10 Bike Goals for 2026
Well, it’s January, so I hope I’m out skiing in the woods when you read this, but it’s not too early to put together my Adirondack biking bucket list for the new year.
Following are 10 goals that should keep me motivated and that I hope will inspire readers to discover the variety of biking found in the Adirondacks.
Adirondack Rail Trail
I’ve biked all of the Adirondack Rail Trail in sections, but now that it’s complete, I’m looking forward to riding all 34 miles in one shot. I may extend the ride by continuing a few miles on the Crossroads of the Adirondacks bike path in Tupper Lake.
Cranberry Lake gravel
I’ve done a fair amount of gravel-bike riding on easement lands north of Route 3 near Cranberry Lake but feel I have only scratched the surface. I have a route in mind that I think will be worth writing about. Stay tuned. Meantime, here’s a story about a gravel ride on the south side of Route 3.
North Branch Ramble
This is my favorite gravel ride on the logging roads and the public dirt roads near Loon Lake. It crosses the North Branch of the Saranac River four times. I wrote about my solo ride for Bike Adirondacks, but I want to show off the 27-mile loop to friends this spring.
Gravel Explorations
Though I’ve ridden my gravel bike on many logging roads in the vicinities of Cranberry Lake and Loon Lake, I’ve yet to explore a number of easement tracts in the western Adirondacks. I’m not sure what I’ll find, but I’ll let you know.
Old Forge MTB
The Adirondack Foothills Trails Alliance has created an impressive network of mountain-bike trails on McCauley Mountain and Maple Ridge in Old Forge. Last year the group added five new trails, including a black-diamond flow trail on Little Moose Mountain. Nick Calogero, one of the organization’s volunteers, says the network contains some of the best flow trails in the Adirondacks. I need to spend a few days there.
East Branch Community Trails
It will be interesting to see how the Old Forge flow trails compare with Downriver at the East Branch Community Trails in Keene. I usually hit up this fantastic flow trail several times a year, but there are new reasons to return to the East Branch network: Duzzi, a black-diamond enduro trail, and new ascent and descent trails (both still unnamed) that opened in late October. I got to ride them before the season ended and can’t wait to return. Duzzi is an especially interesting trail, with creative stonework.
Wheelerville Trails
A few years ago I spent a couple of hours on the Wheelerville mountain-bike trails near Caroga Lake. My brief tour didn’t do the place justice. The flowy downhills, like Forever Wild, and cool features are great fun. I’m looking forward to spending more time there and exploring trails built since my visit.
The Long Trail
The North Creek Ski Bowl has a network of mountain-bike trails built by Steve Ovitt of Wilderness Property Management. I rode them in 2024. Definitely, the highlight was the Long Trail, which winds uphill through the woods for 2.6 miles, ascending almost 800 feet. The ride down is a blast. At the end, you still have a half-mile of descent on an easy trail to the parking area. The Long Trail is worth a second look.
Blueberry Hill
On my last few visits to this MTB network in Elizabethtown, I discovered two fantastic trails: Handy’s and Joel’s Trail. The latter ascended to a ledge with wonderful views. This year I want to continue climbing via the Bike Ranch trail. With Fer-de-Lance it makes a loop around the Blueberry summit. That’s one reason to return. Another is to check out Deer Leg, a machine-built trail created last year by the Barkeater Trails Alliance.
Daniels Road
In Saratoga County just south of the Adirondack Park are two MTB networks that lie only a few miles apart. I wrote about the Graphite Range Community Forest for Bike Adirondacks. The other network is in the Daniels Road State Forest, where the trails are more technical. In a visit last fall, I ended up pushing my bike more than I care to admit. My goal is to return and figure out a route that can be enjoyed by intermediate riders.
Like any bucket list, this one is subject to change, but it’s already got me excited to get back in the saddle. To my fellow bikers: Happy trails in 2026!
