There are no standard maps or cue sheets for the route, and it is not marked in any way.  Each rider will be sent a GPX file for the route.

Carrying a GPS unit is not mandatory but strongly, strongly encouraged.

THE START

Northville has a few places to stay including the Sacandaga campground, and a few Inns and motels.  There are a few bars that serve food, a pizza shop, deli and a diner.  There is no bike shop in Northville, and the best place to go is The Bike Works in Johnstown (16 miles south) before you head to Northville.  Neil is a great mechanic if you need any last minute support and the shop is well stocked.  Northville has a number of places to eat, a brand new Stewarts Shops, a grocery store, and one of those old time hardware stores that has just about everything. There is also public parking available to leave vehicles right in town at the start. The closest towns with large hotels are in Gloversville and Johnstown, 16 miles south on Rt. 30.

SURFACES + CONDITIONS

The trail is a mix of surfaces.  The pavement sections give relief from the rugged trail sections and the dirt roads give you a sense of being “out there”.  Some of the trails on this route are not beginner friendly!  The singletrack and doubletrack trails are rugged and technical!  Some follow snowmobile trails and can be wet, muddy and overgrown depending on the season.  Some sections lack signage and may be a bushwhack, so good map skills and a GPS will be necessary.  It is important to set your expectations accordingly.  Expect to be on and off your bike many times through certain sections.  These trails are backcountry in nature, meaning there will be blowdown and other obstacles to navigate.  The trails do get cleared, but sometimes the timing doesn’t always favor your ride.

WATER, TREES, CAMPING + WEATHER

In addition to the two major river crossings (The Sacandaga at mile 33 and the Boreas River at mile 469), there are sections of trail that carry you across water many times.  Despite the trail not encompassing the higher peaks of NY state there are a number of spots with open views – savor them.  For the most part this trail is in the trees.  Some highlights include the many backcountry ponds that you will have all to yourself – solitude – great trail riding and a sense of what the Adirondack Park is all about.

Camping is possible virtually anywhere except private land.  There are lean-tos dotted throughout the Adirondacks that are first-come-first-served.  Where there are designated campsites please use them and if you are wild camping respect the rules of leave-no-trace. There are state run campgrounds that are either on route or not far off route, two notable ones would be Lewey Lake campground south of the town of Indian Lake and Meecham Lake campground which the route passes right through.

Weather can be tricky.  Generally storms blow in from the Northwest. Be prepared for all types of weather, especially in the spring or fall when storms can bring cold rain, sleet and the errant snow.  Typically spring means rain and mud and some of the trails will be unrideable.  Summer provides ample daylight hours and warm temps (sometimes hot) but things cool down in the evenings and there is lots of water in the Adirondacks. Take a swim!

RESUPPLY

There is plenty of water along the route if you have a way to purify.  Spigots can be found in the campgrounds that are on route.  The first re-supply is the town of Speculator at mile 70.  Speculator has plenty of food options (pizza, market, gas stations), hardware store, hotels and lodging.

Indian Lake is another re-supply at 108 miles.  Options include a Stewarts gas station/market.  One note on Stewarts Shops: there are a number of them along the route and they are usually open as early as 6 am and close at 11pm.  The hours vary but not by much.  They carry everything from packaged food to pizza to made-to-order sandwiches and ice cream.  They are also a fairly well stocked convenience store.  Other options in Indian Lake include a hardware store/general store, pizza shop, and a bar/pub or two.  There are limited lodging options.

Inlet at mile 145 is another re-supply.  The Market/general store has great sandwiches and anything else you may need.  There is a pizza shop, coffee shop, a great bakery, a couple cafes and a few places to stay.  Also THE ONLY bike shop on route! Pedals & Petals is located right on the main street.

Star Lake at mile 215 has few options.  The main gas station (Circle K) is also a pizza/sandwich shop/ convenience store, hours are 430am – midnight. There is a great coffee shop and small market.

Hopkinton at mile 292 is not much of a town, more a stop along rt. 11B.  The route goes right by Lamphere’s Market (intersection of routes 72 and 11B). This is a critical stop as it breaks up what would otherwise be a long section with no reliable resupply. Lamphere’s hours of operation are 5am – 9pm everyday.  There is also a Dollar General in this area.

Wilmington at mile 335 has a bunch of places to eat and stay, the little supermarket is a great stop for sandwiches! Open 6am-8pm most days, weekends 7am-9pm.

Westport at mile 391 is a small historic town on Lake Champlain.  There is a great coffee shop/cafe on the main street, on route. The Inn in Westport and the Westport Lakeside Motel are lodging options.

At mile 466, North Creek would be the last reliable re-supply.  There is a full grocery store here, a few lodging options, pizza shop, cafe and a bakery.

There are other options for food and lodging along the route but they are hit or miss.  You may find an Inn back in the woods somewhere that happens to be open and serving or there may be a gas station available, but those are best left to chance.  The resources I have listed are more reliable options.

NOTE ABOUT HOURS: store hours often change in the Adirondacks depending on the season, or the whim of the shop owner. It is crucial that you do your homework before your ride if you plan to fully rely on any of these resupply points. Do not trust what you read here, it’s only edited once per year.