Ridin "the Shinny"
Shindagin Hollow State Forest is located in Caroline, NY, about 10 miles East from Ithaca and 24 miles West from I-81 at Whitney Point. Shindagin's 20 miles of trails are home to some of the best mountain biking in NY State. Shindagin also has great birding, hiking and snowshoeing. The Finger Lakes Trail passes through Shindagin, biking is not allowed on the Finger Lakes Trail.
Close up of Yellow, Red, Blue & Green Trails
You can help the trails by donating time on a trail work day or donating money, which buys tools used on trail work days. The MTB trails are maintained through a DEC Volunteer Stewardship Agreement with Cycle-CNY - they do great work.
Why not donate 20 bucks now on Paypal?
Older map, missing G2, Area 51 removed, etc
The DEC has a nifty georeferenced PDF map that contains embedded coordinates allowing you to track your actual location on the map using your phone - and it works without cell phone reception, which is sparse at Shindagin. Here is the georef map and here are instructions to dial it in on your phone.
Older map - missing G2, G1, B5, etc
Animals at Shindagin include crows, foxes, wild turkey, bard owls, red newt, grouse, woodcock, black bear, fishers (Fisher Cat), bobcats, cottontail rabbits, coyotes, deer and otters. If you are quiet you can easily hear bard owls calling (who cooks for you) and crows answering (not I ... caw caw caw).
The Finger Lakes Trail passes through Shindagin and is clearly marked with white trail blazings. These 6 miles are for hiking only, Biking is not allowed. Be a good sport and leave the FLT for the hikers.
From Ithaca: take NY 79 East for 7 miles and turn right (South) on Boiceville Rd. (if you got as far as Slaterville Springs on 79, you went too far). A half mile later Boiceville Rd ends at a T with Central Chapel Rd. Turn left at T (still south) onto Central Chapel Rd. After 2.5 miles you come to a Y intersection with Shindagin Hollow Rd and Braley Hill Rd, Shindagin Hollow is within these two roads.
There are 2 parking lots on Braley Hill Rd; 1 is a half mile in from the T on the left (just as your crest the rise); the other is 2 miles further down on the left. There is 1 parking lot on Shindagin Hollow Rd, about a half mile from the T with Braley Hill Rd. There are plenty of other informal parking spots and parking is allowed on the sides of the road.
A visit to Ithaca's Bike Bar, a bicycle inspired
Tap Room, run by Shindagin rider and trail expert Steve Gelb is the perfect post ride experience.
Bike Bar
314 E State St, Ithaca, NY
BikeBarIthaca.com - Bike Bar Facebook
We use three places in the Ithaca area:
Swan Cycles
Old Goat Gear Exchange
Mason's Mobile Bike Repair
226 Mt Pleasant Rd, Freeville, NY
Monday to Thursday: 6pm - 8pm
Swan Cycles - Ithaca's Best Bike Shop
Shimano Master Mechanic Mason will come to Shindagin to fix your bike. On site bike repair at Shindagin or Hammond Hill and pick up & drop off bicycle repair.
Ithaca Bike Repair & Cortland Bike Repair - just call
607-218-7151
318 E State St, Ithaca, NY
Steve Gelb, the owner of Old Goat, rides at Shindagin often, is super knowledgeable about local trails and started the Shindagin Shindig as well as starting up the Bike Bar in Ithaca.