Length: 12.6 mile

Elevation Change: 1057 feet

Nearby Towns: Rhinebeck, Hyde Park

Begin and End: In front of the Golden Russet Market, at the corner of Centre Road and Fiddler’s Bridge Road in Schultzville

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The Omega

Nothing too challenging, no steep hills or rigorous gravel to contend with on the Omega loop. But if you appreciate the silence of an untraveled and well-paved country road at the end of the day, when the crickets start to sing and the scent of fireplaces hangs in the air, you’ll love this ride through classic Mid-Hudson backcountry.

Because you’re in easy reach of the Mid-Hudson villages of Rhinebeck and Hyde Park, you can plan a whole day out around this ride. Afterwards, immerse yourself in the gardens and grounds of Gilded-Age estates — Mills Mansion and Wilderstein to the west, the FDR home, Vanderbilt Mansion and Val-Kill in Hyde Park.

To start the route, park your car in the dirt pull-out at the corner of County Route 18 and Fiddler’s Bridge Road, across from the Golden Russet Cafe and Grocery. Turn left onto Fiddler’s Bridge Road, and after crossing Little Wappinger Creek, take a right onto Long Pond Road, passing an abandoned farmhouse and newer buildings on a paved road.

The road narrows as it becomes Lake Drive, pushing through uninhabited woods before reaching the Omega Institute. The former campus of a Yiddish summer camp, the Omega now hosts wellness retreats, Arts Weeks, and a whole catalogue of self-improvement classes. (As of this writing in December, 2020, it’s closed due to Covid-19).

The route alternates between pavement and dirt, one- and two-lane roads, farmland and heavily-wooded areas. The forest may thicken around you, then suddenly open up into meadows. Look for decorative barns and wood-sided silos, stone walls and 18th century homesteads along this route, silent except for the birds in the trees and your tires on the gravel.

The Details:

Elevation change: 1057 feet up and down over the whole ride.

Direction: For best results, take the loop in a counter-clockwise direction.

The Roads:

These country roads are mostly paved, ranging from wide and comfortable to narrow laneways. You’ll ride on dirt roads that are well-packed along Sunset Trail, but a bit more gravelly on Schultzville Road.

Afterwards:

Directly across Fiddler’s Bridge Road, where you leave your car, is the Golden Russet (named for a unique apple of 19th century New York origin), a country store with options for coffee and groceries, and a brief lunch and breakfast menu. Support the local economy and pick up an after-ride meal here, sitting outside on the porch for a real respite.

But you could easily make a day of it by planning an after-ride visit to pretty Rhinebeck, with its colorful shops and cafes, and restaurants offering fine and casual dining.

Hyde Park is home to three National Historic sites: the Vanderbilt Mansion, the FDR homesite, and Eleanor Roosevelt’s home at Val-kill. All of these sites’ grounds are free to explore, from the modest trails at Val-kill to the venerable walled garden at the Vanderbilt Mansion.

Hyde Park’s network of walking trails — from short paths to longer treks through field and forest — can easily fill your afternoon; wander through the manicured grace of the Vanderbilt Mansion’s grounds, and end the day looking to the Hudson River from FDR’s back porch, to those gentle reflections that have inspired generations of painters and writers.

Hyde Park is a far cry from Roosevelt’s day, when the dirt-gravel road ran through woods, on either side some homes and churches, and carried buggies from one mansion to the next. But it has its charms: stop for tea or coffee at Cranberry’s at Tilley Hall, where the Victorian cafe also puts on a Sunday brunch as Covid restrictions ease.

In Staatsburg, you can visit the Mills Mansion, and walk the property right down to the river’s edge, where a boathouse stands. The mansion is part of Mills Norrie State Park, and if you feel like getting the bikes out again, there is a network of routes through the park that can be explored. Some are more suited to the mountain bike, but you’ll also find park roads and dirt roads that are easier on the hybrid. Camping, too, is available at Mills Norrie, with accommodation ranging from rustic campsites to cabins.

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