NYC (start) > Saddle River > Ramsey > Rt 17 Caution!> Sloatsburg > Harriman > Bear Mt. > Garrison (finish)
Requires return by MetroNorth from Garrison. Optional climb up Perkins (Bear Mt.)
NJ side of GW Bridge (start)> 9w> Hillside Ave> Oradell Av> E Saddle River Rd> Rt 202, Mt Ivy(David's Bagel's )> Willow Grove Rd> Rt 210> Bulsontown Rd> Mott Farm Rd> 9W> 7 Lakes Dr> Perkins> Bear Mtn Bridge> Anthony's Nose> Peekskill (end)
Created a couple of years ago for the A STS.
It’s an scenic way up from the city to Bear Mountain and Peekskill mostly avoiding 9W.
Cold Spring > 9D > Bear Mt. Bridge > Bear Mt. climb & descend > 9W > Bike Rte. thru Haverstraw > Old Haverstraw Rd > Old Mill > West Nyack > Western Hwy > Rail Trail > King's Hwy > Old Tappan Rd > Orangeburg Rd > Schraalenburgh > Old Hook > Columbus > Hardenburgh > Piermont Rd > Tenafly Rd > Hudson Ave > Lydecker > Walnut > Summit > Hudson Ter > GW Bridge.
This is an excellent way for strong C riders and slower B riders to do Bear Mountain. Take Metro North to Cold Spring. You start with a 10-mile warm-up ride from the Cold Spring train station and then do the 4-mile climb up Bear Mountain while you have lots of energy. After the descent there are still a couple of shorter climbs before lunch at the Cove Deli. Then it's mostly pleasant side roads and rail trail to get home, with a second snack/ice cream stop in W. Nyack. Ride ends on the NY side of the GW Bridge.
Cold Spring (start)> 9D> Bear Mountain Bridge> 7 Lakes Dr> Perkins> 9W> Haverstraw shoreline> 9W> Old Haverstraw Rd> Kings Hwy> Old Mill> Strawtown> W Nyack> Western Hwy> Old Tappan> Washington> Blanch> Colster Dock> County Rd> Dean> E Hudson> Lydecker> Walnut> Summit> Hudson Ter> NY side of GW Bridge (end)
Take the train to Cold Spring and climb Bear Mountain while the day is still cool. Then ride back to Manhattan on a lovely route that uses 9W only when absolutely necessary. Deli stops in Tompkins Cove and West Nyack (with an ice cream shoppe for those who care to indulge). Bring plenty of fluids and snack food. Water and restrooms at the Bear Mtn Carousel (vending machines take $1 bills).
This ride can be done by strong C riders, but endurance is required - there are no bailouts.
HS 4/6/15
Manitou Metro North stop (start)> 9D south, Bear Mtn Bridge> 9W south> South Entrance Rd> 7 Lakes Drive> Perkins Memorial Drive> top of Bear Mtn> Perkins Memorial Drive> 7 Lakes Drive> 9W north> Bear Mtn Bridge> 9D north> South Station Rd, Garrison> Garrison Metro North southbound railroad platform (end)
This route is the shortest on access to the top of Bear Mtn, aka Perkins, via Metro North.
Manitou is a stop on most outbound trains from GCT on weekends, please check that it is on the train you are planning on using. You can only exit the train in the last 2 cars of the train at Manitou. And there is no platform so you need to carry your bike down steps, a rather awkward maneuver. If this does not work for you, you can take the train one stop further to Garrison and go south on 9D, cycling the extra distance.