
with the "Frying Pan" parking area along the south side of the
lake -- provided riders stay on the paved roads and paths, and do not go
over any guard rails or fences. The Mid-Hudson
Bicycle Club (as of May 22) announced a Tri-Club
ride around there for June 2.
The NYC
Department of Environmental Protection website (as of May 21) said that the
recreational
access rules
were changed in April 2002 -- but I didn't see anything specifically about
bicycling on the website.
September 29, 2001 -- Richard: All New York City roads and access
to the Ashokan Reservoir are closed. This means the "walking dike," the
dividing weir road (the road between the upper and lower basins)
beginning on NYS Route 28, the New York City road which intersects the walking
dike and the dividing weir road and the road which connects Reservoir
Road to Route 28A. Route 28A is open from end to end, but with the
New York City
road closings, some of the views are cut off.
September 14, 2001 -- Ken Roberts: Some paths and roads around the Ashokan
Reservoir are now closed -- especially the off-road
path near the "Frying Pan" area on the Ashokan Reservoir Dam
route, but probably several other key roads on other routes. [reported by Gary,
Margaret]. Ashokan Reservoir
Dam route is not ridable.
Route 28A around the West end of the Ashokan
Reservoir
On these routes: Woodstock and around
Ashokan Reservoir, variation D of New Paltz to Ashokan
Reservoir, variation B of
Ashokan Reservoir
Views
May 2004 -- Ken: Sharon
and I rode Rt 28A and found it all open in good condition.
September 2003 -- John:
Route 28A is closed a few miles west of Olive Bridge for bridge
construction. The posted detour goes east around the Reservoir to Rt 28,
then west around the reservoir and east again to West Shokan -- probably
adding 20 unnecessary miles. Not knowing exactly where the road
was closed, I tried taking Ulster County Rt 3 and some back roads
paralleling 28A, then rejoining 28A -- and fortunately this worked fine.
September 2001 -- Richard: The bridge repair is
complete. Route 28A is open from
end to end, but with the New York City road closings, some of the views
are cut off.
August 2001 -- MHBC folks: Route 28A around the West end of the lake
near West Shokan has a
bridge closed. Sometimes this has been cross-able by bicycles, but it
might become fully closed during construction.
June 2001 -- Ken Roberts: Route 28A had a bridge closed, but we
were able to easily carry our bikes over the dirt.
June 2001 and July 1999 -- Ken Roberts: Route 44 across the Shawangunk ridges
between Gardner and Kerhonkson is in
excellent condition. The construction of the three bridges is
complete.
On these routes: Great
Shawangunk Hill Loop, New
Paltz to Ashokan Reservoir, and Climbs and
Descents.
Mountain Rest Rd
On these
routes: Great Shawangunk Hill Loop and
Climbs and Descents.
Ulster County Rt 6 from the Mohonk Gatehouse down West to the junction with UC Rt 6A
Pavement is patched up better now [July 2000 -- Ken Roberts]
In rather rough condition. Not recommended for descent,
but OK for climbing up. [July 1999 -- Ken Roberts]
Springtown Rd (Ulster Co Rt 7
north of Rt 299)
on routes New
Paltz North -- Rail Trail, Farms
and Orchards around New Paltz, New
Paltz - Kingston Waterfront.
August 2002, Ken Roberts: Sharon and I rode it from Mountain
Rest Rd to Rosendale -- and it all seemed in good shape and again a
pleasure to ride.
September 2001, Ken Roberts: The bad section of Springtown Rd north
of Cragswood Rd has now been re-paved. It's still on the narrow
side and with no shoulders, but it's definitely smoother and
flatter.
June 2000, Ken Roberts: Springtown Rd north of Cragswood Rd is in rough condition, with many cracks in the
pavements and sunken
edges. These conditions might require that the rider handle a
tricky combination of high-speed traffic on
a rough road which is not wide and with no shoulders -- for at least 3
miles. We recommend not riding on this section of
road, at least until it is re-paved
(except perhaps for very skilled and experienced road riders who
understand and feel comfortable handling the additional risks).
It would be even better if the road were also widened, especially
near curves, rises, and dips. Years ago, riding on
Springtown Rd was one of the attractions of visiting the New Paltz area,
and there are no good alternatives to it for several fine road routes --
so it is rather unfortunate that it has fallen into this
condition.
The River Rd which is near Tillson connects between Rt 32
and Ulster Co Rt 7, Springtown Rd. On this route: Farms
and Orchards around New Paltz.
June 2000, Ken Roberts: It is blocked off to through traffic,
for about 100 meters in the middle. But we found that we could
carefully walk and ride our bike through it, so there's no need to
change anything on a bicycling route.
[ Please send us a report about
conditions you see. ]
see also the Trip
Reports index
[ Please send us a report about
conditions you see. ]
|
