The Northeast offers a number of historical paths for cycling enthusiasts.
We were riding through history.
Past Freeman Farm, where colonial troops led by Col. Daniel Morgan first clashed with the British advance guard. A side trip to the site of the American river fortifications that overlooked the Hudson River. Past Barber Wheatfield, where the two armies first collided en mass and then the Breymann Redoubt, where Gen. Benedict Arnold was badly injured while leading a desperate flanking charge that helped turn the tide of the battle.
Here, almost hidden in a wooded area, the “Boot Monument” silently commemorates his gallantry. And, on we rode past the site of British General John Burgoyne’s headquarters and The Great Redoubt where his army had been encamped.
It was an exciting and compelling 12-mile bicycle ride through the sites of some of the most important American history at the Saratoga National Historical Park.
In the fall of 1777, when the British and American forces met there, the outcome of the Revolutionary War was very much in doubt. The British were trying to split the American Colonies in half by marching down the Hudson River and meeting up with another British forcein New York City.
In what many believe was the turning point of the war, a patchwork of American forces defeated the elite British Army at Saratoga in one of the most decisive victories in American history. For a history buff and cycling enthusiast, it was almost heaven.
The park service has done an outstanding job of making the Saratoga battlefield a biker friendly place.
For most of the ride, there is a marked and paved bicycle lane.
There is also a service road at about the halfway point that allows for a shorter ride.
For my wife Nancy and I, this was the culmination of four outstanding days of bicycle trail riding in the northeast. It was made doubly enjoyable, as our son Eric joined us for the ride.
This is the third year in a row that we have traveled to the Albany/Saratoga area ostensibly to watch Eric perform in summer theatre. However, each year, we have blended in as much trail riding as possible. One of the best sources for trail riding throughout the United States is the book 1000 Great Rail-Trails,’ which is published by The Globe Pequot Press. Another excellent resource on the Web is trailsfromrails.com. Several of the National Historical Parks provide cycling opportunities, including Gettysburg.
Our first ride was the Northern Rail-Trail (NRT) in New Hampshire. Traveling north on Interstate 89, take exit 17 and follow Route 4 east to the Ice House Road on the right. There is a parking area and a trailhead at the end of the road. This area is about 3 hours driving time from central Maine.
The NRT is a 23 mile trail, beginning in nearby Lebanon and ending in Grafton. The surface is a combination of hard-packed dirt and ballast. We rode east on the trail for several miles; first along the shore of beautiful Lake Mascoma, then past the Shaker Bridge and finally into the Village of Enfield. This portion of the trail was nearly flat, and there was one section that the 19th century railroad builders had impressively carved and blasted through a granite hill.
Returning to the Ice House Road trailhead, we then biked west along the Mascoma River into the Town of Lebanon. There are multiple river crossings on the original train trestles in this section, and there is a slight downhill gradient traveling west. There are several restaurants near the trailhead in Lebanon to accommodate the hungry cyclist. Overall, this constituted about a 20 mile ride.
Leaving the Lebanon area, we drove west on Route 4 to Rutland, Vermont. Rutland is primarily a ski town and the summer is a great time to get favorable rates at one of the many motels and hotels. A few miles west of Rutland in the Town of Castleton, Vermont, we found the Delaware and Hudson Rail-Trail. It can be reached by traveling west on Route 4 from Rutland and then taking Exit 5. From the exit ramp, follow Route 4A west to Castleton State College.
The trailhead is located adjacent to the college parking lot, and there are parking spaces that are specifically designated for trail users.
This is an almost flat 19-mile trail that is heavily shaded and has a hard ballast surface. Some of it is single track, so riders need to be particularly alert for other cyclists. We pedaled south to the quiet village of Poultney, where there is a small rest area, but no toilet facilities. There are also stores for food and refreshments. The round-trip ride to Poultney and back is about 18 miles.
Empire state
Leaving Castleton, we drove west on Route 4 into New York State and then took Route 149 west to Interstate 87. From there, it is about 30 minutes driving time south to the Albany/Troy area. There are over 40 miles of bike trails on the Mohawk Hudson Bikeway Trail system in this area.
All of the Mohawk Hudson Bikeway is paved. However, some sections are simply side lanes on major roads, while others are paths apart from traffic. There is a very pleasant section of the path that begins west of Troy, in a fairly rural area and follows the Mohawk River into Schenectady. We rode that segment during a previous visit and highly recommend it. However, this year we chose to do a more urban ride in Albany.
It is no small task to locate the Albany section of the Mohawk Hudson Bikeway. From Interstate 787, take the Broadway exit in Albany and follow the signs to the Corning Preserve, which is near the southern terminus of the trail. A little persistence will probably be necessary to locate the trailhead, as this area is confusing and the signs are not obvious. If you are in the area where Interstate 90 crosses Interstate 787, then you are very close. The path follows right next to the Hudson River. Don’t give up your search without a fight.
This is a very interesting and popular part of the trail. There is a large parking area near the Corning Preserve and restrooms close by. From here, it is possible to bike south for about a mile with the river on your immediate left and several architecturally interesting buildings, including the State Capitol building, on the right. There is also an old Navy vessel moored in the river that provides tours, and another vessel that has been converted into a restaurant. Traveling north, the path enters a wooded area and takes on a more rural character. It then winds through an open area called Famine Park, which is a memorial to the Irish Famine of the mid-1800s, and subsequently reconnects with the shore of the Hudson. Continuing north, there are several stations where informational signs have been placed relating the history of that particular section of the trail. About five miles north of the Corning Preserve, another trailhead with a parking area is reached. Beyond this point, the trail connects with the highway. However, the Albany section of the trail provides for a very enjoyable 12-mile round-trip ride that is in-town, but away from the hustle and bustle of city traffic.
A note of caution, this portion of the trail is heavily used and riders should have sufficient skills to avoid the many walkers, runners and other cyclists.
To the Battlefield
We had hot and steamy, but sunny, weather for all four days of our trip. And, we thoroughly enjoyed all of the rides. But, for me, the highpoint was the Saratoga Battlefield ride. In order to reach the National Park, travel north on Interstate 87 from the Albany area and then take Route 67 east to Route 4 in Mechanicsville. From there it is only a few miles north on Route 4 to the well-marked entrance to the park. There is plenty of parking and a Visitor’s Center with restrooms, an information counter and a small gift shop. Take a picnic lunch and plan to spend the entire day riding the trails and exploring the battlefield. If you have a couple of additional days, travel west and ride the Erie Canal Heritage Trail and the Old Erie Canal State Park Trail.
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