North Creek-Raquette Lake Bicycling along the Central Adirondack Trail

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The 43 miles along the North Creek-Raquette Lake segment of the Central Adirondack Trail is a ride across the great divide as you pass from the Hudson River drainage into that of the north-flowing Raquette River. The Raquette is New York’s second longest river and has fascinating history and geography along its path to the St. Lawrence. But first take advantage of a scenic ride along the Hudson River between North Creek and North River.  Just uphill from North River are the Garnet Hill Lodge mountain bike trails.

It is a steep ride up as you leave the Hudson River and head north to Indian Lake, at the junction of the Adirondack Trail and the Central Adirondack Trail Scenic Byways. There is a nice swim beach as you approach Indian Lake from the east. On the route from Indian Lake to Blue Mountain Lake is the turn west onto the Moose River Plains road, paved at first then dirt most of the way to Inlet. There are numerous mountain biking opportunities there and it is the route of the Black Fly Challenge mountain bike race every June.

The divide between the Hudson and Raquette Rivers is crossed just east of Blue Mountain Lake. Blue Mountain Lake has a nice swim beach and is home to the internationally renowned Adirondack Museum, with its 22 exhibits and scenic overlook of Blue Mountain Lake. Continuing south on Route 28 provides a forested ride to Raquette Lake. Raquette Lake has a general store, scenic views and a tour boat offering narrated cruises around the lake.

Road Bike Opportunities

On-road rides and loops in the area include:

Family Ride – Ride out of North Creek along the Hudson River on Route 28 the 5 miles to North River, a flat ride with four pullouts along the way for a rest break, a close-up view of the Hudson River, and to read the informative panels posted there. Turn around at North River after a stop at the general store. There are wide shoulders but the traffic can be heavy at times.

Moderate Ride – North Creek-Chestertown-Olmsteadville Loop is a 27-mile loop beginning in North Creek, to Chestertown and back north through Olmsteadville, on lightly-traveled roads.

Training Ride – Adirondack Lakes Cycling Loop, also called Teddy’s Loop for Teddy Roosevelt in the 25 Adirondack Bike Tours book, is an 80-mile loop from North Creek through Indian Lake, Blue Mountain Lake, Long Lake and Newcomb. Follows a varying terrain, often relatively flat but a few good climbs as it skirts south of the High Peaks. All on main highways with wide shoulders in most spots.

Mountain Bike Opportunities

A couple of nice rides are listed below. Be sure to check in with local bike shops and Chambers of Commerce to check on these and other suggestions.

• Garnet Hill Mountain Bike Center & Lodge, near North River – The cross-country ski trails, old roads and single-track bike trails combine for a great variety of mountain biking.
• Sagamore, Uncas Road and Raquette Lake Tour, near Raquette Lake – Highlights of this tour include the village of Raquette Lake and Great Camp Sagamore. Most of this route is along dirt roads, with a portion on the paved shoulders of Route 28.  Ride can be extended by 6 miles along a section of the Uncas Road with single-track trails over gently rolling to hilly terrain, or the route can be broken down into several shorter rides.
  

  Great Camp Sagamore near Raquette Lake

Not to Miss

• The interpretive panels along the Hudson River between North Creek and North River
• Adirondack Museum, Blue Mountain Lake
• Great Camp Sagamore, Raquette Lake
  also see Adirondack Scenic Byways.org for many more points of interest along this route

Bike Events in the Area

• ididaride!, Adirondack Bike Tour – a loop ride from North Creek through Speculator and back, 3rd Sunday in August
• Black Fly Challenge – Inlet to Indian Lake, 2nd Saturday in June. This race or ride changes direction every year with the start and finish alternating between Indian Lake and Inlet. Over half of the 40-mile course traverses the Moose River Recreation Area on dirt roads.
  also see the complete list of bike events in the region

Bike Shops Nearby

• The Source, North Creek
• Pine’s Country Store, Indian Lake
  also see the complete list of bike shops in the region

Visitor Information

• Adirondack Regional Chamber of Commerce
• Adirondack Regional Tourism Council
• Hamilton County Tourism Information
• Warren County, Lake George Tourism Information
• Chestertown, North Warren Area Information
• Gore Mountain, North Creek Area Information
• Indian Lake, Blue Mountain Lake Area Information
• Warrensburg Area Information
  also see the complete list of visitor information resources for the region

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).