mihlbach

I do an annual tour in late June-early July with my two sons who are presently 11 and 16. Last year we did the Cabot Trail on Cape Breton Island in Nova Scotia and this year we are considering a ride in the Adirondack region. We have about a week for our tour but the exact number of days is flexible. Our target distance is somewhere between 300-400 miles with average of 50-70 miles per day. My sons are proficient cyclists in multiple disciplines, so, even for the 11 year-old, difficultly level is not really a major concern. We will be equipped to camp the entire trip, mostly in campgrounds, but some wild camping is acceptable.
I have spent some time bikepacking in Vermont, but have never cycled in the Adirondacks. I looked around online and found a few potential routes but they seem to be either mostly paved highways or very rugged and remote bikepacking routes.
Preferably we would like something the sends us off the beaten path some of the time, but would rather not get too far off the beaten path, at least not for long intervals. A good mixture of pavement and gravel would be great.

Steve B.

Even the pavement is off the beaten path in the Daks. There’s just a LOT of nothing but woods between towns in about most parts excepting maybe the SW area around Lake George. I typically tell people it’s a good place to count trees, LOL.

It’s a big semi-park, with a lot of state owned forest lands, interspersed with small hamlets. But not a lot of dirt roads that are thru routes, really only areas I can think of is; west of Eagle Bay to the Stillwater Reservoir and out of the park, the Moose River Plains Rd. from Inlet NE to Indian Lake, some logging roads up in the NW and isolated sections in other areas.

Off the beaten path on dirt roads could see you in the Essex Chain area, there are some good dirt routes now open to bikes with scattered primitive (and free) campsites. Also the area NW of Horseshoe Lake (just SW of Tupper Lake), I’m certain you can stealth camp in there. And a ton of primitive campsites in the Moose River Plains.

BUT the paved roads are not crowded, excepting maybe Friday night near I87.

Lots of state campsites though, Google the state Dept. of Conservation website for Adirondack camping, there’s like 50 some odd campgrounds. Not cheap necessarily, I think it’s over $25 a night for a non-resident and they don’t have hiker/biker rates.

Also bring good insect repellant as it will be black fly season. The Daks have a lot of wetlands, ponds and lakes and the bugs can be annoying that time of year.

I’m certain there’s 6 days to be found with occasional dirt as a mix.

indyfabz

ACA has a loop route in the area.

berner

The Daks is a very big place. 3/4 of a million acres or so. Regarding gravel ways, I'd contact snowmobile clubs.They typically cut or use forest service roads for winter snow sports. May brother-in-law has a cottage in the area and talks about miles and miles of woods roads.

hilltowner

+1 on the ACA suggestion. Their route selection is generally the best you'll find in terms of low traffic volume, etc. If you do use it, I second their recommendation to visit the Adirondack Museum in Blue Mt. Lake. Even if you don't have much time, stop in and look at the exhibits in the lobby area. That's free and still a good hour's worth of looking if you're like me and need to read everything. Also was a good excuse to get warmed up during a long rainy ride to Long Lake from Wevertown.

mihlbach

Thanks for the suggestions. The ACA route looks
Iike a great start.

Steve B.

It’s a good loop, all pavement though. If you’ve any interest in gravel/dirt options as slight detours from this, I’ve some suggestions.

Pratt

Here in VT, snowmobile trails are in great condition. Some, however, are wicked steep, they have engines. Some of the trails are on private land and only open in the
Winter.

jpescatore

Years ago 3 friends and I did a 5 day bike tour around Lake Champlain. We did all roads plus a ferry ride across the lake, but there are a lot of options. Info on various routes and trails here.

Steve B.

Snowmobile routes typically and unless supported as a bike specific route, suck for biking.

In the Dak's and not talking the dirt roads, they tend to be overgrown, wet, and generally un-ridable.

I've been doing a lot of research of what dirt/gravel routes are available in the Adirondacks. Typically and in the central region west of I87, and in the regions towards the western park boundary, there's not a lot of roads, and very few that are few routes. Some loop and out and back sections in the Essex Chain, Moose River Plains, some routes just W and SW of Tupper Lake, Stillwater Reservoir, lots of logging roads NW of Tupper, and more towards the park perimeter, area's near Perkins Clearing, etc... But a lot of the region is wilderness areas or primitive forest designation and there are no thru routes in those area's. You kind of have to really know the area and make an effort to find the roads.

Pratt

I can believe it, Steve. I have found some, I don't know what to call them, logging roads, spillways, obstacle courses, that were barely walkable, much less rideable, at least by me.

hilltowner

Not sure what the date is on the guide linked to here. It reads as though the bikeway over the Causeway to South Hero from Burlington wasn't complete. It is, with the bike ferry across the Colchester Cut. I had wanted to take the Causeway in the summer of '11 but record high water levels plus wave damage closed the Causeway for that summer. Still would like to ride that but it's a long way to drive up from home for a 13 mile bike ride. This here map shows the Champlain bike routes. Shows some unpaved sections FWIW.