New Route: The Carriage Roads of Mohonk Preserve
A NEW ROUTE: Climbing the Mohonk ridge, this ride then circles through some of the prettiest carriage roads in the Preserve. Shimmering hemlocks, white-rocked cliffs, and surprises tucked around every corner.
With spring’s warmth and green finally here, I took in one of my all-time favorite rides through Mohonk Preserve. Like the Minnewaska route, this ride follows carriageways to some of the prettiest spots in the Shawangunk ridge, a recreationist’s paradise.
On a brilliant mid-April morning, the carriage roads were clear of snow and mud, ascending from the farmland dotted with barns and fields to the top of the ridge, and famed Mohonk Mountain House.
Cedar trail signs at Mohonk Preserve in New Paltz, New York. The carriage roads are well-marked and tended, but make sure you have a paper map with you, or load the RideWithGPS app on your phone and bring along a backup phone charger.
Here are some things to note about this ride:
- Only Class 1 (pedal-assist, no throttle) electric bikes are allowed on the carriage roads of Mohonk Preserve.
- The cost of a day pass for bikers in the park is $20.00 per day. However, if you purchase an annual membership for $105, this gives you and your bike unlimited free access for a year. (Hike-only passes are $60.00/year).
- The park opens at 9:00 for the general public, but if you have the annual member’s pass, you can get in at 7:00am — highly recommended (especially if you’re a photographer and love that early morning light). Do yourself a favor and get the member’s pass!
- Bikes are allowed on carriage roads only. There are 71 miles of carriage roads, and enough connections to get you from one to another so you shouldn’t be tempted to sneak onto trails.
The glassy blue Mohonk Lake, with the Mohonk Mountain House in the distance. The new route skirts the lake and brings you to the incredible resort. New Paltz, New York.
More e-bike routes you might like:
The Cary: A Mid-Hudson Route
This farmland loop through an area of quiet beauty connects the gardens of Millbrook to the Cary Institute grounds in the Mid-Hudson Valley.
The Craryville
Cycle Craryville, the pastoral heartland of the Upper Hudson Valley, with golden meadows and the blue foothills of the Berkshire mountains.
The Vernooy Kill: A Southern Catskills Ride
A rushing stream with intermittent waterfalls follows the early part of this loop ride in Kerhonkson, in the Southern Catskills. Then the woods give way to farmland and grazing cattle.
The Perkins Memorial
Perkins Memorial Drive leads to the tower atop Bear Mountain, but the real pleasure is having this road to yourself when it's closed to cars. Take your electric bike effortlessly to the top, then swing back downhill and into the Bear Mountain Inn.