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 Bike-camping
in the Taconic and Green Mountains of New England
(Available
by group request for 2008)
An affordable bicycle camping tour in the forests of western New England, with full van support. Our 7 day tour starts in Connecticut and continues through Massachusetts, Vermont and New York state. Average ride
length per day is 50 miles, with most days offering additional mileage options for advanced cyclists seeking extra climbs.
Saturday, Day
1: Housatonic
Meadows, Connecticut. The tour begins with camping the first night at Housatonic Meadows State
Park West Cornwall, Connecticut, along the Housatonic River. The following morning we leave our cars behind at a secure location.
 Sunday, Day 2: Ride To October Mountain in the Berkshires.. We begin
our tour cycling north along the gentle Housatonic plain to the rural southern
hilltowns of the Berkshires in southwestern Massachusetts. You may wish to stop
for the view at Campbells Falls and Umpachenee Falls, both in the township of
New Marlboro . We begin a gradual climb which will bring us to Monterey, and
then a swift descent to Tyringham. We camp tonight at October
Mountain State Park in Lee. Today's ride: 50 miles. Advanced option:
Extra 15 mile extra loop to Great Barrington, with climb along East Mountain
and to New Marlboro.
Monday, Day 3: Mohawk Trail State Park:
Today's ride is very rural, swinging east from the popular tourist areas of
the Berkshires through Savoy State Forest to Charlemont, MA. We take a short
climb along the Mohawk Trail (Rt. 2) to the Mohawk Trail
State Park where we'll camp tonight. Today's ride:55 miles. Advanced
option: 15 mile extra loop to North Adams in the shadow of Mount Greylcok (shown here in photo) , with 4 mile climb up the "Hairpin
Turn" and a fast 6 mile curving descent on the Mohawk Trail (Advanced
only--traffic hazards.)
 Tuesday, Day 4: The Battenkill River:
We head into the
Green Mountains of Vermont along the rapids of the Deerfield River to very
isolated Readsboro, Vermont. The gradual climb now becomes a bit steeper for a
few miles, riding past a wind farm to Route 9. This wide-shouldered highway
Bennington, where we'll see the Bennington Monument to the Revolutionary War and
ride through one of the town's three covered bridges. TWe continue north to
Arlington, and camp for the night at Camping on the Battenkill
. Today's ride: 60 miles.
Wednesday, Day 5: Cherry Plain State
Park, NY State: Today we'll continue along the Battenkill River and in to
upstate New York. Along the state line we'll see great views of the Taconic
Mountain Ridge, with rolling hills as we turn south to Cherry Plain State Park.
Today's ride: 55 miles. Advanced option: 15 mile extra loop to Williamstown,
rejoining the route after a 4 mile climb up Petersburg Pass and a fast 5 mile
descent back into New York State.
 Thursday, Day 6: Taconic State Park. We ride back through Berkshires
today, past Hancock Shaker Village and through West Stockbridge, Alford, Great
Barrington, and Egremont. Rolling hills give way to a steady climb across the
Taconic ridge in South Egremont and we are back in New York State tcampig
tonight at Taconic State Park . You'll want to ride an extra mile for a
hike to nearby Bash Bish Falls. Today's ride:50 miles. Advanced option:
5 mile climb along Mount Everett, Massachusetts' 2nd highest mountain, with a
rapid winding descent on local road along Bash Bish Falls.
Friday, Day
7: Back to Connecticut. We return to our starting point, setting out
along the Harlem Valley Rail Trail, along the slopes that separate New
York's open fields on our right from the Taconic Mountains on our left.
Turning east into Northeat Connecticut and ride through the Litchfield
Hills back to our starting point, Housatonic Meadows State Park. Today's
ride:40 miles.
 Available
by group request: price based on group
size 6 - 10 participants.
Price: $1195 / person , including campgrounds and
evening meals. Participants bring their own camping equipment (to be carried
in the support van to next camp location).
Campgrounds: 6 nights at state and private campgrounds.
Rides: Ride time each morning is approximately 8:30 - 9 am
after packing our gear in the support van. Maps and cue sheets are provided
for each ride, with one guide riding with participants, another driving the
support van.
Bike Rentals: Jamis hybrid road bikes are available for rental with our
tours at $25 /day, or $100 /week.
 BikeNewEngland, 17 Mill Rd., Ipswich, MA 01938 (978) 979-6598
email Bike New England
Route map for Taconic Bike Camping Tour
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