Lewis - Gravel Cycling - Easy
44.275027, -73.565574
Lewis
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A tranquil pedal

This ride features quiet country roads, fields, a famous river, forests, and the location of historic and cultural prominence.

How to get there

This ride begins across the road from the Elizabethtown-Lewis Emergency Squad facility, which is located 2.5 miles north of Elizabethtown on New York State Route 9. Parking is best 200 feet off the state highway on Steel Woods Road, where the electric utility right-of-way crosses Steel Woods Road. (Coordinates: 44.246619, -73.566599)

By the numbers

  • Level of difficulty: Easy
  • Route length: 6.2 Miles (10 kilometers)
  • Elevation gain/loss: 414 Feet (126 meters)
  • Predominately smooth gravel roads (72%) with only 28% rural paved road.

A wilderness ride for all

This route provides the opportunity to ride along the famous Boquet River, the steepest river in New York state, famous for its salmon and trout fishing opportunities. As you ride along Steel Woods Road, you’ll experience a road shrouded within the forest canopy and, for a stretch, delightful sounds of the running river. As you make your way along you will find gentle slopes and smooth gravel. Turning left onto the paved Brainards Forge Road, you climb to the Lewis-Wadhams Road (County Route 10) and turn left. The Lewis-Wadhams Road is an idyllic country road that has forest on one side and open hay fields on the other.

An interesting assemblage of white buildings that sit on the left bank along the road is the Meadowmount School of Music, which has had among its students Itzhak Perlman and Yo-Yo Ma. Prior to that the property was owned by the Milholland family. Patriarch John Milholland gained wealth through industry in the late 19th and early 20th centuries and he poured his resources and attention into the creation of affordable housing in New York City. He is also credited with founding the Constitution League (the predecessor to the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People - NAACP).

Watch for critters!

As you continue along Lewis-Wadhams Road, keep an eye out for white tailed deer and wild turkey that feed in open fields on the right. It is also good to scan the skies and tree branches to see if you can spot raptors searching for field mice. After this short — but visually pleasing and historically notable — section of road you turn left onto Ray Woods Road and again ride along a smooth gravel road through a quiet forest back to where you began.

Ride With GPS Link 

Due to limited cellular coverage, please be sure to download this route and save for offline use before you leave home.

A small farm with red fence.
An open field with a farm in the middle.
An open field with a farm in the middle. A small farm with red fence.

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