Poconos Riding Ideas?

Wobbegong

Well-Known Member
I'll be in Albrightsville, PA for a week in October. We rented a lakefront house for the week and I'd like to escape occasionally for a quite time ride. :)

Anyone familiar with the cycling options in the area? I imagine there would be some great roads out there, but what about mountain biking? Any feedback would be appreciated. I've never been to Jim Thorpe, and its not far from where I'm staying.
 
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Allamuchy Joe

Not White House Approved
JORBA.ORG
I'll be in Albrightsville, PA for a week in October. We rented a lakefront house for the week and I'd like to escape occasionally for a quite time ride. :)

Anyone familiar with the cycling options in the area? I imagine there would be some great roads out there, but what about mountain biking? Any feedback would be appreciated. I've never been to Jim Thorpe, and its not far from where I'm staying.

Stay away from Promised Land State Park -- it blows chunks. Big fat fireroads called "trails".
 

rlb

Well-Known Member
Not super close, but there is Jacobsburg State Park on 33. Never rode there, but search for posts from MIG about this place to get some idea. I was going to ride it on my way up to my grandparents place last year but never made it.
 

DanBrodeen

Well-Known Member
Check out JT and also the state game lands at Camelback. There's also some trails at Pohopoco State Park off 115 by Blakeslee which is near you.
 

Panhead

Well-Known Member
Moon Lake is up by Wilkes Barre. Go over to the other site and check out the Pennsey fourm. Those guys come out here to hit the H2H races, also.
 

Sircrashalot

New Member
Check out Jim Thorpe for sure. There is a bike shop in town across from the train station (there is one place that is half a bike rental shop/half a gift shop, and one real bike & outdoor shop). They are happy to give you trail maps. Some neat stuff there. I was there this spring & mentioned JORBA. They didnt really know what it was, but gave me a discount anyway.

If you are with the family the bike shop in Thorpe offers a shuttle to take you & bikes out of town to the top of the longest/oldest gravity railroad in the US. THen its about an hours or so of no-need-to-pedal perfect slight grade coasting past beautiful scenery back on into town.
Sometime in Ovtober Jim Thorpe also has a huge fall festival that is pretty fun.


Also, if you are near Blakeslee which you will be, you can go to the parking lot for Big Boulder Mtn., go to the far right corner of the lot from the entrance rd. & pick up some doubletrack that leads eventually into Hickory Run with a very cool boulder field.

Thorpe has more variety & the possibility for more challenging trails, but the ride out of Boulder's lot is a fun easy spin with some neat stuff to see at the end. http://www.dcnr.state.pa.us/stateparks/parks/hickoryrun.aspx


Oh, and on a non-riding note while in Thorpe go on the tour of the prison....its rumored to be haunted by the Molly McGuires and a pretty cool tour !
 

rlb

Well-Known Member
About Hickory Run...What gives?

Trails

43 miles of trails

Every trail in the park can be hiked. Hiking-only trails have yellow blazes. Blue-blazed trails allow cross-country skiing and orange-blazed trails allow snowmobiling.
The trails lead through areas rich in historic and scenic interest. This is especially true from mid-June until mid-July when the mountain laurel and rhododendron are in bloom and again in mid-October at the height of the fall foliage.
Be aware of hunting seasons and hunting areas within the park and wear bright clothing in hunting seasons.
Wear proper attire and footwear when hiking.
Mountain biking is prohibited on all trails at Hickory Run State Park, but is permitted at nearby Lehigh Gorge State Park.
 
Jim Thorpe is nice. its the same place Skirmish is played out of.

You do have to pay tho even if you bring yuor own bike. that covers the cost of them transporting to you the start and back to the store when you finish up.

othewise, follow the bus up and have your significant other follow the bus to the finishing area to pick you up. that way its free.
 

bullet boy

Brain Dead
Also, if you are near Blakeslee which you will be, you can go to the parking lot for Big Boulder Mtn., go to the far right corner of the lot from the entrance rd. & pick up some doubletrack that leads eventually into Hickory Run with a very cool boulder field.

I'm not CERTAIN about this, but I'm pretty sure that Hickory Run is strictly off limits for mountain biking.

better double check that before you try riding there.
 

Wobbegong

Well-Known Member
I'm not CERTAIN about this, but I'm pretty sure that Hickory Run is strictly off limits for mountain biking.

better double check that before you try riding there.

According to the post two above yours, thats correct.

That sucks that its off limits. :hmmm:
 

ChrisG

Unapologetic Lifer for Rock and Roll
Both of my parents are from Wilkes Barre, and I have relatives all over the Wyoming Valley. We spent lots of summer time at Harvey's Lake when I was growing up. I've always wondered how an area with so much seeming potential doesn't boast some tip-top riding spots. I never hear about any really good riding around there, apart from JT, which seems to have fallen from its former greatness anyway.
 
A

anomaly

Guest
Dragging this post back up

I'm off to Promised Land State Park PA (Poconos area) and I can't find any place close to go offroad. Maybe Camelback. I don't want to drive more than an hour; far less being better - it is vacation after all, I don't want to drive all day. Anything up there that anyone knows of?
 

Allamuchy Joe

Not White House Approved
JORBA.ORG
I'm off to Promised Land State Park PA (Poconos area) and I can't find any place close to go offroad. Maybe Camelback. I don't want to drive more than an hour; far less being better - it is vacation after all, I don't want to drive all day. Anything up there that anyone knows of?

Well, Promised Land says it has mountain biking, but don't believe it. Its all big fat fireroads the size of the PA turnpike. :cry:
 
A

anomaly

Guest
haha! Yeah I've been to the park before and I have seen those roads. That's why I wanted to go somewhere else, although maybe the easy roads are good for trying new pedals without a serious crash...:eek:
 
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