Malone-Tupper Lake Bicycling along the Adirondack Trail


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bike map symbolsBicycling the 60 miles along the Malone – Tupper Lake segment of the Adirondack Trail is an experience in geographical diversity and contrast.  Rides to the north, east or west offer rolling farmland with numerous lightly traveled country roads.  Scenic views are gained in some plateau areas, with overlooks of the St. Lawrence River valley and Canada to the north or the Adirondack Mountains to the south.  Enhancing the rides are numerous opportunities for riverside riding, with the St. Regis, Salmon, Trout and Chateaugay Rivers all winding through the area.  Rides to the south begin the climb into the forests and mountains of the Adirondack Park.

Road Biking Opportunities

A ride along the Adirondack Trail, Route 30, offers very wide shoulders – 6 feet in most places – as well as great surface quality and moderate traffic depending on the time of day.  Along the route are Deer River Flow, Meacham Lake, Paul Smiths and Upper Saranac Lake. It is 60 miles from Malone to Tupper Lake with few services along the way.  One of the few stores is a seasonal general store at Fish Creek near the north end of Upper Saranac Lake.

Wild Center at Tupper Lake

Otters at the WILD Center in Tupper Lake

Other on-road or path rides and loops in the area include:

Family Rides – Roads, paths and trails at Fish Creek Campground, NYS Department of Environmental Conservation, or the Kushaqua Loop Ride promoted by Franklin County Tourism.

Moderate Ride – Try the Malone – Owls Head Loop, a 40 mile loop around Titus Mountain and taking in the scenery along the Salmon River and the lakes at Mountain View.

Training Ride – Head out on the Stratton Century Ride (100 miles) and follow the route of the annual Stratton Memorial Ride, with 25- and 50-mile options.

Mountain Bike Opportunities

There are a number of trails in the Paul Smiths and Tupper Lake area that are suitable for mountain biking. There are also a few quiet dirt roads, including some that are closed to automobile traffic. A wide variety of mountain biking opportunities are outlined at these resources:

For an easy family mountain bike ride that follows a former railroad bed, check out the Bloomingdale Bog trail, a 10-mile flat ride along bogs and wetlands.  Great opportunity to see birds or other wildlife, or even a former President – President Bush was spotted biking the Bog trail in 2010. see also BikeKinetix.com

Not to Miss

Bike Events in the Area

Bike Shops Nearby

Visitor Information

Check in with Chamber offices, bike shops and other sports shops in the area to get the latest information and review your route with someone knowledgeable of the area. When biking, dress for the weather and carry water, snacks, map, repair kit and cell phone. When biking in rural areas, services could be few and far between, and cell phone service may not always be available. See the Before You Ride notices in the bottom section of this website, as well as the Disclaimer notice.

Below are some of the sights along the way – scroll over an image to see its title, or click an image to enlarge it and then move through the entire gallery (click on one of the large images to return here).