Biking in Minnewaska

I’m a hobby mountain biker with an e-bike, and I’m enjoying the heck out of every ride. No regrets. Just sheer, pure fun.

One of my frequently recurring rides goes like this:

I start at the Upper Minnewaska Parking Lot. From there, it’s roughly three miles to Lake Awosting. They’re almost done constructing the path around the lake, and I’m tempted to ride it, but I promised myself not to spoil the experience until it officially opens.

So, I make a right turn onto the Smiley Carriage Road. I’m smiling already.

Now, this route is hilly, but I’m excited. Down the hill to a bridge over Fly Brook, then up it goes, down again, and back up once more.

Eventually, Smiley breaks off and ends. The ride continues on High Point Carriage Road. It gets steep for a bit, but the landscape is so beautiful it hardly matters. The e-bike helps :-).

High Point comes to a T, and I go right, then onto a narrow stretch of single track that’s very short and spills me out at Lake Maratanza. The landscape here looks almost surreal. Massive cell towers—like alien artifacts—dot the horizon. Weird, but I like it, especially since I’m totally into science fiction and all things strange.

I stop for a picnic and meet a couple of folks passing through on their way to the Ice Caves. They ask if I know them and what I think. I tell them they’re nice, but there’s no ice this time of year. They’re disappointed for a moment, but recover quickly.

After the picnic, I ride back to Lake Awosting and make a right onto the Lake Awosting Carriageway. This leads to Castle Point Carriage Road—probably everyone’s favorite. Castle Point itself rewards the traveler with a magnificent vista. I wish I had saved some of my sandwich.

After a small, leisurely break, the carriage road continues mostly downhill to Lake Minnewaska. I ride around it. Too beautiful to pass up. Eventually, I end up at the picnic area overlooking the lake.

Then it’s back to the car and off to my office, across from the Mountain Brauhaus, for some emails.

I love living here.

Minnewaska, especially, feels like a different world. It even smells different—pine sap, earth, wilderness.

Until next time.