Backcountry Bikepacking trail access?

[Zach]

Thanks, those are important things to bear in mind. I was thinking of some of the old roads that are used as snowmobile trails in Piercefield, but I think a lot of those pass over easements and I will need to look into the legality of bicycle use there.

My only bike for the last 11 years has been a Trek 520 touring bike with 35mm touring tires, so it does fine on dirt roads and some paths that are on old roads, but it's not suited to rough travel. It did fine on a couple of trips through the Moose River Plains road, and I was even able to ride most of the way to Mitchell Ponds on that trail, but that's about all I can do.

[montcalm]

Having ridden Mitchell Ponds - I would say depending on how you go, if you start at the more south and east terminus at the road that trail is fairly easy - it's an old woods road and it was fairly soft and smooth as I recall.

The second section going that way past the ponds (or starting from the more north and west terminus) is much more rugged. It is ridden so there is a burned in single track but it's mostly through a corridor of tall grasses with various rocks and logs strewn in the way. There was one steep section toward the end that I recall was completely worn down to rocks (this tends to be the case IME on snowmobile trails). It wasn't too rough, but I don't think a road bike with touring tires could handle it.

The great thing about snowmobile trails is they do tend to have good bridges. Far more than what you need for a bike, of course.



With all this being said though - there are a number of trails in WF areas that are completely ridable (and actually fun to ride) that aren't snowmobile trails. Here it helps to have some sort of guide or local knowledge. Personally, back in the mid-90s I did a lot of that by trial and error and I can tell you quite a few you don't want to try to ride (Third Lake Creek is particularly dreadful - although very close by there are a number of easily rideable trails in Fern Park).

[stripperguy]

Coreys road near Axton Landing has many opportunities for primitive camping and is well suited for biking, not for the sake of riding, but just to get to the various campsites and trailheads. Beyond the hiking, the Raquette River is there too…

[Zach]

Corey's Rd does look nice. I'll definitely want to try those trails, and poke around in the river.

Conifer-Emporium easement Special Rules state that the whole property is open to bicycling, along with a list of other non-motorized activities. The Special Rules for the Massawepie Easement say:

"The main road from Route 3 can be used by public vehicles, including bicycles (but not ATVs). This includes Town Line Road, Russell Road, and Carriage Road. Several snowmobile trails are designated."

Bicycling is not on the general list of approved activities for this easement, so I presume that means that bicycles are only permitted on the "main road"

I have read about the Grasse River Railroad trail being used for bicycling, but I don't know if going over all those ties on my bike would be very comfortable, so I'd probably just go around on Route 3 to get to the Cranberry Lake area.

[Bunchberry]

I used to ride an MTB and I have hiked most of the trails East of Lake George. Few of them would be ride able on a MTB. There are many downed trees, stream crossings, mud pits and rock gardens that would be tough to ride.

There is a dirt road that is right on the east side of the lake. It is real nice but getting to it with a bike would not be easy.

[Riosacandaga]

https://theadirondacktrailride.com/route/

[Riosacandaga]

https://theadirondacktrailride.com/route/

there are many possibilities to build off this route.

and a "light" version:

https://ridewithgps.com/routes/38292464

[Sinite]

Right, Thanks!
I am really enjoying this thread.
Right now I am thinking of a 1-2 night lollipop from Horseshoe Lake, north on “Massawepie” road through the Connifer Emporium Easement, west onto Burnt Bridge Pond trail, south along Cranberry Lake to Curtis Pond, continue east back to Horseshoe Lake.
Anybody know if this is doable?

[montcalm]

Looks reasonable.

Hard to say what kind of shape those trails are in without snow, and I'd also be curious about the CL50 trail on the east side. I've never hiked that but I'm sure someone who has hiked the CL50 would know something about it.

I'd give it a shot - what's the worst? You might have to turn back and do it out-and-back instead of a loop.

[Sinite]

right, that's what I'm thinking. Part of the adventure!

[DSettahr]

I backpacked the Dog Pond Loop years ago, back in 2011. Unfortunately I don't have photos from that trip- I think I was between cameras (my old camera finally bit the dust and my new camera had not yet arrived in the mail). My memory is pretty fuzzy but I do remember that the connector trail between the Burntbridge Pond Trail and the Dog Pond area of the CL50 to the south clearly being a trail that gets relatively little use, although I don't remember it being in horrendous shape. But 11-12 years can also make a trail far different... for better or for worse.

I do remember that the Nat Geo map showed a spur trail up Dog Pond Mountain that I looked for- and never saw any sign of. I just checked and the current edition of the Nat Geo map still shows the trail. I made a post on this forum not long after that trip looking for additional info on that trail (and whether it actually exists or ever existed), but never got a response.

When I was in grad school, I lead a beginner backpacking trip for the Syracuse University Outing Club to Burntbridge Pond. The Burntbridge Pond Trail is pretty wide and wouldn't be too bad on a bicycle. I do vaguely remember the turn off where the snowmobile trail continues onto the Conifer-Emporium easement lands; my vague memory was that that trail didn't look like it would be super obvious all the way through.

If you look through the linked album from that Burntbridge Pond trip, there is a photo taken at the junction with the Dog Pond Trail that will give you a sense of how infrequently traveled that trail is.

The CL50 in the Dog Pond vicinity, as well as the spur trail that connects the CL50 to the road west of Horseshoe Lake, is mostly on old logging roads and should be pretty good on a bike. There's a few photos of these stretches of trail in this album from a backpacking trip that I took from Horseshoe Lake to Grass Pond, also back in 2011.

[montcalm]

Best bet for those snowmobile trails is to have a local (like Zach) burn them in, in the spring. I see they are right in his backyard. Looks like just take off up Co. Rd. 62 and make a loop or two.


No idea when you plan on going, but there might be a magic window in between snow, mud and bugs when this wouldn't be too grassy.

[Zach]

I'm going to become a (pseudo)local sometime this year, but now I'm still 120 miles away. I'm hoping to have time to do a little biking by mid-summer or so, but things are going to be a moderately frantic in the meantime.

[Sinite]

Since I ride a fatbike I am wondering how riding a retired railroad with low pressure in my tires would be? Anyone have experience?

[Sinite]

I used to ride an MTB and I have hiked most of the trails East of Lake George. Few of them would be ride able on a MTB. There are many downed trees, stream crossings, mud pits and rock gardens that would be tough to ride.

There is a dirt road that is right on the east side of the lake. It is real nice but getting to it with a bike would not be easy.

Which road are you speaking of? I see several on the east side. Also looks like they have roads leading to them from the main road.
I have a bike raft so I could paddle to the road if it is a good one.