I've lived here most of my life and have only found the dirt road around the reservoir that leads to the Croton Dam. I am looking for some more to take the 'cross bike on. Not MTB, like Graham or Blue, but relatively smooth dirt, open to cars or not. Any suggestions?

I've lived here most of my life and have only found the dirt road around the reservoir that leads to the Croton Dam. I am looking for some more to take the 'cross bike on. Not MTB, like Graham or Blue, but relatively smooth dirt, open to cars or not. Any suggestions?

Head on over to the Bedford horse country area. There are hard packed dirt roads everywhere, mixed with stretches of asphalt. A lot of the roads off Rte. 22 in that area quickly turn into dirt.

Holy smokes - I grew up in Westchester and never imagined someone would want to stich together dirt road rides! I used to do road loops that crossed over the Croton Dam and looped back towards Bedford. The Croton Dam is neat - a real architectural treat. Always struck me as sort of a 19th century kind of spot.

Bedford is the place for dirt roads and horsey people. You can piece together a lot of dirt road riding, depending on where you want to start, and how far you want to go. Definitely bring a good north-county road map or a heckuva lot of google maps printouts, because the back roads are a maze.

Going on memory (I live out west now), dirt road country begins beyond Mt. Kisco. For instance, you could park near the Burger King on 117 in Mt.K, climb up Knowlton Rd (paved), and near the top of the hill (very carefully - blind curves and fast cars) cross an x-intersection and continue on GUARD HILL ROAD, which is dirt. Guard Hill will take you east, over 684, past the clock tower, continuing all the way to Bedford Village, where you can pick up a snack or sandwich at the deli near the village green. If it's a weekend, you'll see a lot of roadies passing through Bedford. Basically an out-and-back route since other dirt roads off Guard Hill generally intersect with paved thoroughfares.

Anyway, from Bedford Village, you can take 22 north (paved) a couple miles, just past the golf course and cemetary. Turn right on HOOK ROAD, which is dirt. You'll recognize the turnoff by the large Bedford Oak tree which is surrounded by a stone wall. Can't remember if there's a sign there, but the tree has been around since the British occupied the colonies. Follow Hook Rd northish, at one point zig-zagging across Girdle/Pea (check google maps for a visual), and continue on Upper Hook till it ends at 121 and the Cross River Reservoir. Follow 121 (paved) north a couple miles and you'll find snacks at Cross River. This area, near Pound Ridge Reservation, is one of my favorites because it's so scenic with fields of tall grass, woodsy hills, and the reservoir.

Anyway, those are the routes I'm most familiar with. If you continue on 121 north from Cross River, my hunch is that *most* of the side roads quickly turn to dirt. My mother recently moved up there and it seemed to me that every non-major thoroughfare is exclusively dirt. Horsey people everywhere... So Enjoy!

btw - if you're looking to do a major ride and don't mind some pavement, consider continuing on 121 north - 116 west past Titicus Reservoir and over to Somers - 202/118 down Amawalk reservoir - and finally 129 back towards Croton Reservoir (you get the idea - long rides with lots of waterside pedaling).

[QUOTE=ispoke] The Croton Dam is neat - a real architectural treat. Always struck me as sort of a 19th century kind of spot.

As well it should, construction started in 1892, completed in 1907. It was the dam and reservoir for the first of the NY City water supply system, that eventually encompassed a good bit of northern Westchester as well as the Catskills.

http://users.bestweb.net/~mcpetitt/dam.htm

SB