Chimney Rock: Where to start?

ChrisG

Unapologetic Lifer for Rock and Roll
So I've never ridden Chimney Rock. Coming off of 287 North, any suggestions for which lot I should choose? Thoughts on how to go about looping the place would also be appreciated, if it's possible. Thanks!
 

Norm

Mayor McCheese
Team MTBNJ Halter's
I park at Newman's Lane myself. Go 287 N->22 East. Take the exit across from the Office, then cross over route 22 on the bridge you just went under, to Chimney Rock Road. That winds around next to the quarry and up the hill to a traffic light. Left at light, straight at next light, left on Newman's Lane. About 1-ish miles down on your left is a parking lot.

I could describe my loop but you would need a magazine holder to slap on your bike to hold all the instruction. From Newman's you have the blue and red trails, one east one west across the street. There are white trails that run north from the lot, a little play ground area. Orange is on the east side of red, crossing Chimney Rock Road where you drove in on. Yellow is up on the top side, up where the actual rock is.

I'd suggest posting when you want to go and having someone give you a tour. Otherwise you may or may not be able to find/loop everything together.
 

J-Dro

Well-Known Member
Chris, there is never a shortage of weeknight rides at CR. Post up when you're coming and let one of us show you around. You'll likely miss alot of the good stuff otherwise.
 

jdog

Shop: Halter's Cycles
Shop Keep
I may be able to swing a trip there next week. If not, it'll be the following week. I'll post up when I've got a better idea. Thanks.

Be careful! I hear that there are snipes in the woods up there.

Ride with a group or you will miss the best stuff.


j
 
M

mdp0430

Guest
I'm thinking of heading here in a couple of hours. I have the day off and its been about a year since I've ridden my Trek 6500...
 

Maurice

New Member
My favorite part is across from the Newman's Lane parking. From the top coming down the middle trail has a log ride, a few log stacks and a nice rocky descent that dumps you on the creek crossing at the bottom. At speed you can usually just fly over it. Then at the very end another log ride. It's starting to rot so be careful.
On that same side, coming down from the top on the trail that runs along Newman's Lane are two or three drops. The rest of the trail is rather fun also.

Another really fun section is on the other side of the reservoir, still compared to the Newman's Lane parking lot. There's a loop there that you can repeat, with a small natural jump ramp and a couple steep descents right after it that you can take at speed.

You can ride a single speed there, but I find it more fun with a fair amount of suspension.

Enjoy,

Maurice
 
M

mdp0430

Guest
thanks for the input... it'll be my first time up there... any idea if there is something less challenging for my wife? something like hard packed dirt /fire trail for example? thanks!
 

Maurice

New Member
thanks for the input... it'll be my first time up there... any idea if there is something less challenging for my wife? something like hard packed dirt /fire trail for example? thanks!

If you stick to the middle brook trail, you should be ok. Not quite the rail-trail style but it's way less technical than what you can find up the slopes. It's sometimes hard to follow though, look for white square markers. Hopefully it's not too overgrown by now.

http://www.geocities.com/dtmcbride/nyc-nj/middlebrook_trail.html

Maurice
 

elzoller

El Guac-Oh
I finally made it there...

So last Sunday I finally made it to Chimeny Rock. I didn't know a buddy of mine, who I ride with ocassionally, was familiar with the trails. He said we pretty much hit everything. I don't really know. We parked at a lot next to a baseball field. If I remember correctly, I think we went to Yellow, then Orange, then Red, then Blue, then White for a total of 15 miles. I was pleasantly surprised with the trails there. I took my SS and found the trails were pretty fast, singletrack for the most part, with a decent amount of logs :getsome: and a few big rocks on the side :getsome:, not a lot of climbing and the trail conditions were excellent with some small mud puddles here and there. I will definitely go back there as it is not as far from my place as I thought it was.

There were A LOT of MTbikers there yesterday, I probably ran into some of you there.
 

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