BikeADK is Helping More People Experience the Adirondacks on Two Wheels

Bikers cycling in the Adirondacks with BikeADK.

Biking in the Adirondacks. Photos courtesy BikeADK.

Why It Earned an ADK Taste Recommendation

BikeADK earns an ADK Taste Recommendation because it removes the guesswork from planning an Adirondack cycling adventure. Whether you're looking for a relaxed Rail Trail ride, a food-focused cycling weekend, or a custom itinerary, BikeADK helps visitors find the experience that's right for them while connecting them with the people and places that make the Adirondacks memorable.

 

Based in Saranac Lake, BikeADK has become one of the Adirondacks' most influential outdoor recreation companies. Part event organizer, part route curator, part travel planner, and part community advocate, BikeADK is helping cyclists of every ability discover scenic backroads, gravel routes, rail trails, and small Adirondack communities that many visitors never experience.

If the Adirondacks are entering a new era of active, experience-driven travel, BikeADK is helping lead the ride.

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A different way to see the Adirondacks.

The Adirondack Park is larger than Yellowstone, Yosemite, Glacier, Grand Canyon, and Great Smoky Mountains National Parks combined. Most visitors experience that vast landscape through a windshield or from well-traveled hiking trails.

Man and woman enjoying the Bike The Barns cycling tour in the Adirondacks.

Bike the Barns.

Cycling offers something different.

A bicycle moves quickly enough to cover meaningful ground but slowly enough to notice the details: the scent of balsam after a summer rain, the quiet of a cedar-lined gravel road, a roadside farm stand, or the sudden opening of a mountain vista around the next bend.

That's the experience BikeADK has built its reputation around—not simply organizing rides, but helping people connect with the Adirondacks in a more personal way.

Founded by Doug Haney, BikeADK has evolved into one of the region's most comprehensive cycling resources.

Beyond organizing signature events, the company curates an extensive library of road, gravel, and mountain biking routes, creates custom cycling itineraries, operates an Adirondack Rail Trail shuttle service, and maintains one of the most robust online resources dedicated to cycling throughout the Park.

Building community through bespoke group tours.

Discover the Ultimate Rail Trail Experience, where cyclists of every skill level can explore the breathtaking, vehicle-free Adirondack Rail Trail on guided multi-day adventures. This remarkable 34-mile route beautifully weaves through the stunning landscapes and vibrant communities of upstate New York.

Women biking together during BikeADK's Women's Weekend.

Women’s weekend.

The Great Camp Sagamore Gravel Experience, held in August and September, combines cycling with one of the Adirondacks' most iconic historic properties.

Even the Adirondack Women's Weekends are designed as more than rides, blending cycling with local lodging, dining, shopping, and the communities that make each destination unique.

Signature annual events.

What makes BikeADK particularly interesting isn't simply the number of events on its calendar—it's how those events introduce visitors to the Adirondacks themselves.

Handlebarley Gravel Weekend, hosted at Paradox Brewery in North Hudson, features two stunning fall days of mixed-surface riding in the southern Adirondacks.

Bike the Barns, in September, explores the agricultural heritage of the Lake Champlain Valley while supporting local food systems.

Ride for the River showcases the Ausable watershed while raising awareness of water quality and conservation every July.

Weekender at Paul Smith's College is held at Paul Smith’s College’s 14,000-acre lakeside campus and features 20–40-mile daily rides, paddling, hiking, and evening campfires.

A group of bikers traveling through the wilderness of the Adirondacks.

The Adirondacks are becoming a cyclist’s dream.

The common thread is place.

Rather than simply measuring miles or elevation gain, BikeADK encourages riders to experience the Adirondacks through its landscapes, history, small businesses, and nonprofit partners.

It's a philosophy that feels distinctly Adirondack.

The Adirondack Rail Trail changes the conversation.

Few recent projects have transformed outdoor recreation in the Adirondacks quite like the Adirondack Rail Trail.

You can get a better sense of a place when you’re traveling at ten miles an hour rather than fifty-five miles an hour with the windows up.
— Doug Haney, Founder BikeADK

Stretching between Lake Placid, Ray Brook, Saranac Lake, Floodwood, and Tupper Lake, the trail has quickly become one of the region's most accessible outdoor experiences, welcoming everyone from families with young children to experienced cyclists looking for a scenic ride.

BikeADK has become one of the leading resources for planning Rail Trail adventures, offering route information, logistics, and shuttle services that make one-way rides significantly easier.

For many visitors, the Rail Trail serves as a gateway—not just to cycling, but to the broader Adirondack experience.

Cyclists biking the Adirondack Rail Trail.

Biking on the Adirondack Rail Trail.

ADK Taste recommendations.

Not every BikeADK experience is designed for the same rider. That's part of the appeal.

If you're bike-curious: Start with the Adirondack Rail Trail. It's approachable, scenic, and one of the easiest ways to experience the Park by bike.

If you're a foodie: Bike the Barns offers an unforgettable combination of cycling, local agriculture, farm visits, and regional food.

If you love gravel riding: Handlebarley Gravel Weekend explores quiet backroads, historic farms, and landscapes many motorists never see.

If you're traveling with friends: The Weekender and Adirondack Women's Weekends combine guided rides with lodging, dining, and time to enjoy the Adirondacks together.

And if none of those quite fit, BikeADK's custom itineraries may be the best place to begin.

A model worth watching.

BikeADK also reflects a broader trend reshaping Adirondack tourism.

Increasingly, visitors aren't looking for a checklist of attractions. They're looking for curated experiences led by people who know the region intimately.

That shift benefits everyone.

E bike in the Adirondacks.

Communities welcome visitors who stay longer and explore beyond the usual destinations. Small businesses gain customers. Nonprofit organizations receive financial support through fundraising events. Travelers leave with a deeper appreciation for the Adirondacks than they might have found on their own.

Since 2021, BikeADK-supported events have helped raise more than $170,000 for nonprofit partners and charitable organizations throughout the region, demonstrating that recreation and community investment can go hand in hand.

Listen: An insider's guide to cycling the Adirondacks.

Planning an Adirondack cycling trip? In this episode of ADK Talks, BikeADK founder Doug Haney shares favorite routes, hidden gems, Adirondack Rail Trail tips, and advice for riders of every experience level.

From choosing the right cycling weekend to discovering overlooked roads and communities, the conversation expands on many of the ideas explored in this article—and may inspire your next Adirondack adventure.

One last thought before you head into the wild.

It's easy to think of BikeADK as a cycling company.

After spending time with founder Doug Haney, a different description feels more accurate.

BikeADK is in the business of helping people experience the Adirondacks well.

The bicycle happens to be the vehicle.

As more travelers seek authentic, active, and community-focused experiences, that philosophy is likely to resonate far beyond the cycling community.

And perhaps that's BikeADK's greatest contribution—not convincing more people to ride bikes, but helping more people slow down, look around, and experience the Adirondacks at exactly the right speed.

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