Scenic Rides in NY State
The Adirondacks (green area) offer some great motorcycle roads in Eastern NY State. You're close to Vermont and New Hampshire, with their own spectacular rides. The NY finger lakes are a one day ride to the southwest, with Syracuse in between. Rental bikes are available, too.
"Adirondack Park map with Blue Line" by Jackaranga, blue line added by Daniel Case - derived from Image:New York blank.svg and Image:New York Adirondack.svg. Licensed under GFDL via Wikimedia
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Most of this 475 mile loop is in rural, eastern New York state. It intersects with I-87, I-88, & I-90 and is in close proximity to Albany & Syracuse, plus western Massachusets. Since it's a loop, you can jump on wherever's closest for you. See larger map with directions.
Hwy 8 is the northern segment to Lake George, near the Vermont border. The southbound leg is mostly on NY Hwy 22, except for the detour into western Vermont. There's lodging near Manchester.
The American Museum of Fly Fishing has rods, reels, and flies on display. It is on Vermont Hwy 7A between Manchester and Manchester Center.
The westbound leg is NY Hwy 23 to Oneonta, where there is also food & lodging.
Ride the finger lakes near Syracuse
West of Syracuse are the finger lakes and you can fly in and rent a Harley at Performance HD just 7 miles from Syracuse Hancock International. There are direct flights from many eastern US locations. See larger map with directions.
"Watkins Glen State Park is the most famous of the Finger Lakes State Parks, with a reputation for leaving visitors spellbound. Within two miles, the glen's stream descends 400 feet past
200-foot cliffs, generating 19 waterfalls along its course. The gorge path winds over and under waterfalls and through the spray of Cavern Cascade. "
http://nysparks.com/parks/142/details.aspx
"The park features three trails – open mid-May to early November – by which one can climb or descend the gorge. The Southern Rim and Indian Trails run along the wooded rim of the gorge, while
the Gorge Trail is closest to the stream and runs over, under and along the park's 19 waterfalls by way of stone bridges and more than 800 stone steps."
Taughannock Falls State Park
"The main cataract of the falls is a 215-foot drop (66 m), making it 33 feet (10 m) taller than Niagara Falls. It is the tallest single-drop waterfall east of the Rocky Mountains.[2] [3] The water flows through a long gorge with cliffs up to 400 ft high (120 m), characteristic of the area's gorges that give rise to the common "Ithaca is Gorges" bumper stickers and t-shirts. The waterfall and gorge comprise an example of a hanging valley that developed in a very similar fashion to the one at nearby Watkins Glen State Park."
"Visitors can reach an excellent view of the waterfall by walking along a 3/4-mile-long trail (1.2 km). The gorge trail is open all year long, unlike the rim trails which are closed to the public in winter. Visitors in autumn can enjoy the picturesque colors of the surrounding trees."
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taughannock_Falls_State_Park
