@softrockhardtimes

SOFT ROCK HARD TIMES




ROUTES

· West of the 87
· Cold Spring Clover
· Rotten Apple
· Round Up
· Dirt Audax
· SRHT400


CALENDAR


ABOUT

Mountains out of molehills. Born out of a desire for all day train-accessible dirt adventures based out of NYC, Soft Rock Hard Times is a project to show that, hey, we have some pretty fantastic routes here in our backyard.

Whether you’re training for SRMR, the Colorado Trail Race,  HT550, Tour Divide, or just looking for a simple day trip or overnighter loop, there’s something for everyone. Bikepacking is possible out here! Most of these routes lean towards singletrack and class 4 trails wherever sensible.

Want to practice remote conditions? Skip out on all resupply points. You want to practice handling mountain passes? Ride in the winter*. Thou wouldst like to live deliciously? Use the routes as guides to connect cabins/campgrounds/motels with fine dining and upscale farmstands.

There is always more to find when you take a deeper look locally (or procrastinate on other activities by going doing rabbit holes while perusing RWGPS). Enjoy!

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*Respect trail crews and ride in mtb groomed parks only when conditions are dry. That said, some of the routes are on multi-use paths or stable gravel beds and won’t be negatively impacted by bike use. Read route descriptions for details. Follow advisories when arriving at trailheads.

A lot of these trails are maintained by volunteers. If you’re able to, please donate to JORBA, Palisades MTB, or NEMBA to help keep these trails going!

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SRHT_03

Rotten Apple

︎  33.5mi (53.9km)
︎  3655’ (1114m)
︎ 65% unpaved
︎ 47% singletrack
︎  9/10 difficulty


Ives Trail, Tarrywile Park in Sept


Trail Systems

  • Tarrywile
  • Wooster
  • Pine
  • Hemlock Hills
  • Liebowitz-Knapp
  • Seth Low Pierrepont
Not your standard Dirty Apple route. Expect a lot of tech on these backcountry trails through Wooster Mountain State Park and Pine Mountain as you loosely follow the Ives Trail. Most of the elevation gain is in the first half. This is the most tech-heavy section of SRHT and most riders will be more comfortable on a full-suspension rig. Expect to take 4-6hrs to clear 17mi. There are no water resupply options once on the trails so either bring enough water or a water filter. Once clearing the singletrack section, you’ll ride on quiet, country gravel roads that are familiar to riders that have taken the Metro North Harlem Line.

This route can be ridden in reverse but, keep in mind, the shuttle train passes through the town of Bethel or Danbury less frequently than the Harlem or Hudson line. If you find yourself exiting late on the reverse route and the trains are too infrequent, head towards the Brewster train station instead.






Scenes from the trail


Camping options

  • Tarrywile Park (reservation req)
  • Salt Hill State Forest
Transit options

  • Bethel
  • Danbury
  • Ridgebury
  • Katonah
  • Golden’s Bridge
  • Brewster


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