Motorcycle routes in New York
10 routes. Each one starts at the foot of the good part; the "from NYC" and "from Stamford" versions add the ride there and back.
Seven Lakes, Perkins & Storm King
36 mi · 1h 17m
The ideal first ride for a pack that's just coming together: Seven Lakes Drive runs through Harriman between lakes and woods on friendly curves and good pavement, and Perkins Memorial Drive climbs to the tower on top of Bear Mountain for the group photo with the Hudson below. From Bear Mountain you pick up 9W and turn onto Storm King Highway (NY-218), the road hanging off the cliff that drops you into Cornwall-on-Hudson. Weekends bring a lot of cyclists, sometimes riding side by side, and there's no gas or food inside the park, so fill up before Sloatsburg. Perkins opens seasonally and Storm King closes when there's rockfall risk, so check before you head out.
Hawk's Nest · NY-97
71 mi · 1h 42m
The road every tri-state club wants in its history: NY-97 follows the Delaware from Port Jervis to Hancock, and at Hawk's Nest the road is carved into the rock with the river below and a wide-open view into Pennsylvania. Past that stretch it settles into an easy, scenic ride through river towns like Barryville, Narrowsburg and Callicoon, all good stops for food or a stretch. This one is meant to be enjoyed at an easy pace: enforcement is heavy, Hawk's Nest has no shoulder, and the stretch has a history of crashes. Weekends fill up with cars and other motorcycle groups; in October the foliage makes it worth it anyway.
Hudson River Bridge Tour
65 mi · 1h 51m
The way out of the city without grinding through highways: from the GW Bridge you head up the Palisades Parkway, where trucks aren't allowed but motorcycles are, with a stop at the Alpine lookout above the cliffs. At the Bear Mountain circle you cross the Hudson on the Bear Mountain Bridge (it's a toll bridge) and come down the east bank through Peekskill, Croton, Ossining and Sleepy Hollow to Tarrytown. It's more about scenery than curves, a perfect season-opener or a good ride for a pack with newer riders. Parkway police are strict and US-9 has plenty of traffic lights, so bring some patience.
Shawangunk Byway · 44/55
37 mi · 1h 11m
A loop out of New Paltz that climbs onto the Shawangunk ridge on 44/55, with the famous hairpin below the Trapps overlook and wide views over the Wallkill valley. On the far side it passes Minnewaska, drops into Kerhonkson and comes back on quiet country roads through High Falls. The hairpin is very tight and often has gravel: go in slow and keep the pack well spaced. At the Trapps there are climbers' cars parked along the road and people walking the edge, and foliage weekends get packed; New Paltz is a good spot for coffee at the start and the finish.
Kaaterskill Clove & Stony Clove
37 mi · 1h 17m
The most dramatic mountain climb in the Catskills within reach of a day ride: from Palenville, 23A climbs Kaaterskill Clove between rock walls with the creek right alongside, and past Hunter, 214 cuts through Stony Clove Notch before dropping into Phoenicia. These are real curves with grade changes, best suited to riders who already have some miles under them. Around Kaaterskill Falls expect people crossing and cars parked every which way, especially on weekends, and 23A has had closures from landslides. Phoenicia is the natural lunch stop at the end.
9D & 301 · Cold Spring and Fahnestock
30 mi · 1h 00m
The east side of the Hudson in a short ride: from the Bear Mountain Bridge, 9D follows the river to Garrison and Cold Spring, the perfect coffee town, and from there 301 heads into the Fahnestock woods with linked curves and lakes on both sides all the way to Carmel. It's a good pick for a morning ride or to tack onto Seven Lakes by crossing the bridge. 9D is narrow and has cyclists, and Cold Spring fills up on weekends, so get there early if you want room to park the group.
Frost Valley Road
21 mi · 46 min
A hidden mountain road between Big Indian and Claryville: it climbs off NY-28 through Oliverea, passes beneath Slide Mountain and runs down along the West Branch of the Neversink through deep woods with almost no traffic. The curves are tight and keep coming, ideal for a pack that already handles roads like Kaaterskill and wants something more technical. Watch for gravel, deer and hikers near the trailheads, and there are no services anywhere along it, so start with a full tank. It's short: pair it with NY-28 or NY-55 to fill out the day.
Catskill Preserve · the big loop
141 mi · 3h 54m
The big day of the year: a full loop around the Catskills that starts and ends in Catskill, running through Cairo, Windham, Stamford, Andes, Margaretville and Phoenicia, then closing out down through Hunter and Kaaterskill Clove. Lots of open valley riding past mountain towns and reservoirs, with the serious curves saved for the end. This is an all-day ride, and from the city you need to add a couple of hours just to reach the start, so it's for an experienced pack that keeps a good rhythm of stops. Gas is spread out: fill up in every larger town even if you don't need it yet.
Long Island North Shore · 25A
39 mi · 1h 45m
The coastal ride without leaving the metro area, made for clubs from Queens and Long Island: 25A runs the North Shore from Glen Cove to Port Jefferson through Oyster Bay, Huntington, Northport and Stony Brook, past bays, old estates and harbor towns. It's an easygoing cruise, more about scenery than curves, good for an afternoon or for a pack with newer riders. Expect plenty of traffic and lights, and the prettiest stretch is short, so take it easy and stop in Northport or Port Jefferson to eat by the water.
Route 10 · Cannonsville
27 mi · 38 min
A quiet, nearly empty stretch of NY-10 running from Walton to Deposit along the Cannonsville Reservoir, with the water in view for much of the way and gentle curves through the hills. It's not a challenge ride, it's one for soaking in the scenery, and it pairs nicely with Hawk's Nest: ride NY-97 up to Hancock and link over here to stretch the day. It's a long way from the city and there's only gas at either end, so plan your fill-up before leaving Walton or Deposit.
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