adamcsmith

Hi all,

I'm interested in getting into touring and thought I'd start with some overnight/weekend bike camping trips to get a taste. I live in Brooklyn and would ideally like to leave Brooklyn on bike, ride 40-70 miles, camp somewhere, and probably head back the next day.

Does anyone have any suggestions, route recommendations, or camping destinations of note?

Thanks!

Adam

ratdog

https://nysparks.state.ny.us/parks/116/details.aspx

You can probably use google maps to find a route.

bktourer1

Fahnstock & try Ward Pond Ridge

fusilierdan

Beaver Pond Campground in Harriman?

Trueblood

That's a really tough 60 miles on a touring bike loaded with camping gear. You have to climb bear mountain on the way. You really might be better off putting your bike on a metro north train and starting further up the river. There are more camp sites and you would not have such a killer first outing. You would need to purchase a train pass for your bike. It is 5 bucks and you have to get it at grand central. They don't sell them on the train. Starting in Poughkeepsie and heading north is a nice ride. There aren't really any campsites that I know of that are withing striking range for day trips from nyc.

dendawg

Not true. Beaver Pond is located on Lake Welch. While it's a tough climb, Gate Hill Rd (Rt 106) takes you right to the campground entrance. I believe it closes the 2nd week of October. A flatter but longer ride would be to Hither Hills in Montauk.

adamcsmith

I do have a car, so I suppose I could drive north a bit and then start pedaling, although it is not my preference. Can you recommend more specific routes or destinations if I started from Poughkeepsie?

Thanks.

adamcsmith

And thanks to everyone for their suggestions. Sounds like I need to do a little research and planning. Would love to hear from anyone that has actually bike from NYC to any of these destinations and if there is a better route than another to take.

And the Hither Hills spot, that sounds appealing. I biked the Montauk century once, so I could follow a similar path by taking LIRR out a ways and then beginning to bike.

Thanks again.

Steve B.

If it's just a camping destination with no real desire for a "great" camping experience, then maybe Battle Row County Park in Bethpage, Nassau County.

Here's a 39 route from Bedford Ave. at Emmons Ave. in Sheepshead Bay to Bethpage, via the Rockaways. Once you hit Lakeview Ave. in Lynbrook, you are on the Ride to Montauk and Montauk Century route as far as the turn north in Seaford.

The section in Woodmere that bypasses Broadway is to avoid a ton of traffic.

https://ridewithgps.com/routes/707378

John F

There are a bunch of options from NYC. I'd strongly recommend you consider taking Metro North up to somewhere between Brewster and Wassaic. It's really easy.

We attempted a NYC to Poughkeepsie trip about a month ago. The traffic made it absolute hell after Bear Mountain. On the west side of the Hudson, the hills compress all the northbound traffic into just a few routes. You can go though West Point if you get there before 2 pm, otherwise your other option is 9W, which turns into 4 lanes of howling vehicular manslaughter around there even though it is still legal to ride on. We actually ended up riding *through* the West Point golf course at one point to avoid 9W. From there, you can take 281 north through Storm King, which is lovely, but again filled with jerks going 20 mph over the speed limit on a very narrow road stuck to the side of a mountain while you wobble up at 5 mph. And then it gets really bad going through Newburgh and north--I mean, I actually ended up riding on a sidewalk for the first time since I was 10 because of the traffic. Beautiful country though.

In complete contrast, a few weeks ago we took the train up to Brewster and had the most glorious ~90-mile ride (with getting lost and detours) ever. I've done a lot of miles in New York State, but nothing else within a direct train ride of NYC without transfers is this good.

Here's the map: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/595004
Here's some pictures: https://www.flickr.com/photos/3639739...7627253724685/

You can also try this route from Wassaic, which goes through Mt Washington in Southwest Massachusetts. You have to switch trains at Southeast Station. Although my idea of camping is finding a cheap motel without bedbugs, I'm sure there are some campgrounds around there: https://ridewithgps.com/trips/349675

And a few others: https://www.flickr.com/photos/3639739...7627312869170/

I have cue sheets for all these and a bunch more on RideWithGPS if you need them; obviously if you're doing an overnight you could do a lot more than 100 miles or so.

adamcsmith

John, thanks very much for this post...this is very helpful information. I looked through your Flickr set as well and it does indeed seem like a nice peaceful ride up that way, not to mention beautiful country.

My only concern is your description of the ride: "steepness" and "you'll definitely need GPS for this." I plan on packing on some camping gear in panniers, which I've never done so I'm not used to riding longer distances with an additional 30 lbs of stuff hanging on my bike; and I ride a Surly CrossCheck, which only has the 2 rings up front, so no granny gear for me, and I don't own GPS (except my old ****ty 3G iphone, which can't hold a charge for very long).

But I won't necessarily let those details deter me from considering this further. I did notice on your GPS map that the ride ended just a bit north of the Clarence Fahnestock state park, which would be a great destination to pitch a tent at the end of a ride. I believe you and the other posters have lead me in the right direction, so I am going to investigate further.

Any idea if there are problems bringing a fully (or somewhat) loaded bicycle on the train?

Thanks again.

dendawg

Another possible option is cabin camping. You have Sebago Camp Cabins on Lake Sebago in Harriman Park. Normally they rent by the week but are available by the day after Labor Day, till they close for the season. There are other state parks that also have cabins for rent. I think most NYS Park campgrounds close down the second week in october. Not sure about campgrounds operated by the DEC. Staying in a cabin you would only need to pack a sleeping bag and food.

rhm

Check out this website:

www.warmshowers.com

You might consider taking public transport --LIRR, NJTransit, or MetroNorth-- to the end of the line and riding from there. It's a nice way to get the nastiest part of the ride out of the way and enjoy the countryside.

Another NJ option is to take a ferry from Manhattan to Atlantic Highlands and ride from there.

John F

As long as you're not pulling a trailer, there should be no problems. If you're taking Metro North, you have to take an off-peak train, bikes are banned on peak trains (although this rule is only intermittently enforced). NJ transit allows bikes at all times. Take an early train, arrive a bit early, and find a car with a bathroom--there's empty space across from the bathrooms where you can park your bike. I bring a little wedge to put under my rear tire which effectively locks the bike in place.

There are some steep hills on all my preferred routes, but you can do it...and if you can't just get off and walk your bike up. There's no shame in walking when you're touring! Most of the steep climbs are pretty short, there's only one on the Southeast-New Hamsburg route that is problematic, and that's mostly because it's on dirt and traction can be an issue.

I had another thought last night...if you take 9W north, just past Nyack there's Hook Mountain State Park, which is actually quite nice. You wouldn't have to take a train there, from downtown where I live it's only 35 miles. I've only ridden there on weekdays, no idea if it gets crowded on weekends or what the camping situation is. Then again, if you're going to go that far you might as well go to Harriman.

ratdog

I believe that Clarence Fahnestock state park is not far off the north county trail in case you want to go from Manhattan up the WSH into the Bronx and then Westchester. The route would involve some roads, but most of the trip can be done via trail.

dendawg

And easy access to the Cold Spring Metro North Station

Steve B.

Not that close either. Once the NCT gets to Yorktown Heights, it starts heading northeast to Lake Mahopac and Carmel then heads east to Brewster and never gets as far north as Fahnestock.

If you bail off the NCT in Baldwin Place and start heading NW, it's about 16 miles up to the camping area of Fahnestock.

Still, for 30 some odd miles thru Westchester from Van Cortland Park, it's mostly all bike path.

rhm

Not true. Folding bikes allowed at all times; non-folding bikes allowed at off-peak times. And oddly (I learned this last Monday, Labor Day), no bikes on holidays. WTF! I was really nice to the head conductor and he let us on. When in doubt go to the head of the train, find the head conductor before you get on, and get his permission. What he says, goes.

adamcsmith

Thanks for all the great info guys! I'm going to investigate further, make some decisions, and get on my bike.

Maloufs Mt

Hello Adam,
Maloufs Mountain Campground is used by cyclists to bike from NYC and stay with us.
We have hot showers , tent sites and tent sites on platforms.
We also have food delivery, for you to cook at your site.
Check out the website . Maloufsmountain.com

Steve B.

Talk about a Necro post, the OP question and every reply was in 2011. Doubt they are listening.

Maloufs Mt

Sorry SteveB, We are just looking to help out bikers looking for an adventure. We have had several cyclist from NYC here this year.
I will look for more appropriate messages to respond to. I just joined, and saw the camping question , so I responded. Thanks for advising me to look at the dates first.
Deb

Steve B.

Post a comment in the Touring forum, I know this subject just came up a few weeks ago about camping for a rider coming from NJ onto Long Island.