In April 2022, I set out on what I thought would be a straightforward overnight bikepacking trip following this route by Kyle Esposito. The terrain was tougher than I expected and I spent several hours hoisting my gear over towering tangles of blowdown and pushing my bike up what what became a five mile long, ice-choked stream. Soaked and cold, I bailed on the overnight portion of the trip and opted to limp back to my car instead.
Even though this trip didn’t pan out the way I planned (more a consequence of attempting it in April than any flaw in the route), it introduced me to some of my favorite roads in that area. It also left me curious about Lily Pond, which had been my camping destination for that night. I created a low-key route on some familiar roads that utilized this campsite for an overnight, this time at the end of June.
Day 1: Valley Woods Road to Lily Pond
I parked my car at the Cat and Thomas trailhead on Valley Woods Road in Bolton Landing. My ride commenced with a fun descent towards East Schroon River Road. This dirt road follows the river where I saw several fishermen in waders. I passed the entrance to the Rydin-Hy Ranch, the source of the hoofprints I had been seeing.
I opted for a scenic detour around Brant Lake– beautiful at any time but especially lovely in the fading June sun.
I began hunting for the start of Lily Pond Road which would take me to my home for the night. I would have struggled to find the entrance to this path without my GPS as it was well-hidden by foliage and sandwiched between two residential properties. There is no parking and an open vehicle gate is slowly being absorbed into the forest. The road started quite rough but gradually opened up into a clearer double track. A persistent cloud of biting insects pursued me as I climbed the two miles up to Lily Pond. There I found an outhouse and several primitive campsites, one with a large stone fire ring. The spot didn't seem overused although I counted at least three discarded pineapple tops– an Adirondack first for me.
A man arrived in his truck around dusk and fished from his kayak for an hour while I set up camp and made dinner. Upon his return, he said the bass were “thieving” and efficiently loaded his craft into his truck and eased down the trail by the light of his headlights.
Day 2: Lily Pond to Valley Woods Road
Vocal loons and amphibians kept me awake much of the night and riotous birds overhead woke me with the sun in the morning. Thankfully, the mosquitos were much more reasonable than they had been at twilight and I enjoyed my breakfast and coffee while gradually packing up camp.
I found a network of trails near my campsite, including ones to nearby Round and Island Ponds. I headed south on a trail that would lead me back to the shore of Brant Lake. There was some flooding and minor blowdown which forced me to proceed on foot. The terrain was a bit rough to ride with my loaded, rigid hard-tail but the path eventually smoothed out and became a pleasant dirt road.
I pointed my bike away from Brant Lake one more time for a long, sweaty climb up Duell Hill Road. My reward was a coasty ride on Padanarum Road (one of my favorites in the area). Carefree red efts dotted this entire stretch and I narrowly missed squashing several of them. After pausing for a photo of the Tongue Range (?) and chatting with a resident about his tandem gravel bike, I started my final climb back towards my car.
Gear notes: This was my first bikepacking trip without a suspension fork. I didn’t miss the extra weight and I don’t think the suspension would have made much difference on this terrain. The rigid fork also provided a convenient place for two water bottles. I used a rack for the first time on a bikepacking trip (I usually use a large saddlebag). I appreciated the ability to better organize my gear with three smaller bags instead of one. This will also allow for some additional storage for food on a longer trip. It was awesome to be able to use my dropper post on the trail sections and some of the steeper descents. I like how my coiled spare belt nestled lasso-like under my tent.
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