Bike riding in the Hudson Valley!

September 16, 2009 9:51 AM

Perfect autumn bike rides in New York's Hudson Valley.

I imagine the Hudson Valley can be quite beautiful during the fall, so I was thinking about taking my bike out there for a day or two. Can anybody recommend some leisurely, daytrip-type routes that would let me enjoy the fall foliage along with some of the area's quaint little towns?

I'd prefer something within an hour's drive of Manhattan, but I'm always open to other suggestions.

Thanks in advance!

posted by kmtiszen to sports, hobbies, & recreation (6 comments total)

http://www.westchestergov.com/Parks/SideBar/Trailways.htm

I rather like the North County Trailway.
posted by Inspector.Gadget at 9:57 AM on September 16

One of the most beautiful areas (in my humble having-grown-up-there opinion!) in the Hudson Valley is the Shawangunk ridge near New Paltz. You could park in New Paltz (right off the Thruway) and set off and visit Rosendale, High Falls, and the like. Rapha details a very ambitious ride starting and ending in New Paltz, with great photos that give you a sense of the area.
posted by gyusan at 10:22 AM on September 16

I guess it's a little farther northeast than you might be looking, but I really like the trail that goes down from Millerton NY to Amenia NY: http://www.roberts-1.com/bikehudson/r/p/e/d/harlem_valley/routes/index.htm -- paved, flat, and super relaxing.

Also, the Vassar College farm http://farm.vassar.edu/ has miles of trails in the backwoods (you'd probably want a mountain bike, tho). Many of the trails will dump you out onto Poughkeepsie roads which are bike friendly if quite hilly.
posted by ubermuffin at 11:10 AM on September 16

I used to live right on the Wallkill Valley Rail Trail in New Paltz. It passes through Gardiner, New Paltz, and Rosendale. It's an easy ride and very relaxing!
posted by saxamo at 12:23 PM on September 16

There is a bike path that goes through Mahopac that I am a fan of: here. I have ridden it through both westchester and putnam. Very nice!
posted by firei at 4:32 PM on September 16

Seconding the North County Trailway/Putnam County Trailway (the one that goes through Mahopac) -- they're the same trail spanning two counties. Millwood to Carmel and back is about 40 miles, includes scenic bridges and viaducts and relatively few road crossings (average maybe 1/mile,) woods and fields and water, and it goes by 4 villages plus another major shopping center so plenty of break opportunities.
posted by Opposite George at 5:19 PM on September 16