Bike ADK
Biking the Boquet Valley near Essex, NY
I post a lot about hiking and paddling, but recently I went biking for the first time in the Adirondacks. It was excellent! A new favorite activity for sure.
While there’s a ton of downhill mountain biking trails in this area, I’m going to focus on road and gravel biking. I’m a newbie, so my experience and recommendations are geared toward entry-level cycling, and family-friendly.
Quick stop on a back road to talk about nearby trail system
Earlier this week I did a group ride with AARCH (Adirondack Architectural Heritage) through the Boquet Valley. We met and parked at the Grange Hall in Wallonsburg (about an hour drive from Lake Placid), a great old building and location of community gatherings. Across the street from the hall is an old garage that’s been reclaimed with a few shops, a pottery studio and blacksmith. Neat area. For our route, we biked by Lakeside School and Black Kettle Farm, visited several private historical homes, biked over to the Octagon Schoolhouse and back on highway 22. If I were doing it on my own, I’d take the route I mapped below with a stop at the Hub on the Hill for a snack, and return on back roads to avoid the highway 22 traffic. It’s not terrible traffic, but there were a couple 18-wheelers that passed us. The trip overall was gorgeous with a mix of rolling hills, tree-lined roads, farmland, and a few glimpses of Lake Champlain. Most in our group had road bikes, one fat-tire bike, and a few of us rode electric bikes. I ride a foldable e-bike from Mod Bikes and love it! It definitely takes the work out of the uphill and makes the entire ride so much fun. True, you’re not burning the calories or getting the workout as riding a regular bike. But, it’s a trade off I can live with! It’s also easy to rent bikes for the day.
Tips and Observations
Barkeeper Trails Alliance (BETA) trails near Keene
Check out Bike ADK for route suggestions, but look closely at the route to make sure you’re comfortable with the amount of traffic you might experience on major highways like 86, 73 and 9N. Some of their routes might be better for more experienced cyclists. The Lake Placid visitor website also has a number of route recommendations for cycling.
The much anticipated Rail Trail is coming soon with the first 9-mile segment between Lake Placid and Saranac Lake expected to open in 2023. Eventually the multi-use solid-surface trail will stretch 34 miles all the way down to Tupper Lake. It’s being designed to be suitable for use by road bikes, wheelchairs and strollers.
Bike ADK also offers custom tours, which range from $49 - $149/day per person depending on the total group size and desired services.
Find Lake Placid bike rentals, helmets and gear at Placid Planet Bicycles or High Peaks Cyclery. Renting an electric bike for the day will run you about $75 and includes helmet. A regular road bike is about $50/day. Pro tip - be sure to give your rental bike a test spin around the block before you take it on a trip. You want to make sure the fit is right for you and that there aren’t any issues with the bike.
If you’re in Saranac Lake, check out Dack Bikes if you want to peddle one of those white bikes around town. Be aware that you’ll need to rent helmets separately from Human Power Planet Earth in Saranac Lake.
Follow road etiquette for cyclists. Obey traffic laws, stop signs, etc. We’re allowed to ride 2 (or more) abreast when it’s safe to do so, but you must get over to single file when being passed by another vehicle. When riding on a busy or narrow road, stay single file the whole time. Locals understandably get irked with cyclists riding several bikes wide on busy roads and not yielding to traffic on the highway. Everyone wants to be safe out there.
Don’t forget the ADK basics — dress in layers; avoid cotton; bring water and safety/first aid supplies.
Always wear a helmet.
