Author Topic: Any New Jerseyeans there? Or, "How to get from Sandy Hook to Bear Mountain"  (Read 5686 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Offline jwrushman

I'm planning a east-to-west trip for June to July (maybe into August) of this year.  I'll mostly be following the Northern Tier Route. I'll connect to it via the Erie Canal bike route and the NY State bike route paralleling the Hudson River. 

My question is, how to get from Sandy Hook NJ to Bear Mountain NY without getting killed.  I live in Florham Park.  Day 1, I plan to ride from Sandy Hook to Florham Park.  Day 2, the trip starts "for real" and I'd like to make it to Bear Mountain. 

Anyone familiar with the area knows how congested it is.  Any direct route from Sandy Hook to Morris County and Bear Mountain would be insane.  I'm thinking of heading west from Sandy Hook, maybe out to Manville, before heading north. From Florham Park, I'll use local roads north to Montville before picking up 202.  Thoughts?

Offline canalligators

I'd take the ferry from Sandy Hook to Manhattan, then the west side bike path to the GW Bridge, then Bike 9.  The only dicey bit is north of Haverstraw, it has a shoulder but it isn't very wide.  If you can time it so you're not riding there during rush hour, that would help.  9W/Bike 9 between Fort Lee and Nyack is a nice ride.  We rode this route in 2005, southbound, but the street view shows conditions about the same today.

indyfabz

  • Guest
Manville is sort of out of the way. Check out what Google Maps bike directions returns from Sandy Hook to Florham Park. It uses the Henry Hudson Bikeway and crosses the Raritan on SR 35. Not going to be the most scenic if routes. Early morning on a weekend would likely be the best time.

Have you looked at U.S. 202 heading north on Google Street View? There are several sections (e.g, Darlington and Oakland areas) where the road is narrow and has little or no shoulder.
« Last Edit: January 23, 2017, 08:29:22 pm by indyfabz »

Offline jwrushman

I'm concerned about all the traffic going through Woodbridge Township, Winfield, Garwood, Springfield.  No easy riding the whole way. 

Offline litespeed

Canalligators has the right idea. You can take the ferry to Manhattan or the train, at non-rush-hours, from Long Branch to Grand Central Station. Then the great rec trail up the Hudson to the GWB. When I lived in Hoboken for a few months bicycling up 9W was my favorite get-out-of-town ride. This was a long time ago but should still be a fine way to get to Bear Mountain.

Offline jwrushman

But for me, going into Manhattan is not in the plan.  Since I live in north-central Jersey, Florham Park, that's where I'll be headed.  The only question I have is how to get there safely.  I'll be polling my local bike club for ideas too.

Offline bbarrettx

Let me know what you end up doing with this. We'll be finishing a XC tour in July in Sea Bright but will be coming in from the Binghampton area and crossing into NJ around Port Jervis so we'll be able to avoid a lot of the dense areas you need to go through. I did the TA in 87 and cut up to PA from the Shenandoah Valley and ended up taking 537 from Camden to Rumson and then just over to Sea Bright from there but that's no help to you if you're headed up to the Hudson Valley.

I haven't lived in NJ for 25 years but I'm guessing that just jumping on 36 probably wouldn't be a lot of fun. I'd get over to Navesink River Rd in Locust and find my way over to Holmdel from there and find some back roads headed north. Good luck and have a great trip.