Fall cycling at its finest

In Hamilton County, there’s no shortage of ways to experience fall. Our big outdoors welcome adventurists of all avenues, from autumnal campers and paddlers, to trail explorers and fly fishermen. However, the most fun this season will be found on two wheels! Gravel trails can be found all over the region, cutting through lush fiery forests, around lake fronts, and winding through historic Great Camps of the Gilded Age. You’ll be able to witness it all on convenient routes, offering a new and unique way to explore. 

Great Camp Sagamore - an easy route

The Great Camp Sagamore Route will take you a century back in time to the region's history. Great Camp Sagamore, a compound of 27 buildings, including a three-story great camp and an open-air bowling alley, resides here! Situated on the shores of Sagamore Lake, the camp was originally constructed by William West Durant, a designer and developer of Great Camps in the Adirondacks, and the son of Thomas C. Durant. 

Getting on your way, you must first ride a short distance along Hamilton County Route 2, including over Browns Tract Inlet Bridge to Sagamore Road. The view from the bridge across Inlet and Raquette Lakes will have you wanting to stop for the whole afternoon, especially in fall. If you do decide to move on, you will soon cross New York State Route 28, and you will leave the pavement behind. The ride along the dirt road rolls over a few small hills. The travel surface is hard and fast, except on the steeper portions of the hills where there are some easily avoidable loose stones. 

To access the grounds of Great Camp Sagamore, you will need to purchase a ticket and plan ahead so that you arrive a little before the start of a scheduled tour. The tours run from early June through mid-October. An up-to-date tour schedule can be found on their website. 

Great Camp Uncas & Sagamore 

The Great Camp Uncas and Sagamore Route is as good as it gets. Fast with a very gentle grade, you’ll quickly realize slowing down to enjoy the view is a good thing. In no time you’ll pass the entrance to Brown's Tract Campground, where you may catch a brief glimpse of Upper and Lower Ponds. Shortly after the campground the road changes to pavement, just before a short drop down a steep hill. 

For those who’d prefer the difficult ride, you continue beyond the Browns Tract Inlet Bridge, across New York State Route 28, and up the Sagamore Road for another four miles of great dirt road riding. This portion of the road has more hills and there are loose stones on those hills so caution on downhills is advised. At the end of the road is Great Camp Sagamore. 

Before heading back to the car, it is worth taking a spin through the community of Raquette Lake where scenic viewing and dining tours of the lake are available aboard the W. W. Durant, which is run by the Raquette Lake Navigation Company. The experience is a sight to behold in fall, with the lake and native camps surrounded by stunning reds and golds. 

Little Tupper Lake - easy, intermediate, and difficult routes

Take in the views of a scenic lake, and the site of a historic forest fire on your ride along the Little Tupper Lake Route. Once you turn into the Little Tupper Lake Headquarters of the William C. Whitney Forest Preserve tract, follow the signs to a large parking lot to unload your bikes and begin this ride. No matter what length you choose, it will undoubtedly serve up a bit of a challenge. As you head out you continue along County Route 10 (aka Sabattis Road), a roughly paved and dirt/gravel road that is smooth and wide. But while smooth, there are locations where a top layer of loose gravel and stones will command your attention and these sections are especially prevalent on the hills. When descending all but the gentlest of hills, speed control is important.

The road rolls across the landscape and past small pockets of wetlands, which are excellent places to keep an eye out for wildlife. As you make your way along, the road bisects large tracts of private forest that will likely be under active logging operations. 

If you’re up for the intermediate or difficult distances, you continue another 2.5 miles until you roll into a gravel clearing that includes a historic marker commemorating the location as the site of the most destructive forest fire in New York State’s history. The fire, which occurred in 1908, burned the forest for miles in all directions. It also completely destroyed the community of Long Lake West, which was regarded by some as one of the most prosperous villages in the Adirondacks. 

Dining, lodging, and more

Off the trails there’s still more to experience this fall. The small towns of Hamilton County are brimming with cultural experiences and quaint downtowns adorned with the decorations of the season! There’s antique markets, Octoberfests, Great Adirondack Moose Festivals to attend, and don’t forget the apple cider donuts to be feasted on! Tuck into any of the cozy restaurants around and grab the window seat for views of the foliage. To extend your stay from a weekend to a week, book at any of the lodging options around, from cozy cottages to grand lodges.