A stunning 3 day ride on carefully selected back roads to safely enjoy the great landscape of the Catskills.

This trip starts at the Poughkeepsie train station and finishes at the Rhinecliff train station with an option to stay an extra night in the charming town of Rhinebeck.

From the Rhinecliff train station it's a short train journey back to Poughkeepsie and trains run regularly throughout the day.

The Catskill Mountains lie in southeastern New York State. The area is known for the Catskill Forest Preserve, with its rich wildlife, hiking trails, and ski resorts including Hunter Mountain and Belleayre Mountain. For cyclists these mountains and valleys are a paradise, especially when you're coming from the urbanized NYC metropolitan area.

It's good to be in the countryside!

Average Daily Distance: 41 miles

Average Daily Elevation Gain: 2247 feet

Terrain: 100% paved roads

Recommended Bike Type: Road / Ebike / Touring

Route Type: Point to Point (start and finish is a different location)

Best Months: June / July / August / September

Highlights

• Explore the wilderness around Ashokan Reservoir and the deep forests of the Catskills mountains.
  
• Discover Hudson river gems like the Clermont State Historic Site, Tivoli Bays and historic bridges.
  
• Enjoy lively towns and pretty villages with unique shops and a great art scene.

Itinerary

Day 1 Poughkeepsie to Boiceville (46 mi)

Start off with an easy rolling ride over the Hudson River to the small town of Boiceville, a small village surrounded by endless forests.

Day 2 Boiceville to Palenville (35 mi) 

This beautiful ride takes you through the lush forests of the Catskills on quiet roads peppered with waterfalls and swimming holes, living up to its reputation as the "land of falling waters".

Day 3 Palenville to Rhinecliff (36 mi)

Rolling downhill and over the Hudson Skyway, you'll be cycling all the way down to the river, riding back roads to the ending point of this wonderful trip at Rhinebeck rail station.

Route Map