• where:  From the George Washington Bridge (GWB) north through Bergen County, New Jersey, and up the West side of the Hudson river into Rockland County, NY.  Variation starts in Central Park.

• 44 miles, hilly -- George Washington Bridge (GWB) to Nyack (about 2300 vertical feet, hill index 5.0). 

Central Park to Nyack -- 62 miles, moderate hilliness (about 3000 vertical feet, hill index 4.2) -- or visit both Central Park and Nyack from a start in Fort Lee, NJ -- Combine the GWB - Central Park route with the GWB to Nyack cue sheet. 

GWB to Piermont -- 30 miles, moderate (around 1400 vertical feet, hill index 3.2).  Do this route by following Variation B and Variation D.

• mapping:  digital mapping resources + GPS . . .

A) GWB to Nyack [bhvr2a]:  view map | on Bikely | Google Earth KML | GPX

B) Nyack to GWB [bhvr2b]:  view map | on Bikely | Google Earth KML | GPX

• highlights:  Views of the Hudson River, a quiet road through the woods, the "state line hill" descent on Route 9W -- and lots of fellow cyclists and the scene at the Runcible Spoon -- all accessible from Manhattan island.

Whether for relaxation or training, this is the most popular ride from Manhattan island.

The route we give is the one we normally ride.  Local metro NYC / NJ riders have their own favorite variations.  The New York Cycle Club ride library gives some ideas for variations and alternatives. 

• characteristics:  One big steep hill, and various other substantial hills.  Traffic interaction is significantly higher than most other routes on this website.

Traffic:  Some urban traffic areas near the GWB and in Nyack.  Most of the sections on high-speed Route 9W have reasonable shoulders.  Much of the rest has moderate or low traffic.

Following the rules:  We suggest being especially careful about obeying the traffic laws and rules -- especially when riding through Piermont and Grandview.  A lot of bicyclists pass through their main streets on a nice weekend day.  We have heard that they are especially concerned about bicyclists slowing down cars, and we have seen them strictly enforce rules like not riding with two bicycles side by side. 

• warning:  roads change -- but we have not checked much of the main route since the date below.

And it might have been a longer time since some of the Variations of the route were last checked by us.  Some roads and intersections might be different since then, or closed -- so be prepared to find alternatives -- a good reason to carry a detailed map. Other people may have more recent experiences with parts of the route which could help prepare: see the Reports page linked below.

Route not checked by us since 2009 -- learn more | see Reports

• warning:  Riding a bicycle on roads has dangers and risks that need to be taken seriously.  For more on those, see our page on risks.

Route Direction "Cue" Sheet -- GWB to Nyack

Central Park to Nyack = GWB to Central Park + GWB to Nyack

back to Top | River routes | NYC routes | Getting Around in NYC | Trip Reports

more . . . 

• directions to Start point in Fort Lee, NJ:

	To get to the West end of the south walkway of the George Washington Bridge at Hudson Terrace / Route 505 in Fort Lee, New Jersey.  From New Jersey by car:  Starting from NJ Turnpike, I-95 Northbound, or I-80 Eastbound:  Get into the Local lanes of the George Washington Bridge approach. Keep working into the Right-hand lanes. Exit on the Right at the "last exit in New Jersey" (last time we were there, it said Rt 67 / Lemoine Ave).  At the end of the exit ramp, continue straight (becomes Bridge Plaza South) -- avoid left turn onto Lemoine Ave.  Then continue straight East to Route 505 / Hudson Terrace, and find parking  -- some possibilities to consider are on Hudson Terrace (north under the GWB roadway) or in Fort Lee Historical Park (south of GWB). From New Jersey by bike:  See these pages for some ideas: New York Harbor Circle NYC to Bear Mt Adventure -- section A or section D GWB to Piermont and Nyack Warning:  Getting there riding on a bicycle may require more capability in handling vehicle traffic interaction than the route itself, with more risks and dangers than the route itself. From Manhattan by bike:  Check the New York City Bike Map at some of these websites -- can also purchase a nice paper copy.  See also these pages for ideas: GWB to Central Park loop north Manhattan: East side Section J of GWB / Bear Mt Bridge loop south Manhattan: Westside Greenway path Getting around in NYC with a bicycle | Map Warning:  Getting there riding on a bicycle may require more capability in handling vehicle traffic interaction than the route itself, with more risks and dangers than the route itself.

Alternate start points:  Central Park and other points in Manhattan, Nyack NY, Piermont NY.

• maps:  You should have detailed (paper) road maps of Bergen County NJ and Rockland County NY to do this route (see Road Maps).  For the Central Park to Nyack route, also a detailed map of Manhattan, NY.  All distances are rough approximations. See also digital mapping + GPS resources above.

Route Direction "Cue" Sheet -- GWB to Nyack

Central Park to Nyack = GWB to Central Park + GWB to Nyack

back to Top | River routes | NYC routes | Getting Around in NYC | Trip Reports