Minnewaska / Mohonk Help
- Thread starter Mountain Bike Mike
- Start date
Magic
Formerly 1sh0t1b33r
Minnewaska/Mohonk is a family friendly ride for the most part. Mohonk is flatter, Minnewaska is half uphill, half downhill. Both spots are 100% hard packed gravel. No singletrack unless you do some illegal stuff.
If you want singletrack, Lippman is a really interesting park that's maybe 15 minutes North. It's tiny in acreage, but they pack a ton of miles in there and the trails are super fun. There is a one-way downhill trail called Viper near the beginning of the system that you'd probably like with some some jumps you need to air out, then there are also a bunch of raised snake bridge skills kind of parts. If you're gonna be up there, it would be worth checking out. I've only been there 2 or 3 times so I don't know it well, but it's small enough to not get lost. You can skip the big, outer circle on the left. We checked out some downhill trail to the opposite side of the park. It was kinda fun, but also doesn't really get maintained as there were a bunch of trees down along the downhill, then had to ride the road a while to get back around to the front of the park.
If you want singletrack, Lippman is a really interesting park that's maybe 15 minutes North. It's tiny in acreage, but they pack a ton of miles in there and the trails are super fun. There is a one-way downhill trail called Viper near the beginning of the system that you'd probably like with some some jumps you need to air out, then there are also a bunch of raised snake bridge skills kind of parts. If you're gonna be up there, it would be worth checking out. I've only been there 2 or 3 times so I don't know it well, but it's small enough to not get lost. You can skip the big, outer circle on the left. We checked out some downhill trail to the opposite side of the park. It was kinda fun, but also doesn't really get maintained as there were a bunch of trees down along the downhill, then had to ride the road a while to get back around to the front of the park.
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I was only at Lippman once, but it was really fun.
Riding around the carriage roads up there would make for a really scenic ride. Make sure you ride along the Undercliff Rd at Mohonk and spend a little time watching the people doing stuff 6,000 times cooler than what you are doing 😛
Riding around the carriage roads up there would make for a really scenic ride. Make sure you ride along the Undercliff Rd at Mohonk and spend a little time watching the people doing stuff 6,000 times cooler than what you are doing 😛
Jmann
Never gonna let you down.
I’ve only hiked at minnewaska, but one day I definitely want do a ride there regardless that it’s only carriage roads. It’s a beautiful park. There’s also a lot of rock features sitting alongside the roads that look fun to hit along the way. Some look made to be sessioned.
Mountain Bike Mike
Well-Known Member
Basically all of the singletrack up there is hiking only and taken pretty seriously supposedly. Doesn't stop everyone.
Magic
Formerly 1sh0t1b33r
This.^ There's a bunch of intersecting hiking trails around the area, but honestly you have to look for them to even find them. I have never ridden them myself. If you want singletrack, just check out Lippman. If you have the need to ride the illegal stuff, I would at least recommend not doing it on Mohonk property as they can still probably shoot you as it's private property held onto from the 1800's.
Mountain Bike Mike
Well-Known Member
That explains all the strava segments... I was wondering why there appears to be many trails / segments... I get it now...
Yeah, some guys I know were up there riding and accidentally rode on a bunch of hiking only trails. It picked up some Strava segments, and then some locals blasted them on Strava to remove the segments and/or make the activities private.
a.s.
Mr. Chainring
Ask the mountain house if they have mountain bike trails on their property. I was there a few weeks ago hiking the Labyrinth to Lemon Squeeze (I highly recommend you check it out.) and on our way out of the resort I saw a trail leading into the woods. I’m curious if my eyes just wanted to believe there was a bike trail there but I could have sworn I saw a tag with a blue diamond and bike logo on it...
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Last I checked, there is one small loop of 1.5 miles of mountain bike designated singletrack way out in the middle of nowhere on the property.
It was suffering from frost heaves when I checked it, but still not sure there's much to recommend it.
Most of the fireroads on the property are open season though.
What you saw may have been for xc ski or snowshoe.
The Kalmyk
Well-Known Member
JH and Onteora Lake is good stuff! Highly recommended.
Whenever I go here, I stay at my friends lodge. Ran into Bill Murray and George Clinton there on a two different occasions. Check it out...
http://thelodgewoodstock.com
So this is going back to the days of 26ers with really long stems, head angles in the low 70s and forks with 50mm of travel... I did ride the singletrack and got caught by some pseudo ranger type guy. He let me carry my bike out, but point is how often do you actually see trails patrolled by anyone in NJ? The rock climbing is world class and the carriage roads are open to bikes and really pretty, but basically like riding on the road sans traffic. Stay away on Fall Sundays - you'll never get back home!
Mountain Bike Mike
Well-Known Member
Thanks all... I think I’ll play it safe and build a carriage road route and stay away from riding rrhe hiking trails... I’ll look forward to the scenery
Lippman seems to be a decent option however I don’t plan on driving once I am at the resort... more like... wake up, ride from the resort parking lot, do a a couple hours and put the bike back on the car when I’m done...
Lippman seems to be a decent option however I don’t plan on driving once I am at the resort... more like... wake up, ride from the resort parking lot, do a a couple hours and put the bike back on the car when I’m done...
Good call. What the carriage roads lack in technicality and twistiness is more than made up for with great views.
RobW
Well-Known Member
if its anniversary getaway, that is a smart move!