[metaldork]

i think i remember hearing once that if you take the 2 train to the end of the line in the bronx, then there's an old tow path or something you can bike up to sprain ridge. does anybody know anything about this?

 

[SuperKat]

Sorry...

I take the Sprain to get to Grahm Hills. Don't know about getting up from the train though. Sorry.

 

[Convert]

i think i remember hearing once that if you take the 2 train to the end of the line in the bronx, then there's an old tow path or something you can bike up to sprain ridge. does anybody know anything about this?

I don't think it is that simple. I believe you can take a train to Hasting on the Hudson and then you have to ride about about 5 miles to the park. I think you take Farragut to Ravensdale Rd to Jackson Ave. And Jackson Ave is mostly up hill. Good warm up ride I guess.

 

[Tom Church]

You can take the train to Pleasantville and ride about 2 miles on the road to Graham. Not sure about sprain though...

Tom

 

[jbogner]

I've ridden to Sprain Ridge Park from the end of the 4 train in Van Cortlandt park. I wouldn't recommend it, though, as it was about 9 miles each way over a ton of hills. Not so bad as a warm-up ride, but riding back is a *****. Hastings would be a good Metro-North stop for that reason- it's uphill on your way to the park, but downhill on your way back. I've ridden to Sprain from the Scarsdale Metro-North stop, but you have to climb three ridges that way. From looking at it, you could potentially take the Croton Aqueduct trail north from Van Cortlandt park, although it makes a sharp turn toward the river about halfway to Sprain Ridge Park. You'd have to work out a road route from there.

Tom- the ride from the Pleasantville station to Graham Hills is exactly one mile. It, too, is uphill on the way to the park, and downhill on the way back. Graham Hills is definitely the best park to get your feet wet, if you're new to biking from the trains.

Jamie

 

[metaldork]

i'm not new to riding in westchester, but am recently carless. how do the hills to sprain ridge compare to graham hills. i've trained it to graham hills a couple times and that hill isn't bad at all.

 

[SpinWheelz]

Personally, I love Graham Hills, I loathe Sprain Ridge. The latter may be due to when I was there, rather than the overall quality of the trail. I found the switchbacks far too frequent and when I was there, the trail was so littered with leaves you couldn't tell the exactly where to ride.

Graham Hills, on the other hand, has just enough of everything to keep most people interested. Yeah, it's kinda short - going all the way around is a mere 5 miles or so - but I find it tons of fun.

I'll be back at Graham Hills this weekend, for sure.

 

[BXTale]

I am in the process of figuring out how to get from Yonkers Ave to Sprain VIA some sort of trail. I am getting up to Yonkers (to the Yonkers Ave Motel) VIA Van Cortlandt/old railroad tracks, but from here I am trying to remember how to get furture north since the RR trail stops because of the Yonkers City dumping station and the golf course. I got furture north somehow about 15 years ago by a trail near here.
I am trying to catch some sort of trail from Yonkers Ave to continue north and staying of the the streets. I will keep you guys updated.

 

[rpet]

Thanks BXT: I'm looking forward to more info from ya.

I'd love it if I could avoid the MetroNorth to Tuckahoe method of getting to Sprain. Saving $16 or whatever from GC would be nice!

-rob in Brooklyn

 

[BXTale]

rpet
You can always ride up the old Conrail trail and get off at Yonkers Ave and head up to Sprain VIA the street. Rout 9A that runs parallel to the Saw Mill will get you to Jackson Ave where you make a Rt turn onto Jackson Ave the Sprain Ridge Park entrance should be about a mile down.
I just wish that bike/running path next to the Saw Mill would be extended a little more south, maybe to Yonkers Ave. That would be great. Maybe the WMBA can help push for it.

 

[rpet]

Thanks man, maybe I will try that this Saturday. Looks like a few miles on pavement though.. (not so fun on sticky tires).

I've been meaning to check out the jumps in VC anyway, so maybe i'll do that in addition to Sprain.

-r

 

[BXTale]

rpet wrote; "Looks like a few miles on pavement though.. (not so fun on sticky tires).
."
I know, that's I need to find a way there VIA a dirt path.

"I've been meaning to check out the jumps in VC anyway, so maybe i'll do that in addition to Sprain."

If you pick up the Conrail path(the ONLY LEGAL BIKE PATH IN VANNY) at Van Cortlandt golf house in the Bronx, take that path next to the lake. Head north until the golf ends(the fence on your RT hand side ends), make a right up a little incline and you are there. Theres a bunch of stuff back there(east of the Conrail path) so explore.Some paths are off limits to bikers, and the Rangers on horseback will let you know this. They have known to take bikes away if your an A$$. You can always stop by the Ranger station at 242st next to the Van Cortlandt house museum. I ran into them a few time on both legal and illegal trails, I haven't had any problems. I just had to walk my bike off the NON BIKE trails(a few miles walk), give respect, earn respect.
Good luck

 

[jbogner]

BXT- the next phase of the Westchester South County Trailway should bring it down to Van Cortlandt- it's planned, but I don't know what their time frame is for actually building it. Once it's done, that will make getting to Sprain a piece of cake.

For those looking for an adventure, there is a back entrance to Sprain. From Sprain Road, West of I-95, North of Tuckahoe road, look for a break in the fence with a trail that leads to an old, abandoned overpass/exit. At the East end of the overpass, you'll have to shoulder the bike and climb over a railing. Once off, you'll see a guard house- if you ride into the trees across the grass to the left, you'll find a rocky, overgrown fireroad that runs the length of Sprain Ridge Park.

Sprain is ten times more interesting than Graham, IMO. Maybe it's just my fondness for rocks, drops and technical trails, but I'd much rather ride Sprain that Graham. However, it's a pain in the ass to get to Sprain without a car, so I only tend to go when someone's driving.

Jamie

 

[metaldork]

i dig the switchbacks. it would also make a nice no-train biking option. i find graham hills gets really eroded. i wonder if it's possible to build enough trails there so that you could close certain ones on alternating years and keep em fresh.

anyways, looks like i'll be at graham hills sunday. say hi if you see a yellow giant nrs.

 

[jbogner]

Why go to Graham when you can go to Blue Mountain instead? The train ride's only 15 minutes longer, and the ride from the Cortland station to the park is a pretty easy. Much better trails, too...

I'm hoping to get up to Blue on Sunday. It was great last weekend (as was Sprain). It should be just about perfect this weekend, as it's had a whole week to dry up, and wasn''t too muddy last weekend to start with...

 

[metaldork]

last couple of years i've treated graham as my warm up, early season ride. then spend more time in blue mountain or ringwood. i figured both would still be wet now, since at the end of last year both were basically under water and it was a wet winter.