Route Review from Williamstown->Catskills

[fatsanta92]

So my friend and I are planning on doing a ride from Williamstown to Windham NY. We've ridden around Williamstown quite a bit but never have ridden in NY.

I was hoping people could chime in with some advice on the roads we're going on.

We're starting off on MA US-7 for maybe 4 miles followed by 10 on MA-43s which leads us to NY-43W. Once we enter into NY we're on NY-22 S/State Hwy 22/State Rte 22. We jump on a backroad for a bit before we end up on NY-295 W. This eventually turns into NY-66 S until we get into Hudson. Once we're in Hudson we make our way onto NY-23 W to cross the Rip Van Winkle Bridge (any issues with this? Doesn't look like there is on Google) which we stay on until we reach our destination.

My concerns are primarily on NY 23-W. There is NY 23 B which runs parallel to 23-W for a while which we can jump on (turns to 32) as it takes us through Cairo before it dumps us back on 23-W before it heads up the mountain. There is a roundabout way (20 through Cornwallville before turning onto 21) to get up the mountain but it adds a substantial amount of mileage onto an already long ride (80ish as it stands).

This is the Direct Route
https://www.google.com/maps/dir/Williams+College,+880+Main+St,+Williamstown,+MA+01 267/Windham+Mountain+Resort,+Resort+Drive,+Windham,+NY/@42.1843758,-73.7819991,9.98z/data=!4m49!4m48!1m40!1m1!1s0x89e0ba150a0a1885:0x7b 608eea76075ba0!2m2!1d-73.2036396!2d42.7129581!3m4!1m2!1d-73.8314181!2d42.2211959!3s0x89dd962e23cb1e45:0x4ed 284fd2ec5aeae!3m4!1m2!1d-73.8658166!2d42.2290732!3s0x89ddbd9872479b9b:0x663 f4ad59f1ebede!3m4!1m2!1d-73.8989193!2d42.2494729!3s0x89ddbc30ae481d29:0x2ab 83d13f14f8e9!3m4!1m2!1d-73.9290548!2d42.259804!3s0x89ddbc054512a13f:0xe7a4 82a6030842c0!3m4!1m2!1d-73.9501199!2d42.2707542!3s0x89ddbbe2b483c909:0xad8 f3235f63e0802!3m4!1m2!1d-73.9979425!2d42.3040435!3s0x89ddb9bb07631dc7:0xd56 77ad44494606f!3m4!1m2!1d-74.0466615!2d42.306198!3s0x89ddb7699c399f0b:0x6297 3fc95e27f454!1m5!1m1!1s0x89dc4c8ba032646f:0x732ebd 636827daca!2m2!1d-74.2567116!2d42.2937298!3e1

This is the Alt. Route that avoids 23.
https://www.google.com/maps/dir/Williams+College,+880+Main+St,+Williamstown,+MA+01 267/Windham+Mountain+Resort,+Resort+Drive,+Windham,+NY/@42.2293868,-73.8892096,2673m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m59!4m58!1m50!1m1!1s0x89e0ba150a0a1 885:0x7b608eea76075ba0!2m2!1d-73.2036396!2d42.7129581!3m4!1m2!1d-73.325079!2d42.5401235!3s0x89e7531e3bafff5b:0xe11d 28a12619b079!3m4!1m2!1d-73.8314181!2d42.2211959!3s0x89dd962e23cb1e45:0x4ed 284fd2ec5aeae!3m4!1m2!1d-73.8658166!2d42.2290732!3s0x89ddbd9872479b9b:0x663 f4ad59f1ebede!3m4!1m2!1d-73.8906197!2d42.2529273!3s0x89ddbc2d616b8fe5:0xa69 13a484a0a0922!3m4!1m2!1d-73.9280511!2d42.2629166!3s0x89ddbc047c13c109:0x569 29331781ae1ae!3m4!1m2!1d-73.949242!2d42.2727239!3s0x89ddb95837995869:0xca45 25353f78e57b!3m4!1m2!1d-73.9979682!2d42.2986629!3s0x89ddb9bd6c219907:0xdd0 2aa3bba2f7021!3m4!1m2!1d-74.0667736!2d42.3253991!3s0x89ddb707e9e3c00f:0xbea 7bd5c92683a23!3m4!1m2!1d-74.1455055!2d42.3649606!3s0x89ddb5edc3a1a30f:0x46d cf46288075db5!1m5!1m1!1s0x89dc4c8ba032646f:0x732eb d636827daca!2m2!1d-74.2567116!2d42.2937298!3e1


Just curious as to if anyone has any experience in these areas.

Thanks

[djg21]

Petersburg Pass is fun, but the pavement on the NY side is awful. Maybe call the Spoke bike shop in Williamstown. The owner lives in Kinderhook, NY, and he can probably give you suggestions.

[fiamme red]

Petersburg Pass is fun, but the pavement on the NY side is awful. Maybe call the Spoke bike shop in Williamstown. The owner lives in Kinderhook, NY, and he can probably give you suggestions.Petersburg Pass (Route 2 between Williamstown and Petersburg) is not on either route that the OP linked.

Rip Van Winkle Bridge is fine, just watch out for road signs on the shoulder.

My advice would be to make a left off Route 23 in Catskill to Spring St. (There's a pizzeria in Catskill, Village Pizza II, that I stopped at when I rode through in June.) Then make a right on Main St, which becomes Route 23B. Take 23B to the end in Cairo, and make a left on Route 23. Then just take Route 23 west of Cairo, since from that point it's no longer a divided highway, but a two-lane road with mostly decent shoulders (three lanes on the hilly parts).

You can get off Route 23 in Cairo to Route 20, but then continue on Route 20A back to 23. You don't need to make that long detour.

You might try Old Rd east of Windham as an alternative to 23. I haven't ridden that road.

[djg21]

I didn’t look at the routes I confess. I know how I have ridden from the Saratoga and Chatham areas over to Williamstown and Mt. Greylock, and it’s always over the pass.

[efixler]

Crossing the Rip Van Winkle bridge is fine. It’s totally flat as well.

You can ride the run up on Mt. Merino Road, thus avoiding 23 (at least the last part).

In general, I’d try to avoid 23, especially on the west side of the Hudson. I’m not super familiar with a good route to Windham, but there tend to be good (and hilly) side roads.

The side roads tend to be even better on the east side of the Hudson too. This is a good ridewithgps project.


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[fkelly]

When are you going?

I can do a ride with gps route for you if I have a couple of days. Edit: oh heck I just did it. See below.

Notes: you want 43 out of Williamstown rather than 7. It runs along the Green River to the 5 Corners (intersection with 7). Very nice road, a bit narrow but speed controlled. From the 5 Corners take 43 going west to 22. That intersection is in Stephentown. I'd avoid 22, it has a nice shoulder but high speed traffic and a good bit. Instead go about a mile and go left and hook up with Garfield Road, route 26. Beautiful road with some climbs. It ends over in East Nassau at Route 66. Take that South a couple of miles, careful at the intersection with 20. Quick right then quick left and go down to Old Chatham on route 13. Another great road. Cut across to route 9. Take it down to Hudson. 9j is a nicer riding alternative parallel to 9 but it would add a few miles to a long day.

Then south of Hudson as another poster said take Mt. Merino Road. That takes you out onto 23 near the Rip Van Winkle Bridge. Been at least 20 years since I crossed that on a bike. They don't allow bikes on the sidewalk and the traffic lanes are narrow. I'd also be very cautious with expansion joints in the bridge. I can see a bike tire falling into one of those.

Cross the bridge you want Main Street in Catskill up to 23b. Not the 23 superhighway. 23b runs parallel very close to 23 over into Cairo. Then onto 23 and up the mountain to Windham. It's a long climb but not very steep and there is a good shoulder.

https://ridewithgps.com/routes/31279888

IF you want to use this you can print cue sheets and a map from the ride with gps site. Or let me know and I can email them to you. You can also download them to use for turn by turn instructions with a Garmin or the rwgps Android or IOS app. I'd recommend having a printed copy with you as backup.

The whole area has been my playground for the last 40 years, so feel free to ask.

Worth noting that we are getting into sketchy weather time of year. All too soon.