Length: 14.6 miles

Elevation change: 1,415 feet

Nearby Towns: Millbrook

Begin and End: At Whitlock Preserve in Clinton Corners

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The dirt roads begin early on this lollipop-shaped route near Clinton Corners, in Dutchess County, New York. And that’s the beauty: dirt roads are usually quiet roads, twisting their way narrowly between homes and barns, through fields of corn and wetland. You’re in horse country here. The hills and fields are embroidered with black rail fences as horses lift their heads to say hello.

There are some absolutely gorgeous farms along Ludlow Woods Road — especially Ludlow Farm itself, the quintessential Hudson Valley gentleman farm with mansion. And some of the mountain views are captivating. And, as with so many of these Hudson Valley rides, the beauty is in the silence, the mystery of every bend in the road, the melancholy of the year’s end, the pretty laneway disappearing into a cathedral of sugar maples.

A cautionary note: don’t bring a road bike! The route is at least half dirt road, easily ridden on a hybrid bike but I wouldn’t attempt it on a skinny tire road bike.

I do whatever I can to avoid state roads and highways, but sometimes they’re unavoidable when I’m planning a loop route. Here, though, I’m glad I included Route 86: it’s a long, fun downhill roll in and out of forest and along farmland and horse country. The view of the distant hills from the top is just lovely. And the traffic is practically non-existent (at least it was for me, at midday on a crisp, clear fall weekend day); I was overtaken only once by a FedEx truck. When you finally take that left turn onto Duell Road, you won’t see cars for miles and miles.

The Details:

Elevation change: 1415 feet up and down over the whole ride.

Direction: For best results, leave your car at Whitlock Preserve parking area. Turn left onto Knight Road, and when you reach the start of the loop (at Ernest Road), follow the route in a counter-clockwise direction.

Start and end: at Whitlock Preserve, 19 Knight Road, Stanfordville NY (Dutchess County) (GPS: 41.842392, -73.723753). There are no public restrooms at the preserve.

The Roads:

• Lots of dirt! Leave the road bike at home and bring, at least, a hybrid bike with decent tires. Always have a spare tube with you, and know how to change a flat tire!
• The hills are modest and won’t leave you out of breath.
• Where roads are paved, they’re smooth and black, recently resurfaced and showing little wear.
• Route 86 is a double-yellow lined road, but I loved it all the way. It’s downhill, well-paved and seems as un-trafficked as the secondary roads.

Afterwards:

There are several nice cafes and restaurants in nearby Millbrook, New York, and you could spend the rest of the afternoon in the shops in this pretty little Mid-Hudson village.

After a recent ride, I drove into Millbrook for a lunch of steamed mussels ($12.00) at Cafe Les Baux, a charming French cafe with outdoor seating on Church Street. And after lunch, wanting a coffee for the ride home, I stopped at Babette’s Kitchen on Franklin Street (the main road through the shops and restaurants). I picked up a decaf coffee and delicious sour cream muffin.

Diversions: Millbrook Vineyards and Winery — open for tours and tastings — is located just off the ride, on Wing Road. To reach it on bike, just turn right at the T-junction of Ernest Road and Wing Road (instead of turning left onto Hammond Road). The driveway to the vineyard will be on your left, at the bottom of Wing Road.

Ludlow Farm, on the Whitlock loop.

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