# Bear Mountain Bridge to Peekskill



## johnlink (Jun 12, 2010)

I'm considering riding from Manhattan to Bear Mountain and then crossing the bridge and riding to Peekskill where I would catch a train home. How is the riding from the bridge to Peekskill? I'm wondering about the traffic on the 3.5-mile section of 202 south of the bridge.

Here's a link to my proposed route: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/17423182


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## geomoney (Oct 9, 2005)

Not the greatest section of road.......lack of a shoulder on most parts, lots of blind curves, depending on the time of day there could be a decent amount of traffic. But people do it, if that helps......


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## Trek_5200 (Apr 21, 2013)

johnlink said:


> I'm considering riding from Manhattan to Bear Mountain and then crossing the bridge and riding to Peekskill where I would catch a train home. How is the riding from the bridge to Peekskill? I'm wondering about the traffic on the 3.5-mile section of 202 south of the bridge.
> 
> Here's a link to my proposed route: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/17423182


A better option is to cross the bear mountain bridge and then head north on 9D up about 5 miles and turn left to take the train back from Garrison. Far more scenic and safer in my opinion. One added bonus is sometimes there are large groups boarding the train at peekskill and you risk not being let on. By getting on the train two stations ahead you're first in and seated. 


Also if you are taking the train to Bear Mountain the best station to get off is not Peeskill either but Manitou. Only trick is you must be in the rear two cars and tell the conductor.


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## Bob Ross (Apr 18, 2006)

Trek_5200 said:


> A better option is to cross the bear mountain bridge and then head north on 9D up about 5 miles and turn left to take the train back from Garrison. *Far more scenic and safer in my opinion.* One added bonus is sometimes there are large groups boarding the train at peekskill and you risk not being let on. By getting on the train two stations ahead you're first in and seated.


I'll grant that it's safer, especially for inexperienced cyclists who aren't comfortable mixing it up with automobile traffic, but I think the ride up over Anthony's Nose from Bear Mountain Bridge south towards Peekskill is _gorgeous_...both in terms of what you can see if you just look off to the right towards the river, _and_ just the road ahead as it twists and turns through the forest. The ride north to Garrison is essentially a flat straight line with a lot of grass and a few trees on either side. Yawn.

But yeah, get on before Peekskill to avoid the crush of cyclists who all finished their ride at the Peekskill Brewery. Or, _join them _at the Peekskill Brewery, and then you'll be drunk enough you won't care if you can't squeeze on to the next NYC-bound train.
:::dancing banana:::


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## Trek_5200 (Apr 21, 2013)

i don't think its an experience thing. heavy traffic areas that lack a shoulder are just bad in my opinion, cyclist can be very experienced but that doesn't guarantee an experienced driver. i'll do it if i have to, but if given a choice, i'll opt for a safer road.


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## johnlink (Jun 12, 2010)

Bob Ross said:


> I'll grant that it's safer, especially for inexperienced cyclists who aren't comfortable mixing it up with automobile traffic, but I think the ride up over Anthony's Nose from Bear Mountain Bridge south towards Peekskill is _gorgeous_...both in terms of what you can see if you just look off to the right towards the river, _and_ just the road ahead as it twists and turns through the forest.


The ride south of the bridge on 202 sounds very appealing and very dangerous.


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## johnlink (Jun 12, 2010)

Bob Ross said:


> I'll grant that it's safer, especially for inexperienced cyclists who aren't comfortable mixing it up with automobile traffic


If 9D north of the bridge is safer than 202 south of the bridge then the ride on 202 must be horribly dangerous.


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## D&MsDad (Jul 17, 2007)

johnlink said:


> If 9D north of the bridge is safer than 202 south of the bridge then the ride on 202 must be horribly dangerous.


Most of the year, 9D north of the bridge is not that bad. On the weekends, at this time of year, after about 10 - 11 am or so, sharing the road with the buses full of people going leaf-peeping is a bit sketchy, I'll grant you. The rest of the year it isn't bad, though. 

I'd guesstimate that I get a close brush on that road one ride out of ... five? Cars, not buses. If you go early before the traffic picks up they you're better off. The road is better now that they've repaved some and fixed the shoulders some.

I've ridden 202 south of the bridge as part of the TZ MS tour a few times. I've never done it otherwise. For me, too much traffic and not enough shoulder on parts of that stretch. YMMV. Plus, there's the problem of where-do-I-go-from-here, once I'm up an over the top. I live on the W. side of the Hudson and I get to the Bear Mtn bridge by going North on 9W, so after going south on 202, I'd have to either turn around or go around the circle and up Rt. 9 (ugh), then cross back over to 9D at 403. Doable, I guess, but more high speed traffic than I find enjoyable. On my rides, I only ride on rt. 9 going south between Snake Hill rd. and 403, which is a short stretch and down hill (i.e. fast) most of the way, so it is worth 10 min. or so of riding on a high speed road - the shoulders are quite wide on that stretch of 9.

Once the new TZ bridge is open, it may be worth it to do the loop - continue south and then ride over the TZ bridge back to Rockland. IMO the stretch between the East side of the Bear Mtn bridge and Peekskill would still be the sketchiest part, though.


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## johnlink (Jun 12, 2010)

D&MsDad said:


> Most of the year, 9D north of the bridge is not that bad. On the weekends, at this time of year, after about 10 - 11 am or so, sharing the road with the buses full of people going leaf-peeping is a bit sketchy, I'll grant you. The rest of the year it isn't bad, though.
> 
> I'd guesstimate that I get a close brush on that road one ride out of ... five? It is better now that they've repaved some and fixed the shoulders some.
> 
> ...


I'm glad to know the shoulder has been improved.


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## D&MsDad (Jul 17, 2007)

Follow up:

I rode 9D on Saturday (up/over to 9W, down into Haverstraw/Beach Rd, back to 9W, over Bear Mtn Bridge to 9D, up 9D to Snake Hill Rd, over to US 9, 9 down to 403, 403 back to 9D and back home). Last short-sleeve ride of the year(??). TONS of cars parked on 9D near the AT trail head.

9D is still in good repair, no problems going North, shoulder is still pretty good and more complete than it was in the past. Coming back South, there is less shoulder in some places (plus it is more uphill, so you're going more slowly in some places). One car passed me going very fast (est. 60+ mph), making the pass scary but I don't think it was particularly close. Otherwise, no problems.


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## johnlink (Jun 12, 2010)

D&MsDad said:


> Follow up:
> 
> I rode 9D on Saturday (up/over to 9W, down into Haverstraw/Beach Rd, back to 9W, over Bear Mtn Bridge to 9D, up 9D to Snake Hill Rd, over to US 9, 9 down to 403, 403 back to 9D and back home). Last short-sleeve ride of the year(??). TONS of cars parked on 9D near the AT trail head.
> 
> ...


Thank you for this information. I'm glad to know that the shoulder on 9D is better than it used to be.


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## Trek_5200 (Apr 21, 2013)

This Summer and Fall I made taking the train either to Manitou or from Garrison a larger part of my rides. I always found 9D between the stations and Bear Mountain more than acceptable. Prefer it over heading to Peekskill (as I said earlier). If we get a nice day soon I'll probably do it again and make a day of climbing Bear. Never did more than four repeats so can't wait to try five or six. Time always gets in the way of more.


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