Backcountry Bikepacking trail access?

[Bunchberry]

Lake shore road

https://naturalatlas.com/map/@43.572432,-73.578615,14z

[Sinite]

I’m going to try to get there again next year. So far it hasn’t worked out due to time constraints, but I’ve come close. I’ll plan on camping along the way next time.

[Sinite]

Hmm, any idea how the trail from Pike Brook trailhead is as far as a mountain bike goes? I could paddle down to it from the bay north of there if the weather cooperates.

[DSettahr]

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

I would be pretty wary about the chance of a puncture unless it's specifically been converted into a bike path with all of the rail infrastructure removed. There's a lot of jaggedy metal pieces lying around on some of those older railroad grades.

And there's also the potential issue of the legality of being on the grade, depending on which railroad grade you're referring to.

[montcalm]

Fat bike or not, I wouldn't ride on the tracks. I also wouldn't count on riding next to them - it can be pretty miserable.


I think most of trails, with the exception of the summit trails to Sleeping Beauty would be fairly easy to ride. I know the trail up to Bumps pond from Dacy Clearing would be an easy ride, it's fairly well graded and not rough at all. Most of the stuff down by the lake would be fine too - not too much elevation gain. There's a couple spots where it might be better to descend if coming from up high back down to the lake shore, rather than climb i.e. I'd climb toward Sleeping Beauty or Shelving Rock Mtn as both those trails are old roads.

I'm not sure what the situation might be as you get north toward Black Mountain as I've never been up that far, but I'm sure some may - but I think you'd be able to make a loop somewhere, even if you don't know exactly which trails you're going to take - it will be obvious when you're our there.

I wouldn't recommend going down to Buck or over to the Tongue, both of those would be a lot of pushing, although technically I think you could get up to Fifth Peak LT but I certainly wouldn't do that climb on a fat bike with overnight gear.

I think the area right around Shelving Rock, south of Black Mtn and west of Sleeping Beauty is going to the best area for riding in terms of grades and trail condition.

[Bob K]

Biking along RR tracks

Not good, even with low pressure fat bike, 4.8" tires. Tried it a few places.

Many fun mtb trails in Shelving Rock area. Some very steep and even hike-a-bike, but enough options to entertain. Plus prime swimming.

[richard1726]

RR tracks, not good. It might seem passable for a while but it becomes no fun, I have to spend al my time looking down. This is when the ties are still in place. And just riding on RR ballast is no fun either, the ballast rock is 2 to 3 inches and very angular. (My tires are 2.8 in wide with the rear tire at its minimum air pressure.)

[Sinite]

Lots of great info here. Thanks! I am getting excited for some ADK bikepacking!

[Bunchberry]

I found this description of mountain biking the " Shelving Rock Falls big loop trail in the Lake George Wild Forest"

https://www.mtbr.com/threads/shelving-rock-falls-big-loop-info.33717/

[Sinite]

Thanks for this link. I am heading back to that area this coming weekend, weather permitting. Guess I won’t be riding that route.

[VermontDacker]

Has anyone here done a bikepacking/camping trip into Essex Chain Lakes?

Bikes are legal on the old roads and they looked to be in pretty good shape when I briefly visited last year.

But I'm less sure about the camping part. The sites on the lakes were placed with paddling in mind, and I'm not sure most are even accessible by bike.

The rules in camping in Essex also have me confused. It's clear that on lakes and ponds you can only camp in designated sites, no 150 ft rule. I am not clear on whether this also applies to the forest far from the water bodies. Can you wheel your bike a couple hundred feet off the road) trail and camp there?

[Sinite]

Has anyone here done a bikepacking/camping trip into Essex Chain Lakes?

Bikes are legal on the old roads and they looked to be in pretty good shape when I briefly visited last year.

But I'm less sure about the camping part. The sites on the lakes were placed with paddling in mind, and I'm not sure most are even accessible by bike.

The rules in camping in Essex also have me confused. It's clear that on lakes and ponds you can only camp in designated sites, no 150 ft rule. I am not clear on whether this also applies to the forest far from the water bodies. Can you wheel your bike a couple hundred feet off the road) trail and camp there?

We rode into the lean to on Third Lake a couple of years ago. We made a sweet loop of it.