Gravel NY – For cyclists who want to ride gravel in the NY Metro area.

Welcome to Gravel NY

GrNY is an informal club for gravel riding in the New York metro area. Rides involve dirt and paved surfaces, since it is difficult to string together continuous dirt routes in our area. The goal is to get away from traffic and seek gravel where we can find it.

Join us for rides that emphasize:
– Fun exploration
– Non-competitive atmosphere
– No dress code (whether lycra, MTB baggies, or flannel)
– Some members enjoy challenging rides, but the goal is the experience, not speed/stats
– Pacelining on dirt roads is strongly discouraged.

Important information:

– How to Join GrNY

– GrNY Guidelines

– How to Contribute to GrNY

We expect everyone to read and agree to our guidelines before joining us on a ride. You can find our guidelines in the links above.

Disclaimer: GrNY rides are completely informal. You ride at your own risk and are responsible for your own safety. You are expected to be self-sufficient. We cannot guarantee the condition or safety of roads and trails. Nor can we control the behavior of other riders. Our rides are not supported events. We expect everyone to be an experienced cyclist who can repair a flat, carry appropriate food and hydration, and navigate independently if they lose the group. We do not offer training or bicycle education.

GrNY ROUTES: http://grny.org/grny-routes

Please visit these collections on RidewithGPS to see many of our routes.

2026 Ride Calendar – Updated 8/17

Apr 18 – SGS#1 Katonah, NY [swapped to MLP & Waccabuc routes]
Apr 25 – SGS#2 Dover Plains, NY
May 2 – SGS#3 Cold Spring, NY
May 9 – [SGS#4 Pawling, NY – Cancelled due to weather]
May 16 – SGS#5 Far Hills, NJ
May 30 – SGS#6 Katonah to Carmel Hamlet (from Katonah, NY)
Jun 13 – SGS #4 redo: Pawling, NY
Jun 27 – Dutchess Gravel Grinder (from Dover Plains, NY)
*Jul 11 – The Tunnel (from New Milford, CT)
Jul 25 – NEW Jersey Dirt (from Bedminster, NJ)
Aug 1 – Katonah Gravel – our SGS routes (from Katonah, NY)
Aug 15- Golden Russet (AKA Dutchess Roubaix; from Dover Plains, NY)
*Aug 30 – Lake Waramaug (from New Milford, CT)
Sept 5 – NJ Dirt from Natirar Park
Sep 19 – Cold Spring Dirt (from Cold Spring, NY)
Oct 3 – Wolves of Waccabuc (from Katonah, NY)
Oct 17 – Kathy’s birthday ride (likely from Dover Plains, NY)
Nov 1 – NJ Max Dirt (from Far Hills, NJ)
Sat, Nov 14 – Mountain Lakes Park and Waccabuc (from Katonah, NY)

* An asterisk indicates that a car ride will be required to get to the start of the ride. Other rides have the possibility of train access, but this is NOT GUARANTEED. In hot weather, we will start early and trains won’t always be available at those times depending on the location.

Most rides are scheduled for Saturday with Sunday as a potential rain date if weather and ride leader availability allow. Our Nov 1 ride is scheduled for SUNDAY to avoid conflicting with Halloween on October 31.

Winter Rides: From late-November onward we plan to have rides if weather conditions and schedules allow. Many of our riders (and ride leaders) do not ride when morning temperatures drop into the 30’s. For riders in the Long Distance (faster group), let Steve know that you ride in true winter temperatures and he can add you to his winter email list. Steve will ride all winter if conditions are within reason (i.e., not too much ice and snow).

Bonus Rides: Rides may appear on weekends that are not listed above, but that will be on an ad-hoc basis. Keep your eyes on the GrNY Strava page for announcements.

ALL RIDE DATES, LOCATIONS, AND ROUTES ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE OR CANCELLATION WITHOUT NOTICE. Weather conditions, ride leader availability, and other factors will lead to changes over time. Ride details will be posted as Events on GrNY’s Strava group.

Ride Report: The Golden Russet Gravel Ride (8/15)

Fun ride! We had a fast-moving crew for the long-distance group (68 mi). There were two additional pace groups tackling 58 mi and 46 mi versions of the route (“medium” and “short”, respectively). These routes have nice dirt climbs (almost all of them pretty reasonably graded – no 20% killers), ripping dirt descents, beautiful forested roads, scenic pastoral views, and a nice stop at the Golden Russet general store to refuel. Skies were clear enough to see the Catskills from the top of Tower Hill Rd (see photo). Oh, and we had relatively cool weather, considering it is summer, which was wonderful. Many folks stayed to celebrate over burgers, ice cream, and cold drinks at Kelly’s Creamery and Food Truck. Thanks everyone for joining us today and making it a blast!

Note: The long route is based on a past version of MHBC’s Clinton Roubaix Route. The first time GrNY rode this (2023), it was an MHBC-GrNY collaboration.

Part of the Long Distance group on the dirt.

Beautiful pastoral views along the route.

Views of the Catskills from the top of Tower Hill Rd.

Ride Report: Katonah Gravel (8/1)

We finally got to ride our first Spring Gravel Series routes from Katonah! Turnout for our first SGS ride was too large for the small businesses where we usually refuel, so we swapped to different routes that day. Yesterday’s ride returned to those original routes. Our ride included beautiful dirt roads, reservoirs, a couple of trails for some spice, and a zillion little hills that always add up by the end of the ride! We were feeling the summer heat near the end of the ride, but everyone still had a blast. Many riders celebrated over well-deserved cold drinks and food at Paulie’s Deli (rechristened Edgar’s Deli).

It was great riding with everybody! We hope to see you in a couple of weeks for our next ride, the Golden Russet, which will start from Dover Plains, NY.

One of many peaceful dirt roads along our ride.

Part of the Long Distance crew on the dirt.

Ride Report: NEW Jersey Dirt! (7/25/2026)

This past Saturday, we rode a NEW set of routes in the Bedminster area of NJ. We traversed a beautiful area that was full of farms, woods, and streams. There was considerably less climbing than our Tunnel ride, though we still got our fair share of hills. After the ride, we had a picnic at Burnt Mills Park, where we celebrated over cold drinks and food. This was a great ride with a fun group!

We hope to see everyone for next week’s ride from Katonah, NY. That ride should provide good train options for those coming up from the city.

Check out our ride calendar for a glimpse into upcoming rides this season.

The beautiful climb up Boulder Hill Rd.

Zipping along the dirt of Bedminster, NJ.

Ride Report: The Tunnel Ride (July 11, 2026)

Today we tackled one of our most beautiful, rugged, and challenging routes. You’d be forgiven for thinking the goal was to put every steep hill on this ride! It surely seemed that way, but that’s where all of these great dirt roads point! Either steeply up or steeply down. For those who weren’t there, we traveled through forests, wetlands, and along streams – and through the tunnel in Steep Rock Preserve. We even saw a young bear, among other wildlife.

It was a hot day, but fortunately, most of our ride was under tree cover which made a huge difference. A few sections of the ride were tougher than usual, given some storm damage from the prior weekend. There were loose rocks, ruts, and holes in some of the dirt roads – usually whenever things were at their steepest! But everyone did a fantastic job and tackled all of it. The cold drinks and snacks at the end were well-deserved. We had a great little picnic next to the river.

We hope to see everyone in two weeks for the next ride (currently planned for Bedminster area of NJ). You can see the ride calendar, here: https://grny.org/2026-07/2026-ride-calendar

The Tunnel Ride was characterized by steep climbs and descents.

Riders exiting the tunnel in Steep Rock Preserve

We traveled many beautiful roads through quiet natural areas.

Ride Report: Dutchess Gravel Grinder (June 27, 2026)

This was an awesome ride with a fun group! We traversed some of the best dirt roads in Dutchess County. Forests, streams, pastoral views, and glimpses of the Catskill Mountains in the distance from the top of Tower Hill Road. Many people stayed after the ride to socialize at Kelly’s Creamery and Food Truck, which never disappoints (ice cream, food, drinks).

We had four different pace groups and associated routes (short, medium, medium+, and long). You can find these, and many other routes, on RidewithGPS.

The main image (above) is the view from Tower Hill Road. See below for additional ride photos. More photos can bee found on Steve’s Strava activity, here.

We hope to see everyone soon for the Tunnel Ride, which is one of our favorites! Check the group page on Strava for details: https://www.strava.com/clubs/513005

Some of today’s riders at the start.

Riding country roads.

Pastoral views.

Final Spring Gravel Series Ride: Pawling, NY (6/13)

This ride is over. A big thanks to everyone who joined us and made it fun! It was an adventure from the start, given the storm-related destruction in the vicinity of Pawling. It was also a fitting end to our Spring Gravel Series, now that summer is knocking on the door! We traversed many great dirt roads through the woods, along rivers, past ponds, and over rolling hills. There were a few good climbs to keep things interesting. Many riders stayed for a fun hangout at the pub over much deserved food and cold drinks.

You can find some photos from the ride at the bottom of this post.

** We hope to see you in two weeks for our next GrNY ride. We’ll start from Dover Plains on our Dutchess Roubaix routes. It should be a beautiful day of riding! **

ORIGINAL POST: GrNY’s final Spring Gravel Series ride starts on SATURDAY in Pawling, NY. We skipped this ride earlier due weather, but it’s too good to miss! We will spend much of the ride in Litchfield County, CT. This part of the NY/CT border has some of the nicest gravel riding in our region.

You can find details on the group’s Strava page and can RSVP via Strava:
https://www.strava.com/clubs/513005/group_events/3498519342074914412

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Disclaimer: GrNY rides are completely informal. You ride at your own risk and are responsible for your own safety. You are expected to be self-sufficient. We cannot guarantee the condition or safety of roads and trails. Nor can we control the behavior of other riders. Our rides are not supported events. We expect everyone to be an experienced cyclist who can repair a flat, carry appropriate food and hydration, and navigate independently if they lose the group. We expect everyone to follow the group’s guidelines, which are listed at https://grny.org/guidelines.
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PHOTOS FROM THE RIDE (below)

Group photo

Medium riders by Mud Pond.

Long Distance (faster) group speeding along the Housatonic River.

May 30 Ride: Katonah to Carmel Hamlet

This ride is over, but we have more rides on the schedule. You’ll find a group photo below. A big thanks to our ride leaders who helped keep things organized on this day!

Our next ride will start in Katonah, NY and travel north towards Carmel Hamlet and the beautiful Croton Falls and Middle Branch Reservoirs. This will be a fun and fast-moving route with rolling hills and nice views. We will have our usual three pace groups. After the ride, we’ll gather at Paulie’s Deli for drinks and food. [We’ll get started after the train arrives.]

RSVP here via Strava: https://www.strava.com/clubs/513005/group_events/3493708912567519548

2026 Spring Gravel Series!!! April 18 to May 16

UPDATE: The SGS is over, but future ride dates can be found here: https://grny.org/2026-06/2026-ride-calendar

We are happy to announce Gravel NY’s fifth annual Spring Gravel Series! We have planned five weekends of gravel rides, starting on April 18, 2026. Each ride will have three “pace groups”, which will differ in speed, distance, and intensity of climbing. There will be a common hangout location after each ride, so all groups can socialize over food and drinks. Participating in all five rides will take you to all of the major gravel riding zones in our region – a true gravel tour! We hope you can join us!

ALL RIDES WILL BE POSTED AS STRAVA EVENTS AND ALL PARTICIPANTS ARE REQUIRED TO SIGN GrNY’s WAIVER and to RSVP VIA STRAVA.

Questions? You can email Steve at track.smart@gmail.com, but please read all of the information below first.

SCHEDULE OF RIDES*

Saturday, April 18: Katonah, NY. Ride some of the best and most scenic rural roads in Westchester County.

*SUNDAY, April 25: Dover Plains, NY. This ride has MOVED TO SUNDAY. Riders will need to RSVP again if they plan to ride on Sunday. Description: The picturesque dirt roads of Dutchess County. It is worth the drive or train ride!

Saturday, May 2: Cold Spring, NY. Much of the ride is near Fahnestock State Park, with lots of fun and challenging climbs.

Saturday, May 9: Pawling, NY. We will spend much of the ride in gorgeous Litchfield County, CT. The NY/CT border has some of the nicest gravel riding in our region. [This ride will be rescheduled.]

Saturday, May 16: Far Hills, NJ (Natirar Park). Spectacular ride that goes through the Teetertown Ravine and above the Lockwood Gorge – worth the trip!

* For all rides, the default rain date will be Sunday of the same weekend. We will generally start each ride around 8:30 – 9:00 am, with adjustments for train schedules. Ride schedule and routes are subject to change or cancellation due to weather or other factors.

TYPICAL PACE GROUPS

Long (60-65+ miles, faster speed, and killer climbs): These rides will be led by Steve. >17+ mph (“Strava speed” on paved solo rides); >14MPH average on gravel rides with 80-100ft/mile of elevation gain.

Medium (45-55 miles, moderate speed, skips some of the deadliest climbs): Kathy will lead these rides, which will still be challenging, but travel at a moderately slower speed. Pace expectation: >14 mph (“Strava speed” on paved solo routes); >12 MPH average on gravel rides with 80-100ft/mile of elevation gain.

Short (40-45 miles, no-drop within some limits): This group will stop more often to rest, take photos, and enjoy the scenery, riding at a friendly, no-drop pace. That said, this should NOT be your first ride over 40 miles and with over 3,000ft of climbing. All riders should be confident enough to navigate the route solo if they lose the group. If an individual rider is traveling far below the average group speed, walking the hills, and generally suffering, they should take a shortcut back to the start. Everyone can still hang out after the ride. Pace expectation: 12-13 mph (“Strava speed” on paved solo routes); ~10 MPH average on gravel rides with 80-100ft/mile of elevation gain.

“Strava speed” = actual recorded average speed for long, solo paved rides on relatively flat terrain (i.e., not group rides with drafting).

UPDATE: We’ll have 6 pace groups for our Katonah Ride on April 18, 2026

SGS#1 (Katonah): Average speed for gravel rides with 80-100ft/mile of elevation gain and 50% dirt roads
– Long+: >16 MPH
– Long: >14MPH
– Medium+: >13MPH
– Medium: >12 MPH
– Medium-: >11 MPH
– Short: ~10 MPH (No drop within some limits. This should not be your first ride over 40 miles and with over 3,000ft of climbing.)

PACE EXAMPLES FOR EACH GROUP

It is difficult to describe pace for rides that include dirt, pavement, and substantial climbing. You can compare these examples to your own gravel rides over similar distances and elevation gains. PLEASE PAY ATTENTION TO THE ELEVATION GAIN. THESE WILL BE HILLY RIDES.

Long: 63 miles, 5800 ft climbing, >14 MPH.
-Example (2025): https://www.strava.com/activities/14227145215

Medium: 52 miles, 4800 ft climbing, >12 MPH.
-Example: https://www.strava.com/activities/14226362664

Short: 40 miles, 3700 ft climbing, >10 MPH.
-Example: https://www.strava.com/activities/11234424900

[These are NOT the routes for this year – just examples of pace. These routes were approximately 50% dirt roads / 50% pavement.]

RIDE ORGANIZATION

We will have at least one place to buy food and drink on each ride, but we are only doing grab-and-go during the ride itself (e.g., gatorade + portable snacks). Each group will have a few “wait for everyone” stops. That said, the Long and Medium groups will not wait for riders who are considerably behind the pace. The Short group will be no-drop – with some limits. If you are walking the hills and suffering, even at the slower ride pace, please take a shortcut back to the start and tell the rest of the group to travel without you. We can all hangout after the ride.

THREE REQUESTS

1) Please choose a ride group based on your riding speed, not distance. We want the groups to finish around the same time, so we can all hang out post-ride. We understand you can go the longer distance, but it will be more fun if people ride together (rather than get dropped) and then hangout for food and drink after the ride.

2) Ride safely! Please read our ride guidelines: https://grny.org/guidelines. Key points:
– Control your speed when traveling downhill. Racing downhill is how many serious injuries happen. If you’d like to ride hard, save it for the climbs! Then wait at the top.
– Being predictable to other riders and cars will keep everyone safer. Never pass a rider on the right. If you want to pass, call out, and then pass on their left (like a car). APPROACHING HORSEBACK RIDERS: Stop and ask the rider if it is safe to pass. Don’t freewheel suddenly when passing the horse! A loud rear hub can spook the horse, posing a danger to everybody
– You need some form of off-line navigation and should have a backup navigation plan. Why? Many areas won’t have cell coverage. And phone batteries can die during long rides. Examples of offline navigation: Dedicated bike computer (Garmin, Wahoo, etc); Phone with paid subscription to Ride with GPS or Strava and remembering to download to route for offline usage before the ride; Paper map + cue sheets.

3) Don’t blow up your pace group.
– If one or two riders are traveling much faster than the group leader, others will chase them. Then everybody will get strung out riding alone.
– If you are faster than the group average, wait at the top of hills and after major road crossings.
– If there are big speed differences within a group, the group will subdivide at the first catch-up stop. This way everybody will have somebody to ride with.