Dirt Roads - Sparta Area
- Thread starter soundz
- Start date
There is a rr grade from Mahlon to Ridge road, but likely needs some clearing, and the private properties on it cause some disconnects.
A good E-W route, part of the TDN, and on my "to do list" but I need more intel on how much work is needed.
If you could recon that would be helpful.
A good E-W route, part of the TDN, and on my "to do list" but I need more intel on how much work is needed.
If you could recon that would be helpful.
Dirt roads for a gravel grindr, or dirt roads for a mountain bike?
I dropped down to it from the power lines once and it was mostly passable but in fairly rough shape. It was also covered in ice/snow/water at the time, so that probably didn't help. Jimmy is now one of those private properties.
Yeah, have you walked out of your backyard yet to see what it looks like?
Robin
Well-Known Member
House warming party and bike ride?
xc62701
Well-Known Member
Head south over to Pottersville/Lamington area. That's where the good stuff is.
It looks like they may have (officially) moved the rail trail entrance to Ridge Rd (at least on Google Maps).
https://www.strava.com/activities/856661607
From your place, if you went out and made a right on Glen Rd and a right on Ridge Rd, you can get into Sparta Mountain. The pavement ends and it becomes a dirt road and then power lines trail. This dirt road parallels the old rail bed below. In the above ride, I dropped down from the power lines and onto the old rail bed. I don't remember what it looked like heading toward your house from there, but it was mostly passable heading north. If you switch to satellite view and zoom in, it looks like the rail bed is very well defined heading right into your backyard. You should head out your backyard and see how much bushwhacking would need to happen to get to the rideable part, or see how close you can get from the other side maybe. There is endless riding from there, but you'll want a mountain bike, not a gravel bike.
interesting i should look in my back yard
Dusty the Whale
Mr.Chainsaw
I'm in for a Saturday adventure
If you do the opposite and turn LEFT on ridge road, climb the hill up into the neighborhood and there’s an entrance to the power line on the left that connects you to a ton of fun stuff. Lots of logging roads, quad trails, intermixed single track, etc. It eventually runs into the WMA and then Mahlon. Probably not quite what you’re looking for here but still lots of good exploring to be had. My in laws live at the corner of Glen and Ridge so I’ve have had plenty of adventures back there.
Sunday probably better this time of year, but I assume you said Saturday because you can't do Sunday. I'm in either way.
I don't follow. Doesn't Ridge Rd start at Glen Rd? How could you make a left on it? I'm talking about going up Ridge Rd from Glen Rd to where the pavement ends, and then hopping on the power lines heading into Sparta Mountain WMA. On the route I posted, I dropped onto the rail bed behind Jimmy's house, but usually I stay on the dirt roads heading toward the Edison monument. This is heading away from Mahlon though.
Yeah my bad. didn’t realize it’s not “ridge” on the other side of Glen, but that’s it. Lots of cool old roads back there to explore if you take the power line down a little ways. They do get the occasional dirt bike traffic though.
SpartaBard
Well-Known Member
Dirt Roads, really only two (and neither are destinations) in the immediate ballpark of Sparta unless you get out towards the Delaware River. Your best bet if you want easy dirt would be the rail trail/pipeline 12 mile loop. You can pick it up in Lafayette. Sussex Branch Trail north, bang a left onto the pipeline and another left onto the Paulinskill rail trail. You should be able to find signs for it.
Hmm interested in stuff near Delaware R as well.