A scenic loop ride off the Adirondack Rail Trail

Newly opened Phase 2 provides easy access to 13.8-mile journey that includes Floodwood Road, St. Regis Canoe Area and more

Editor’s note: The following article is an updated version of an article in the September/October issue of Adirondack Explorer, which went to press before we knew that Phase 2 of the Adirondack Rail Trail would open ahead of schedule.

By Phil Brown

The Adirondack Rail Trail will create new opportunities for loop bike rides. No need for a car shuttle or to go over the same ground twice. One such circuit cuts through the most remote and scenic stretch of the 34-mile rail trail. As of this week, this stretch is open to the public.

I first rode this 13.8-mile loop two summers ago, before construction began on this part of the trail. About half of it was on the rail trail. Most of the rest was on a good dirt road or old woods roads. Cars were no problem. Along the way I saw ponds, wetlands, wildflowers, butterflies, three deer, two loons and a gaggle of paddlers. I also took a swim. 

Ten days later, I did the route again with my neighbor, Tim Peartree. We began near the state fish hatchery west of Lake Clear and rode the yet-to-be-built rail trail as far as Floodwood Road. We took mountain bikes because part of the old rail bed was covered with chunky gravel that would have been hard to handle on less-beefy bikes. 

Now that the corridor has been resurfaced with packed stone dust, cyclists can do this trip on gravel or road bikes. The account that follows is based largely on my mountain-bike trips, but since the resurfacing, I have done the same loop on a gravel bike. The scenery has not changed, but the riding is much improved.

Tim and I parked at the end of tiny Station Road (just west of the hatchery) and headed west on the rail trail. In a minute, we crossed the access road to Green Pond and the St. Regis Canoe Area. The rail trail marks the southern border of this paddler’s paradise. Because the region is managed as wilderness, bicycles are not allowed, with one exception: the Fish Pond Truck Trail. 

We next passed Rat Pond, which is much prettier than its humble name suggests (presumably, it refers to muskrats). At 1.8 miles, we came to the aesthetic highlight of this stretch of the rail corridor: Little Rainbow Pond and its associated wetlands. We rode beside the pond, separated from the water only by a strip of grasses and wildflowers. This stretch is now bordered by wooden fencing.

At the outlet, we saw a glacial erratic, a large boulder left by the glaciers, and a beaver dam that raised the pond’s water level. Then we caught our first glimpse of Hoel Pond. On my solo ride, I had stopped here to take some notes and spotted a doe browsing on the edge of the corridor. When she finally saw me, she didn’t hightail, as deer usually do, but casually sauntered away. As I continued riding, she followed me through the forest. Was she playing hide-and-seek? 

One way to enter the St. Regis Canoe Area is to paddle across Hoel Pond, carry over the rail corridor and put into Turtle Pond. When Tim and I reached the carry, we heard voices. We met Jason and Sara Masters of Rosendale launching a canoe loaded with supplies for a three-night excursion. They planned to camp on Turtle and explore other ponds during the day. As we chatted, a great blue heron passed overhead. We wished them luck. 

After 6.5 miles, we reached Floodwood Road and the Floodwood Outpost, run by Dave Cilley. It’s a starting point for paddling trips in the St. Regis Canoe Area to the north and the equally water-rich Fish Creek region to the south. On this day, paddlers were carrying canoes to nearby Floodwood Pond. Tim and I browsed the shop’s gear, maps, guidebooks, freeze-dried meals and energy bars, among other supplies. 

Floodwood Road is a wonderful cycling experience. The hard-packed dirt road sees little traffic, and the tall trees form a leafy colonnade. It has a few small hills, but none demand strenuous exertion. We pedaled east past Middle Pond and Polliwog Pond and tent sites occupied by car campers. When we reached the Saranac Inn Golf Course, the dirt gave way to tarmac, and we knew we were almost to state Route 30. 

Fortunately, we could avoid the highway (with its 55-mph speed limit). At the end of Floodwood Road, we crossed Route 30 to get on a quiet county road that goes past the boat launch on Upper Saranac Lake. In less than a mile, the road met up again with Route 30. We crossed the highway a second time, angling right, and headed up a woods road. (Road bikers may prefer to stay on Route 30 for a mile or so before turning onto Fish Hatchery Road.) 

In a quarter mile, we reached a fork and turned left to stop at Rat Pond. On my first trip, I saw two loons on the pond, but no such luck today. Back on the woods road, we came to another junction and turned left to the rail trail. We turned right on the trail, and in less than a mile we were back at the car. The entire loop involves only 300 feet of ascent.

Tim and I stopped at Charlie’s Inn in Lake Clear for lunch. Just off the rail corridor and with an old depot on the property, the inn is a snowmobile hangout in winter. Owner John Brockway plans to cater to cyclists as well, offering a bike shop and rentals. Bikers also will be able to rent rooms, cabins and tent sites and use showers, bathrooms, laundry facilities and a picnic pavilion. “This is a dream,” Brockway said.