Farms of East Dutchess

• where:  east middle Dutchess county -- starting near the Metro North train station at Dover Plains and going thru Millbrook.

• 54 miles, hilly, (4100 vertical feet, hill index 4.7) 

• mapping + GPS:

GPX file with all tracks + key waypoints : [ map on Bikely | Google Earth KML | GPX ]

• highlights:  Many farms, some with animals, much on pleasant roads with less traffic, some rewarding downhills -- reachable by train from Manhattan.

• characteristics:  Hilly. Traffic interaction is typical of most other routes on this website.

Hill climbs:  Total climbing around 4100 vertical feet, but most of the hills not real steep.  Includes: A long 520 vertical ft climb thru Silver Mountain Rd including 350 vertical feet at average steepness around 4-5% grade. A climb of 400 vertical feet on Camby Rd mostly around 3-5% grade.  Six to eight shorter steeper climbs each including about 50-75 vertical feet at steepness around 7-9% grade.

Traffic:  Mostly on roads with less traffic. Except . . . A couple of short sections on high-speed high-traffic (with reasonable width of road+shoulder as of 2009) route 22. A couple of sections with more traffic often at high speeds (with reasonable road width) on route 343.

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 2009 -- 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 at Dover Plains train station parking lot

by train:  Take Metro North (Harlem Valley line) to Dover Plains.

by car:  Dover Plains train station is 0.3 mile east from route 22, north of Pawling + Wingdale, south of Amenia + Wassaic. Coming from the south, it likely makes sense to take interstate 684 north to Brewster and where it ends (at interstate 84), continue on route 22 north.

from the west: it likely makes more sense to start in Millbrook.

Alternate starts:  Millbrook, Amenia.

by car to Millbrook start: From the intersection of route 44 and the Taconic State Parkway, go East 3.8 miles, turn Left and continue on rt 44 about 0.7 miles north into the village of Millbrook, bear Right to continue on Franklin Av a short ways to its intersection with Church St.

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

• connections to other routes: 

Quaker Ridge connects with this route just east of the Dover Plains train station.

Harlem Valley Wandering connects on Dutchess county rt 2 by Amenia Union.

Hills and Horse Farms of NE Dutchess overlaps with this route from Sheffield Hill Rd thru Silver Mountain Rd to Shunpike.

Map + GPS | Cue Sheet | Reports

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