• Where:  southeast Columbia County.

• 23 miles, gentle-to-moderate hilliness, (1050 vertical feet, hill index 2.6) 

  or a gentler 11-mile version -- or less than 8 miles nearly flat

• Highlights:  lots of pretty farms on quiet roads with a delightful food stop in a little village in the middle.  Shorter easier variations and bicycle rentals for family and friends, including a wide paved trail mostly-off-road.  Near the start point are a classic swimming hole and a hike to the prettiest waterfall around.  One of our favorite rides.

• shorter easier versions

- - less than 8 miles if turn around and come back on Rail Trail
- - 10 miles with Variation B (but miss Ancramdale + Copake)
- - 11 miles with Variation C (but miss Ancramdale)

• Characteristics:  Mostly quiet roads, and the few high-traffic sections mostly have a rather wide paved shoulder.  A long section on a mostly-off-road paved rail trail, and a short section on dirt.  Gentle-to-moderate hilliness, with no hills real steep, though a couple are long-ish.

Hill climbs:  Toughest hill is at the south end of East Ancram Rd -- about 130 vertical feet of climbing at 5% grade (see Measuring Hilliness) 

Traffic:  1.5 miles on high-speed road (but these sections mostly have rather wide paved shoulders), 0.7 mile on moderate traffic volume, 3.6 miles on mostly-off-road rail trail closed to normal motor vehicle traffic, and the remainder is on low traffic volume roads.

see Road Condition Reports - Trip Reports

• warning:  roads change -- but we have not checked much of the main route since the date below.

And it might have been a longer time since some of the Variations of the route were last checked by us.  Some roads and intersections might be different since then, or closed -- so be prepared to find alternatives -- a good reason to carry a detailed map. Other people may have more recent experiences with parts of the route which could help prepare: see the Reports page linked below.

Route not checked by us since 2002 -- learn more | see Reports

• warning:  Riding a bicycle on roads -- and also off roads -- is risky.  See Risks of Bicycle Riding about some of the risks, and see also other ideas for riding.

more . . . 

• Directions to Start: 

by car from the South:  Taconic State Parkway exit to Rt 44 East to Amenia, Rt 22 North thru Millerton into Columbia County, turn right on Rt 344 for 0.3 mile into Copake Falls, right on Rt 344 East for 0.2 mile to  intersection with paved Rail Trail path.

from the North: Taconic State Parkway exit to Rt 23 East to Hillsdale, at traffic light take Rt 22 South, turn left on Rt 344 for 0.3 mile into Copake Falls, left on Rt 344 East for 0.2 mile to intersection with paved Rail Trail path.

Alternate starts:  Copake, Ancramdale, Under Mountain Rd

• rent a bicycle at the start point

Bash Bish Bicycles in Copake Falls -- has bicycles for rent (as of September 2003)

• challenges:  longer and harder riding

- - 34 miles with Variation A
       (or 36 miles if go to Rudd Pond State Park and back)
- - other routes go thru Copake Falls: map
       CFW | FHSEC |  HVRTF | RJK | NEDvarA

• Maps:  You should have a detailed road map of Columbia County to do this route (see Road Maps).