yankeeslover
New member
Hello, I had a quick question. My buddy and I are looking to take a ride up to Old Forge this winter, and not sure if there are any trails from the Mayfield, caroga lake or Salisbury center area that have direct access to Old forge..do you know anyone that rides up to old forge? is this a trip that can be done in under 4 or 5 hours? which is the best way to make it up there? is it thru caroga lake, then up to piseco lake and then indian lake following c8 the whole way, and if so, is that groomed the whole way? or is it even quicker to start from salisbury center? and take the trails from Salisbury..I ride mostly in the Mayfield area, but I dont belive there is anyway to old forge area from Mayfield unless I ride to caroga lake, then up c8 to piseco, indian lake,etc..... Im starting to plan this trip now, as winter will be here before we know it, and we are not sure if its worth riding all the way to old forge or not, or if we better off just bringing sleds up there and riding up there for the weekend, I dont want to spend 8 hours one way to get there, But if the trip can be done in say around 4 hours or less, then I rather just leave from my local area and ride up the Old forge..we would be staying at a cabin in old forge for the weekend.........thanks much,
Absolutely
The area you are talking about is where I do most of my riding. I have a camp on Powley Road in Stratford. You are correct, you can go the east route through Piseco & then up to Indian Lake/Moose River Plains which will drop you right on the Old Forge System. Good trails but a little narrow and potentially bumpy between the lakes....not to mention if you are planning the trip now you never know what the ice conditions might be like. The west route is the way I like to go. Saulsbury to Ohio to Penn Mountain System will bring you into Forestport where you can get on the tracks and head up to Old Forge. Awesome trails but the drawback here is whether the rails on the tracks are showing or not. If the tracks are thin on snow it will be choppy and you'll rattle the fillings right out of your teeth. Either trip is great riding in a good snow winter and both are doable in 4-5 hours depending on how many stops you like to make. I'd recommend starting your trip near Saulsbury or Stratford. If you start south of there (you mentioned Caroga Lake) you'll deal with slow tight twisties which will add a lot of time onto your trip.
Madmatt
The area you are talking about is where I do most of my riding. I have a camp on Powley Road in Stratford. You are correct, you can go the east route through Piseco & then up to Indian Lake/Moose River Plains which will drop you right on the Old Forge System. Good trails but a little narrow and potentially bumpy between the lakes....not to mention if you are planning the trip now you never know what the ice conditions might be like. The west route is the way I like to go. Saulsbury to Ohio to Penn Mountain System will bring you into Forestport where you can get on the tracks and head up to Old Forge. Awesome trails but the drawback here is whether the rails on the tracks are showing or not. If the tracks are thin on snow it will be choppy and you'll rattle the fillings right out of your teeth. Either trip is great riding in a good snow winter and both are doable in 4-5 hours depending on how many stops you like to make. I'd recommend starting your trip near Saulsbury or Stratford. If you start south of there (you mentioned Caroga Lake) you'll deal with slow tight twisties which will add a lot of time onto your trip.
Madmatt
jwurl
Member
Old Forge area is great riding when the conditions are good. If there is low snow conditions it will be a very long rough ride. It is best to ride during the week. The weekends can be very rough. jeff Wurl
OnDaTrail
New member
We have a camp in Caroga Lake but I won't ride there any more. The trails are very narrow which severely limits grooming as they use towable groomers. The adirondack park won't allow them to be widened and the riding was just too rough. Plus, any time I go up there in winter, my father-in-law wants me to shovel off the roof. I'd start your trip further north.
rsvectorer
New member
old forge is nice when the trails are nice, but cranberrg is a VERY nice trail way. not as crowded as old forge but the trails are nice and you can go just about any where from there. if you ride hard then there isnt that many dec that are in that area unlike old forge. Long lake is also nice but cranberry is the way to go. i have rode just about every where up here. i can make it to cranberry in 35 mins from my house. the tracks that run going to tupper lake, you can hit them good or they can bumpy. but most of the riding in cranberry is very nice and not crazy with people. at night on weekdays its a highway with only a few people on the trails and they are not going to be going slow so there wont get in your way. and say if you dont ride fast then pull over, or they/we will pass you. there groomers in cranberry run at leased once a day. so they unkeep there trails good. i hope this year the groomer will be working and that someone will really drive it more then once a week.
GibViper
New member
Also remember if you ride Old Forge..you need to buy their trail permit as well 
GibViper said:Also remember if you ride Old Forge..you need to buy their trail permit as well
Really? Since when? I rode there very ofter last year and never got hassled?
