Other than the Anti-Rent War (1839-1845) and the flooding of myriad tiny Catskills towns to build New York City’s water supply in the early 1900s, the most significant development in our region is the brand-new NEBDR. That’s right, the North East Backcountry Discovery Route from Hancock, New York, to Andes (leading directly to Dirt Road Camp) brings so much good to our region that we simply must shout, “Let’s ride!” (https://ridebdr.com/nebdr/)
Extreme adventure biking is more than a movement. I grew-up on a yellow Yamaha 125 enduro, bombing across the hills and valleys with friends. Now adventurous adults can relive and continue that childhood joy, but on a solid BMW GS, Honda Africa Twin-Turbo, or Kawasaki KTM. These bikes are beauties, and their riders arrive at Dirt Road Camp blissfully beat. The NEBDR is no joke, offering off-road challenges and breathtaking views — Hancock to Andes may be only 50 miles on a map, but these rugged trails amount to many hours of adventure.
These awesome guests do have unique demands. Unable to carry much baggage, many prefer a tiny single tent or hammock to sleep. And beer! A cooler isn’t an option when riding off-road, so we offer guests an array of liquids to recover, including a cooler at their campsite, packed with ice and water, as well as their favorite libations. Please call ahead to arrange this extra service so we don’t leave you thirsty after a long day on the NEBDR!
Oh and plan for far more than originally expected on these rugged trails and, when done for the day, at Dirt Road Camp. What we’ve noticed is a call or online reservation for a single tent site, comfortably sleeping 3-4 in 2-3 tents, quickly becomes a group of 8-9 bikers with 4-6 tents and 2 hammocks. Joining-up on the trails and talking about where to stay, how to enjoy another day on another route, adventure bikers oftentimes team-up and arrive at Dirt Road Camp en masse. And we love it! We provide all the firewood and water you might need, so maybe double your expected number of campers for the night.
Our Bluestone group site has become a haven for adventure bikers. Comfortably offering a brief home for up to nine people and six (or so) tents, new friends sharing stories around a campfire, their bikes resting for a few hours… We simply can’t overstate how grateful we are that NEBDR runs right to Dirt Road Camp, and so many adventure bikers have found us!
Cars and trucks keep a watchful eye out for motorcycles and, please, ride safe!
