DP: Boston to Montreal - Route Planning with Adirondack Park Questions
05-14-09, 12:39 AM
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DP: Boston to Montreal - Route Planning with Adirondack Park Questions
Hello! - This is a double post, but nobody replied in the Northeast forum...
Many thanks to all who helped me plan my last tour routes here.
This tour goes from Boston to Montreal to Rochester, NY.
I used a Rubel map for MA, which was very helpful.
From the southeast corner of the Adirondack Park (around Whitehall, NY) up into Canada, and finally to Montreal I am following a route here (https://www.champlainbikeways.org/dir...nynorthpri.htm) and extending this riding northwest.
It would be great if anybody who knew the area between Greenfield, MA (Western) to the Adirondack Park and could verify if the route I have planned out will be safe and enjoyable. If there is a better route alternative, any help would be greatly appreciated.
Proposed route goes north from Greenfield into VT and west, into NY State:
Route - Gmaps link
Is this a good way to get into the park, or are any of these roads not really bike friendly? Also is 9N going to be bike friendly up into Ticonderoga? Or, would it be a better plan to ride towards Whitehall directly and take 22 to Ticonderoga? The plan would be to ride more in the park than not, but if the route isn't safe than we will avoid it.
Thank you all,
_S
Many thanks to all who helped me plan my last tour routes here.
This tour goes from Boston to Montreal to Rochester, NY.
I used a Rubel map for MA, which was very helpful.
From the southeast corner of the Adirondack Park (around Whitehall, NY) up into Canada, and finally to Montreal I am following a route here (https://www.champlainbikeways.org/dir...nynorthpri.htm) and extending this riding northwest.
It would be great if anybody who knew the area between Greenfield, MA (Western) to the Adirondack Park and could verify if the route I have planned out will be safe and enjoyable. If there is a better route alternative, any help would be greatly appreciated.
Proposed route goes north from Greenfield into VT and west, into NY State:
Route - Gmaps link
Is this a good way to get into the park, or are any of these roads not really bike friendly? Also is 9N going to be bike friendly up into Ticonderoga? Or, would it be a better plan to ride towards Whitehall directly and take 22 to Ticonderoga? The plan would be to ride more in the park than not, but if the route isn't safe than we will avoid it.
Thank you all,
_S
05-14-09, 04:34 AM
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I can tell you that I found almost all of the 9N to have very narrow shoulders, but it's a nice road otherwise.
05-14-09, 06:29 AM
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I rode the section of the route from the Crown Point bridge to Westport last fall and the route was very nice. Low traffic, good roads in most places. I've not been on the section from Skeneboro to Ti in a long time, but when I did ride it, again the road had low traffic and was in better shape then the roads we have here in Vermont. As you get toward Plattsburg, the traffic and roads will get much worst. But that is only a short distance and once past the turnoff to the ferry to VT, you ride the Lakeshore road which is very nice and no traffic.
Brian
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05-14-09, 08:02 PM
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I would recommend going up the west side of the Hudson from Schuylerville on River Rd.
You have to climb out of the river valley to the Saratoga Battle Monument, but I think it is well worth it. River Road has been part of the Mohawk-Hudson Bicycle Club century ride for years and there would be much less traffic than Route 4. Saratoga County has an excellent county and local road system, so anything would be an improvement over Route 4. There is also a 12mile bike path from approx Route 149 in Glens Falls to Lake George Village. I am not a big fan of bike paths, but it wins hands down over that stretch of Route 9. Lake George Village is a resort area and the stretch of Route 9 between Glens Falls and Lake George Village is very busy and commercial during the summer.
You have to climb out of the river valley to the Saratoga Battle Monument, but I think it is well worth it. River Road has been part of the Mohawk-Hudson Bicycle Club century ride for years and there would be much less traffic than Route 4. Saratoga County has an excellent county and local road system, so anything would be an improvement over Route 4. There is also a 12mile bike path from approx Route 149 in Glens Falls to Lake George Village. I am not a big fan of bike paths, but it wins hands down over that stretch of Route 9. Lake George Village is a resort area and the stretch of Route 9 between Glens Falls and Lake George Village is very busy and commercial during the summer.
05-15-09, 09:05 AM
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If you are biking from Montreal to Rochester as the second leg, I am wondering why you are not choosing to bike all the way through Vermont on the 1st leg? I haven't biked over there, but have driven a lot, and the adirondak side of the lake is going to be narrow, twisting, and extremely steep, long climbs, endless roads that seem to go on forever but don't get anywhere. And no views of the adirondak mountains. The vermont side will be country roads, low traffic, rolling hills, with sweeping and gorgeous views of the lake and the mountains. The vermont side takes you through Burl (fun) and up through the Champlain Islands, which could be the highpoint of the trip.
Nothing against the NY side, I would love to bike that loop one of these days, but it is clearly harder and less obviously "good" for biking + you are going back down into NY, and could actually plan a route into and through the actual adirondaks on the way down (I think).
I assume you are getting on the Route Verte into Quebec. That should be very nice to Montreal, although a bit slow since my guess (seen it but not biked it yet) is the bike bath by Chambly along the river gets a lot of use (walkers, roller bladers, bikers) and will have a lot of cross streets. I highly recommend stopping and checking out Fort Lennox on the Richelieau River right across the border.
Sounds like a great trip though.
Nothing against the NY side, I would love to bike that loop one of these days, but it is clearly harder and less obviously "good" for biking + you are going back down into NY, and could actually plan a route into and through the actual adirondaks on the way down (I think).
I assume you are getting on the Route Verte into Quebec. That should be very nice to Montreal, although a bit slow since my guess (seen it but not biked it yet) is the bike bath by Chambly along the river gets a lot of use (walkers, roller bladers, bikers) and will have a lot of cross streets. I highly recommend stopping and checking out Fort Lennox on the Richelieau River right across the border.
Sounds like a great trip though.
05-17-09, 03:56 PM
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Thank you all so much for the advice.
It seems that if we do go through the west-side of Champlain in NYS instead of VT, we'll take the Glens Falls bike path and avoid Route 4 and instead ride on the west side of the Hudson. Choice tips - thanks.
If we were to go through Vermont instead, what route or roads might you think would be the flattest, and most enjoyable for cycling? I thought that up near Middlebury and other spots the hills were intolerable.
Many thanks again,
_S
It seems that if we do go through the west-side of Champlain in NYS instead of VT, we'll take the Glens Falls bike path and avoid Route 4 and instead ride on the west side of the Hudson. Choice tips - thanks.
If we were to go through Vermont instead, what route or roads might you think would be the flattest, and most enjoyable for cycling? I thought that up near Middlebury and other spots the hills were intolerable.
Many thanks again,
_S
05-17-09, 04:32 PM
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The Glenns Falls Lake George bike path is nice - I rode it last summer.
You may want to check out this que sheet - you could pick it up in Lake George.
Route 9 is a very good road but there are a lot of very good roads off of Route 9 as well.
There is an ultra-marathon route that goes from Schuylerville to Montreal but it goes through Keane Valley - that is going to be pretty steep over there. I would stick as close to the lake and canal as I can. You will also find a Stewarts shop in just about every town - very good supplies for the road.
You may want to check out this que sheet - you could pick it up in Lake George.
Route 9 is a very good road but there are a lot of very good roads off of Route 9 as well.
There is an ultra-marathon route that goes from Schuylerville to Montreal but it goes through Keane Valley - that is going to be pretty steep over there. I would stick as close to the lake and canal as I can. You will also find a Stewarts shop in just about every town - very good supplies for the road.
