By Pamela Merritt 

Blog Post Courtesy of the Schroon Lake Region

The Schroon Lake Region has lots of lovely places to go for a bike ride. Whether you like road or mountain biking, there's the right mix of terrain for any age or skill level.
The abundance of lovely lakes has another advantage for those who like their routes a bit on the flat side, while our rugged ranges add spice to mountain biking trails. Here are some fine choices for that next trek.

Follow the route of the Adirondack Marathon Trail for the "most beautiful run in the world." That goes for bikes, too.
The route is all paved and mostly flat or gently rolling. There is a hilly section between miles 4 and 12, with minimal traffic.

This famous marathon run was laid out in 1997 to take full advantage of the many scenic views there. Most of the route has a view of Schroon Lake, while the northern end has lovely forest views.
Much of the west side of the course runs along the Pharaoh Lake Wilderness Area, where there are 50 miles of trails. Choose from mountain climbs like Pharaoh or Treadway, or visit the many waterbodies like Berrymill Pond, Rock Pond, Gull Pond, Goose Pond, Crab Pond, and Clear Pond, along with Pharaoh Lake and Grizzle Ocean.

Lots of stops are built in for coffee and lunch, such as the town beach and downtown Schroon Lake. At the southern end, near Pottersville, it's a short detour to a popular cave attraction, Natural Stone Bridge & Caves.

This is a fun place to cool off and enjoy nature's air conditioning. There are self-guided tours, swimming, and a well-stocked rock shop. There are several miles of hiking paths, too, all included in the admission.

We have lots of little seasonal roads that are low traffic and high adventure. One of the most popular is the Newcomb Lake Road, which was once a carriage route for the inhabitants of Great Camp Santanoni. Now, motorized vehicles are prohibited. To get there in summer, many like to bike it.

This 5 mile route (one way) out of Newcomb is cool under the trees and ends at the buildings of this unique Great Camp, which is of great architectural interest.

The 12,900 acre complex has over 45 buildings to view, and lots of places to explore. In July and August there are onsite interpreters available for information and discussion. 

Another fine choice is Crane Pond Road. This area has many seasonal, somewhat maintained, roads which are very scenic mountain bike routes.

This is the canoe launch to Crane Pond (photo courtesy of protectadks.org). In turn, these lead to trails with wonderful forest views, as in the video above.
Crane Pond Road itself is 2 miles to Crane Pond, but look for the trailhead for Goose Pond at the 0.9 mile mark. At 1.6 miles watch out for flooding from the northeast end of Alder Pond. The Long Swing Trail is at 1.7 miles, on the left. Reach the west end of Crane Pond at 2 miles. This is also how to reach the trailhead for the Pharaoh Mountain Trail.

For a long and lovely trek, the Grand Loop is 56 miles of stunning scenery. It is popular as a scenic drive and it's also a famous motorcycle loop, but the traffic is usually not that busy and it is so quiet we can hear it coming.
A must-not-miss part of it is the Blue Ridge Road. There's also Blue Ridge Falls, which is a roadside stop and a short hike along a rocky river, with lots of stunning views.

There's a little parking area with a trail along the river with many interesting vantage points and photo opportunities.
There's also the Adirondack Buffalo Company. Our own herd of bison!

The mountains are a perfect backdrop to the bison in their territory. We can also visit the store, which has a wonderful selection of snacks and beverages, along with their own gourmet foods, baked goods, and local crafts.
It's a great place to get a break, a snack, and a handmade throw pillow or peach pie. The proprietors have a lot of Native American themed items, as the bison are an important animal to Native Americans. While not native to the Adirondacks, the bison love it here, as so many do.

Find out more about this fascinating place in our blog post, Where the buffalo roam.
These are just a few of the enjoyable bike routes we offer, because it's all about the journey.
Choose a charming place to stay. Find some tasty dining. Explore more biking.