Safe Routes from Westchester to Northern CT
 

I am planning a trip from Yonkers, NY to my relatives in Canton, CT. There are bike paths I can take from Yonkers to Carmel, NY in Putnam County. From Carmel to Wassiac in Dutchess County (where the start of the next bike path is) I will need to take Route 22. Does anyone know if that is safe for cyclists? Also, does anyone know the safest way to get from Amenia, NY to Canton, CT.? On a map, it looks like all county roads that I am not familiar with. Thank you.

I used to ride Rte. 22 from White Plains up to Golden's Bridge area, and it was good riding...maybe a little busy after school is out...with soccer moms, also some trucks, but all-in-all good riding. I would think that farther north it should be even nicer?

You might want to check with Ridgefield Cycle Sport in Ridgefield CT...they might have some experience with rides further north...

I ridden Rt 22 north of Amenia as it follows/parallels the HVRT, it's a nice road, that is fairly bucolic and pretty. It does have traffic but it's not a real problem as far as I'm concerned. I haven't ridden south of Amenia as I was coming from Rhinebeck and kind of going east/west at that point.

I've ridden from Millerton to Salisbury and the road there 41/44 is rolling hills and again, busy but not a big problem.... you shouldn't have much problem with picking a county road and riding it, me thinks...

Jay

Route 22 Response
 

Thanks for the help. I'll check it out.

Thanks
 

Sounds like exactly what I am looking for. Thanks for the help.

That's a pretty long ride. If you are coming from yonkers, on a one day trip, going through amenia is probably not the way to go. A couple of notes:

First, I would avoid Rt 7 like the plague from the Rt7/Rt25 junction up until the Rt7/Rt202/Rt67 junction. Lots of high speed traffic, construction, and no shoulder to speak of.

Second, going around Candlewood Lake from the north Rt37 & 39 will give you some pretty long nasty climbs. Going around the south through the center of Danbury isn't as nasty, and if you take 133 to bypass rt 7, you'll get a long climb, and some great views at the top--and an absolutely awesome chocolate shop at the center of town.

Third, lots of hills. It is pretty much impossible to avoid hills on an E-W rt in CT. N-S, north of Kent you rt 7 follows the housatonic, and that will take a lot of the bite out of the hills. Rt 4 has a big nasty hill by Mohawk Mtn ski area, which you wouldn't be able to avoid coming from Amenia, and 202 has a whole bunch of hills.

I've taken Rt 22 from Greenwich to Millerton. It ranges from fairly scenic to strip mall city but is basically pretty handlable.

The only real problem occurs at the I-84 interchange just north of Brewster. If you follow Rt. 22, you wind up on thruway-type divided highway for about 1/4-1/2 half mile. I've done it on a bike but (1) I don't know if it's legal and (2) riding on the shoulder of a thruway is a little disconcerting.

There is a work around however. Just as you pass under I-84, Rt 22 takes a right fork and goes up a hill. If you stay on the left fork, take your first left and then your first right, you intersect Rt 22 again just after it become "normal" again.

As for Rt 7, I've ridden from Caanan to Danbury and parts of it are really pretty. There's a problem south of Danbury because it's thruway. It turns strip mally when you get near Danbury but it is negotiable.

Rt. 22 is not terrible for cyclists - obviously, off-peak hours will be easier than doing it during the evening commute. It can be busy, but I am not sure you have a better route to get to where you're going.

The Wassaic to Amenia portion of the rail trail is only two miles or so, so you will be on county roads most of the way. Once you are in Amenia, make a left off of the rail trail and then look for 343 - it is right there.

Take 343 into Connecticut where it will become CT-4, I think. CT-4 will basically take you to where you're going - the parts of it that I know of are basically smooth road with a decent shoulder. Even if it weren't, you don't really have a better way of getting where you're going.

The Amenia to Canton leg has to be at least 40 miles and I think you're gonna do some climbing - it's hilly. Might be worth your time to do a run-through via car to get a better sense of the trip - it is an ambitious day trip to be sure!