Through the Ashokan Valley

“The sun is sinking low in the sky above Ashokan
The pines and the willows know soon we will part
There’s a whisper in the wind of promises unspoken
And a love that will always remain in my heart”

— Ashokan Farewell lyrics

A single, meandering road weaves through the mountain village of Ashokan, with the Catskill Mountains as a backdrop.

The roads through the Ashokan mountain-rural towns unfold along pastoral foothills, then furrow into the forests, working their magic. They captivate. Especially in autumn, when the light slants through the golden leaves even at midday, we’re drawn here — a little further than usual, a little off the map — with our electric bikes. A couple pet sheep at one corner. A bavarian-looking rustic cabin on a hilltop.

Climbing High Point Mountain Road is your first and only challenge of this picturesque loop. For the rest, it’s a seemingly endless downhill — your electric (or pedal-assist) bike will flatten out the gentle uphills once you get going.

And one note about this route: 28A is a state route, the center yellow line worn down to invisibility in spots. Ride this road on an autumn weekend and you’ll see plenty of cars alongside you. We did the route recently, at the height of autumn glory and mountain tourism popularity, and while the cars were plentiful, we had no problem with the traffic. It’s a 35-mile-an-hour road, and the cars will give you plenty of elbow room.

The Ashokan: Download the Route

Get the Map for the Ashokan Ride on Your Phone (Google Maps)

Download the Turn-by-Turn Directions for the Ashokan Ride

Park and Start/End:

Lester S. Davis Park, Watson Hollow Road, West Shokan, New York. (GPS: 41.968569, -74.278570). The park has public restrooms.

The Details:

Distance: Just over 13 miles.

Elevation change: 700 feet up over the whole ride.

Shape: Loop.

Direction: For best results leave the park, turn left onto Watson Hollow Road and ride counter-clockwise around the route.

Afterwards: Just before you finish your ride, you’ll see Marty’s Merchantile (4075 Route 28A, West Shokan) on the left. It’s worth stopping here for an after-ride lunch. If you’ve already had a picnic at the Ashokan Promenade, you can still enjoy a beer in the backyard. (I strongly recommend Bob’s Chicken sandwich!)

Diversions: Swing into the Ashokan Promenade on 28A (shortly after you leave Route 213). Rolling out on to the top of the dam of this mighty reservoir reveals a number of mountain vistas.

The Roads:

• Except for a brief section of dirt through the woods on Cross Road, the roads are well-paved. Even a road bike could manage this.
• And except for the first climb up High Point Mountain Road, you may feel like this ride is a “downhill all the way” loop.
• Route 28A is a double-yellow lined road. If you’re out there on a beautiful fall day, you’ll probably see a lot of cars. Plan to get on the road early in the day, or avoid weekends.

Suzy Allman is an outdoor and sports photographer with more than 15 years experience shooting major sporting events for The New York Times, Sports Illustrated, Golf Digest and more. She has an FAA license for commercial drone photography, and specializes in photographing major environmental and infrastructure projects. She’s your online guide for these rides.