The Holy Land

The operative word on this huge parcel of land is diversity. Seven thousand acres on the Stewart Airport property in Newburgh have been packaged as a cooperative area, available for hunters and other outdoor enthusiasts. This domain is the “holy land” to the local mountain biking community because of its excellent and competitive singletrack trail system over a variety of challenging terrains. The cooperative area is composed of a combination of active and abandoned farmland, apple and pear orchards, and second-growth forestland. Ponds and marshes dot the landscape, along with several small streams. Twelve miles of wide, gravelly, hard-packed dirt roads crisscross the hilly interior, providing long, sweeping descents from hills. These roads are perfect for the novice or experienced rider hungry for some genuine fat-tire fun. For the more serious riders and technicians, there are wads of intermediate and advanced high-tech singletracks. These trails traverse what seems to be an unlimited supply of hills and tight turns punctuated by myriad jumps. They can be attacked aggressively or handled slowly. The lunar, 10-mile, jackhammer, singletrack loop described below is for dedicated hammerheads with a purpose. Good bike handlers will get an excellent workout. Sections of the ride are actually banked and pitched at an angle, keeping you off the brakes and moving fast. As you navigate through the many twists and turns of the trail, the riding begins to take on a Zenlike quality. You’re not overbraking or oversteering, and the tires seem to carve like skis. You come out of corners with just enough momentum, as if the trail is controlling the bike and you’re just along for the ride. The Stewart Airport Cooperative area, aka “the holy land,” is a great place to come with a group of people with different riding skills. There is plenty of track for those who would like some easy peddling through scenic countryside. For the dirt disciples who are not happy unless they have shredded some rock and come back bruised and battered and have conquered every hill, this is heaven. Located in northeastern Orange County between the city of Newburgh and the village of Maybrook. The area is bounded on the north by Interstate 84, on the east by the New York State Thruway (Interstate 87), and on the south by NY 207. The topography is generally flat and gently rolling. The layout of the single-track loop takes full advantage of the hilly terrain and varied woodland, including as many short-haul ascents and descents as can fit into the trail's 10 miles. There are no major long hauls up any mountain, just lots of tiny hills. The double-track rolls gently along the interior dirt roads with no appreciable gain or loss in elevation.