Northeast - [NY, NJ] CAUTION: Palisades State Park Road CLOSURE

To those that use the Palisades Park Road between Edgewater, NJ and Alpine, NJ instead of Sylvan Avenue (Route 9W):

If you have not already discovered, the road is CLOSED from Englewood Cliffs, NJ to the Alpine Police Station. To avoid any trouble, I didn't jump the gate. If you still want a good climbing workout similar to that found at the last leg of the road, climb the ramp right nearby the closure to the Palisades Avenue/Sylvan Avenue intersection in Englewood Cliffs, NJ. I don't know the grade, but it sure worked me.

That climb is illegal, sometimes referred to as the forbidden hill.

The gates are usually closed from November to April because the road is closed to cars. You can still bicycle and hike. However, the road is closed now to everyone - cars, hikers, and cyclists - because of a recent landslide that won't be cleared for a couple of weeks.

You're only supposed to bicycle from the two main entrances. Aside from the "forbidden" road being dangerous because it's so narrow, the cops will string you up by your thumbs if you get caught!

Thanks for the warning! I'll use 9W for now.

Just a quick note. You can get on the road and it is all passable except where the big rock slide is (close to the middle). I was there yesterday and it is possible to climb over it but it is not easy and I would absolutely not try it if you care about your bike's paint job. No, I didn't tear mine up but there is plenty of potential. If you happen to ride in something more walkable than full on road shoes it will be much easier.

Just a quick note. You can get on the road and it is all passable except where the big rock slide is (close to the middle). I was there yesterday....

Hey thanks for the heads-up. I heard about the rock slide, and was wondering if it had been cleaned up. I may go for it anyway this weekend - but good to know what I'd be getting into...

Any update on the clean-up? Is it possible to ride along 9W and then take the right that leads to the long-ish downhill on Alpine Approach Road? (the area that I am referring to is normally the climb that you take to get to 9W after riding the entire way along Henry Hudson Road).
See THIS MAP (http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&q=fort+lee,+New+Jersey&ie=UTF8&split=0&gl=us&ei=ZrCVSdSbLYH8tgedoZybCw&ll=40.953002,-73.918118&spn=0.016011,0.027122&z=15&iwloc=addr).

Thanks.

Brian--

Just one more thing about that slide. There is a chance that while climbing over all those rocks one of them could slip and cause others to fall on you. It would just be a disaster. I think it is not likely and, as I said, I did it myself. Just be careful. And remember what I said about having to carry your bike over the slide. I've got a crappy old one so I wasn't all that worried about it.

Bnjm--

Yes, you can get on at Alpine and will be able to ride 5 miles (hey, I measured it) before coming to the slide.

Cleanup? Can't say but it is just a huge slide. It'll take some effort. Big rocks and lots of them. Even trees came down the hill.

Also be aware that the road is closed not only because of the slide, but because the land above is still unstable and there is the possibility of more coming down. If you want to get an idea of what can come down try hiking the section of the shore trail known as the Giant Stairs.

Saturday MARCH 7th 2009 - Just back from a ride. Thought i'd go check out the situation. No change. I saw someone climbing over with their road bike, falling multiple times. Not me, turned around.

awestnyc--you should see my right shin after I did it.

We all complain when they close it, but sometimes it just isn't safe to ride.

They will probably clean it up for spring/summer. There have been slides before that were cleared for the warm weather.

Isn't there at least one slide every winter? Isn't that why they have a rule about helmets?

Guess what, the rock slide is still not cleared.

I was up there early yesterday morning, hoping it was maybe partially cleared. No dice.

But this was cool: as I approached, there was a huge pheasant hanging out at the near (south) end of the side. He saw me & took off, landed at the north end & stuck around. In the pic, the black dot on the road past the rocks is the pheasant:

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3613/3406029278_42321970b5_o.jpg

He was just hanging out, and I figured he was my guardian angel... so I picked my way through the mess. Took about 10 minutes, and the toughest part was getting past the fallen trees (slippery!)

When I got to the other side, Mr Pheasant wasn't there... but I saw him again a couple hundred yards up the road - and he took off again, to the south - presumably back to his original spot.

Hopefully this'll all be cleared in a couple weeks. Plenty of other good spots for the pheasants to hang out in the park...

Mr Pheasant was sizing you up for the the Turkey Vultures.
Hey, birds gotta make a living, better you than him.

Took river road to where its closed in Englewood today. There was a large flatbed trailer parked there, the kind that's used to transport large construction vehicles, so perhaps work has started. There is still a sign on the gate stating that the road is impassible due to the rock slide

There is a report on the NYCC message board today that the rockslide has been cleared! woo hoo!
Sounds like there is still some debris in the area, so don't expect to be able to blast through there at full speed... yet...

http://www.nycc.org/mb/thread.aspx?b=1&t=14497&tp=1&c=(2)

Confirmed. I have been enjoying this path last couple of weekends. All is clear and road has been sweeped. Have fun fellow bike riders.

Confirmed. I have been enjoying this path last couple of weekends. All is clear and road has been sweeped. Have fun fellow bike riders.

WOO HOO!! Thanks for the update!

I was there yesterday and it is indeed clear. If they could only make that hill a little smaller...In the 90 degree heat I had a hard time, especially since I ran out of water. Good thing there's water at the police station at the top.

And did anybody check out the new shop on Hudson Terrace? Very nice, has a coffee bar, serves sandwiches, and has a patio, all to the cycling crowd. A stroke of genius to open a bike shop on the busiest bikeway outside of the parks.

I was there yesterday and it is indeed clear. If they could only make that hill a little smaller...In the 90 degree heat I had a hard time, especially since I ran out of water. Good thing there's water at the police station at the top.

And did anybody check out the new shop on Hudson Terrace? Very nice, has a coffee bar, serves sandwiches, and has a patio, all to the cycling crowd. A stroke of genius to open a bike shop on the busiest bikeway outside of the parks.

Is there a public water fountain there? Are there other places along 9W to refill water (other than gas stations which sell water)?

I was there yesterday and it is indeed clear. If they could only make that hill a little smaller...In the 90 degree heat I had a hard time, especially since I ran out of water. Good thing there's water at the police station at the top.

And did anybody check out the new shop on Hudson Terrace? Very nice, has a coffee bar, serves sandwiches, and has a patio, all to the cycling crowd. A stroke of genius to open a bike shop on the busiest bikeway outside of the parks.


Strictly Bicycles is a really good shop, I used to go to them when they were in Ft Lee but on Main St. The new shop is great, lots of nice bikes and good service.

Is there a public water fountain there? Are there other places along 9W to refill water (other than gas stations which sell water)?

Yep, there are restrooms & a water fountain in the park administration/police building at the top of Alpine Approach. They even have a bike rack next to the building entrance.

I haven't stopped in there myself, but have waited for people using the bathroom in the police station on 9W just south of Palisade Ave (505). Also, the Exxon station about a half mile up 9W from 505 has a bathroom I've used.

Another good one just south of the GWB is the Exxon station on Palisade Ave in Fort Lee (at Central Blvd).

Awesome, thanks!

I just started riding on 9W, Alpine approach, etc. a few weeks ago, and this past Sunday it was hot (94 was the high), so I ended up turning back right around there as my fluids were running low. This will definitely help!

There are also bathrooms and vending machines on the other side, if you go down to the parking lot at the first circle, coming from the GWB.