At six million acres large, the Adirondack Mountains are the largest protected natural area in the lower 48 states. The park is bigger than the Yellowstone, Everglades, Glacier, and Grand Canyon National Park combined — and it’s right in our back yard! Many New Yorkers think the Adirondacks are too far for a weekend; but at 215 miles from NYC, you can reach the park in under four hours. And we’ve just come across a really cool way to explore the area: Revolution Rail Co.

The one-of-a-kind excursion takes you into one of the most remote locations in the Adirondack Mountains on a pedal-powered railbike, where riders travel along railroad tracks through beautiful Adirondack forests, along the banks of the Hudson River, and over a spectacular trestle bridge.

Your Rail Biking Adventure: What to Expect

 

Railbikers check in at the historic North Creek Railroad Station, on the eastern end of the Adirondack Park. From there, bikers board a shuttle bus for a quick 5-mile ride north of town to the railbike launch point, and set out pedaling on a 7-mile course, exploring a section of the Adirondacks that’s never seen passenger traffic. To begin, all riders are grouped together, but quickly spread out to enjoy the tracks at their own paces. Tour guides are posted at both the front and back of the group for the entire 6 mile course. After reaching the halfway point, riders can pause to refuel at the picnic area while the bikes are turned around for the return trip. The tour takes about 2-2.5 hours from start to finish, so you should fuel up beforehand.  The very cute Izzy’s Market & Deli is a great place to do so!

Trips are booked by the bike and run $80 for a two-person bike, $140 for a 4-person. The railbikes are designed for adventurers of all ages and ability levels. The terrain is mostly flat, making for an easy ride that can be done at a leisurely pace.

Seasons of Operation and Hours

Tours take about two hours from start to finish, covering 6 miles on an out-and-back course. Revolution Rail Co. will run tours in 2019 on Saturday and Sunday beginning May 11th through the 19th. Friday through Sunday – May 24th until June 16th. Tours run every day from June 17th until September 2nd. From September 5th until October 27th ride with us Thursday through Monday. Tour times are 10:30, 12:30, 2:30 and 4:30. Please visit the Revolution Rail Co. website for available reservation dates.

Pricing begins at $80 for a tandem bike (for two) or $140 for a quad (for four.) Reservations are highly recommended, at least 3-4 weeks in advance as they do sell out quickly. Head to revrail.com to make a reservation!

Planning Your Trip to the Adirondacks

Making a weekend out of it? Use one of our guides! Check out Escape Brooklyn’s Roadtrip Through the Adirondacks where we glamped at Posh Primitive (just minutes from Revolution Rail), before heading north to Lake Placid for a stay at the Lake House High Peaks Resort, plus an overnight at Dartbrook Lodge in Keene Valley.