Trip ideas

roc

Well-Known Member
Me and a couple fo buddies are going to take a few days off work to ride and have some fun. Looking for some ideas of some good places anywhere within a few hours drive of north jersey. We've been to kingdom trails, so we would want to try something new. We like ringwood and Wawa. Anybody got some good ideas? Wherever we go, we will get a hotel or probably rent a house.
We would love great trails, maybe a lake nearby to swim, golf? Possibly a cool bar scene with a chance of live music.
 

icebiker

JORBA: Morris Trails
JORBA.ORG
4 hours: I’d recommend the killington/Rutland area. There are a number of options, plus several lakes (Chittenden Reservoir, Lake Bomoseen, lake Dunmore). The riding options include: Green Mountain trails in Pittsfield, Moosalamoo up in Brandon, pine hill park in Rutland. Awesome riding.

3 hours: Lenox MA. Park at Arcadian shop and you can ride from there starting with Kennedy Park. Look at trail forks for routes west of Kennedy Park. Great technical singletrack. Arcadian will also have trail maps. Several lakes in the area including laurel lake.

2 hours: Scranton PA: Lackawanna state Park, Merli-Sarnoski, Moosic (Eales Preserve). LSP has a lake. Merli and Moosic are nice and technical. If you choose this option, let me know ahead of time and I can give you a guided tour of Moosic or Merli. I have a place not far from there. Here’s a pic of a buddy riding Moosic that doesn’t do it justice:
 

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roc

Well-Known Member
4 hours: I’d recommend the killington/Rutland area. There are a number of options, plus several lakes (Chittenden Reservoir, Lake Bomoseen, lake Dunmore). The riding options include: Green Mountain trails in Pittsfield, Moosalamoo up in Brandon, pine hill park in Rutland. Awesome riding.

3 hours: Lenox MA. Park at Arcadian shop and you can ride from there starting with Kennedy Park. Look at trail forks for routes west of Kennedy Park. Great technical singletrack. Arcadian will also have trail maps. Several lakes in the area including laurel lake.

2 hours: Scranton PA: Lackawanna state Park, Merli-Sarnoski, Moosic (Eales Preserve). LSP has a lake. Merli and Moosic are nice and technical. If you choose this option, let me know ahead of time and I can give you a guided tour of Moosic or Merli. I have a place not far from there. Here’s a pic of a buddy riding Moosic that doesn’t do it justice:
Thanks. I was just looking at some places up there. That also lets me play green mountain national and I love that course.
I think we are just going to wait a day or 2 before we leave and see who might have the best weather.
You seem to be familiar with a lot of trails. Did you ever ride any trails on the other side of 100 across from the green mountain trails? I remember going up a Michigan road and wound up coming down by liberty hill, they were awesome, but that was 2000/2001 they us to have a little norba sign on them. I'm wondering if there are still maintained.
 

icebiker

JORBA: Morris Trails
JORBA.ORG
. Did you ever ride any trails on the other side of 100 across from the green mountain trails?
No wasn’t aware of any there. I used to ride more up there in my 20’s and 30’s but back then singletrack and Mtb-specific trails were minimal. Nowadays on Trailforks and other apps you can get a better sense of what’s out there. The Strava heat map can also show you other networks that might be worth exploring. Forgot to mention, on your way up through NY to VT if you go, check out the SAMBA network in Saratoga. There’s also Gurney Lane in Queensbury. Good luck!
 

roc

Well-Known Member
No wasn’t aware of any there. I used to ride more up there in my 20’s and 30’s but back then singletrack and Mtb-specific trails were minimal. Nowadays on Trailforks and other apps you can get a better sense of what’s out there. The Strava heat map can also show you other networks that might be worth exploring. Forgot to mention, on your way up through NY to VT if you go, check out the SAMBA network in Saratoga. There’s also Gurney Lane in Queensbury. Good luck!
I literally just pm’d you, weird.
 

Reggie

Formerly ReggieHammond
Team MTBNJ Halter's
2 hours: Scranton PA: Lackawanna state Park, Merli-Sarnoski, Moosic (Eales Preserve). LSP has a lake. Merli and Moosic are nice and technical. If you choose this option, let me know ahead of time and I can give you a guided tour of Moosic or Merli. I have a place not far from there. Here’s a pic of a buddy riding Moosic that doesn’t do it justice:

O....M.....G....., Moosic Moutain is an absolute blast!! Not a epic number of miles, but a lot packed into a small area. Super fun and pretty chunky, but all ride-able for an average tech rider. A big Thanks to @icebiker for the tour and @roc for the heads up.

Can't wait to go back and a solid 2 hour drive destination park...IMHO.
 

trener1

Well-Known Member
Just came across this thread, Whats Lackwanna State park like? I get up to Willkes Barre a couple of times a year but so far haven't done any riding there yet.
 

icebiker

JORBA: Morris Trails
JORBA.ORG
@ReggieHammond Burke great ride. You killed it on your HT. Gotta go again soon eh?

@trener1 LSP is not as technical as the other two and has more mileage. It’s similar in trail surface and technicality to Allamuchy or Stephens, but it has a mini Kingdom Trails vibe with sections that roll through farm fields, in and out of the woods, some lakes/streams, road crossings, some bermed switchbacks, and stone walls. LOTS of stone walls. I went there quite a bit this year. Here are some pics (last one is a butterfly collecting club, FYI)
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teabagger11

Well-Known Member
some friends rode LSP last weekend and said it was a mudfest with the huge amount of rain we have been having, Moosic is one of the few places that drains well, if anyone is ever in the WB area hit me up for a MT Top tour, well if it ever dries out!
 

icebiker

JORBA: Morris Trails
JORBA.ORG
some friends rode LSP last weekend and said it was a mudfest with the huge amount of rain we have been having, Moosic is one of the few places that drains well, if anyone is ever in the WB area hit me up for a MT Top tour, well if it ever dries out!
Yep LSP is definitely not a place to go after plenty of rain! This year has been tough and even Moosic has had more wet spots than in past years. I’m out in PA quite a bit these days and would love to check out Mtn Top. Will drop you a line when I do.
 
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