Ok ok, I know the rollersking season doesn't begin for another 5 months, but it's been a slow week on the forums, and since I'm not sure which section of the Jordan River Trail in Salt Lake to try for rollerskiiing tomorrow, I'd thought I'd ask people about their favorite places to RS in various cities. I'd love to hear about anywhere, from Tallinn to Johannesburg, but especially Minneapolis, Salt Lake, New York, and D.C. Thanks!
FasterSkier Forums » Training
Best Places to Rollerski
(13 posts)-
Posted 2 years ago #
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Well, I won't start rollerskiing until June, but I like to know where to ski in other places. I haven't found anything good on the internet other than 'ask a local'. So FlintHills, how about a bit more detail for Salt Lake?
My local knowledge is Vancouver, BC, Canada:
- Seymour Demonstration Forest. 9.5km of rolling pristine pavement, and no vehicles allowed on this dead end road.
- Lulu Island. Dead flat road to nowhere, about 4k along the dike surrounding the airport. Noisy, but very few cars on good pavement.
- UBC. 16th, Marine drive, and the neighbourhood near T-bird stadium have wide bike lanes, clean pavement, and about 15km skiable. 10th leads out to Little Aus, about 2k of cul-de-sac that has very little traffic even in rush hour.
- Cypress road. About 500m of vertical gain over 7k of road to a local ski hill, don't even think about skiing back down.Posted 2 years ago # -
I live in Minneapolis. The best place to ski in the cities is undoubtedly Afton. Afton is right on the St. Croix River bordering wisconsin. The roads are relatively low traffic and there are the biggest climbs anywhere in the cities. Its perfect for big interval sets or a long ski. You can go for hours without retracing your steps.
-In the cities the grand round goes through downtown Minneapolis and along the Mississippi river before following the chain of lakes back. This loop is probably 30 miles all on bike paths.
-Most of the larger public parks around have decent skiing on the bike paths.
-West of the cities are tons of country roads with big shoulders; you could make a 100 mile loop easily if you wanted to.
-Minneapolis just got voted as the most bike friendly city in America, and skiing around it is obvious to see why. I only mentioned a few of the best places to ski, there are tons of others that I haven't skied.Posted 2 years ago # -
Hey guys thanks for kicking off the discussion. I just moved to Salt Lake, so I am no expert ... many FS readers would know much more ... but so far I have tried Liberty Park ... the mile plus paved loop there is nice, but it can get a little crowded (I don't use my poles), and you get tired of it after awhile. I also tried the Jordan River Parkway Trail from 300 South to 1700 South; parts of it are lots of fun (the cherry blossoms in the Japanese area of one of the parks along the way made the ride), but there are way too many street and wood bridge crossings and the pavement varies. Does anyone know how the dedicated RS loop at Soldier Hollow works? Can one pay to use it during the summer or is it only for the ski team?
Posted 2 years ago # -
In Livingston/Bozeman, MT most of our roads are too hilly to be safe, or are dirt roads. I do have a couple good routes, though. My favorite is Shields Canyon road, which has zero traffic, is beautiful & gently rolling. Mill creek is good, but only about 10 miles round trip. Hyalite Canyon is great going up, but a ride down is needed (I've hitched fairly easily). Any other suggestions?
Posted 2 years ago # -
In north NJ, the best place is Lake Denmark Rd in Rockaway Township. It's 8 km end to end, not too much traffic, rolling terrain that also has some steep hills that you may want to walk down. There are a couple subdivisions off this road to add variety. Lake Denmark connects with Green Pond Rd, which also has some good hills. Good for intervals, but you'll definitely walk back down them.
Closer to NYC: Liberty State Park in Jersey City, looking across to Manhattan. Don't know if people still rollerski in Central Park?
Posted 2 years ago # -
I have roller skied many years in Utah, like our xc ski trail systems, you have to go find them. Places you find other roller skiers are: Little and Big Mtn starting at the reservoir. Sugar House Park especially in the colder/dark fall. Jeremy Ranch. I love double poling the 4 mile loop that connects Ranch Place, South Shore and Old Ranch Road. Park City has done a pretty good job of increasing paved bike paths as well. As for SoHo, good luck with the infamous "Howard" who thinks he owns the place. He is a total pain in the ass!
Actually I prefer to roller ski the bike paths in Sun Valley yet THE BEST roller skiing is without a doubt on the hundreds of miles of paved bike paths that the 3 county system has around the Minneapolis area. You can google MInneapolis bike paths and be amazed at the trails. Elm Creek and Hyland Hills two my most often visited trails while there.
Posted 2 years ago # -
Almost forgot, Royal Street in Park City. 5k and about 800ft vertical. A great TT. The city bus picks you up at the top evry 30 min. to take you right back down. Start at the base of Deer Valley end at Silver Lake up top . It would be an awesome place to put on a race.
Posted 2 years ago # -
Salt Lake has several more places to try. City Creek Canyon above the gate on bicycle days (odd numbered) - I carry running shoes for the steep parts of the return - the pavement is smooth. Sugar House Park has glassy pavement on its 2.2k loop with two hills for variety. Big Cottonwood Canyon is classic skiable (up only) in the morning before traffic - a rear view mirror is helpful to watch that the trucks cross wide over the center line for you. The Guardsman's Road at the top is great too -- you will need a ride or a bike to return. The Mountain Dell to Big Mountain road is great for classic up rolling, however you will need a ride back or to plant a bicycle at the top. The northern continuation of the Jordan River Parkway is called the Legacy Parkway and it is wider and in better shape for roller skiing - great double poling.
Posted 2 years ago # -
The only time when it is too early to rollerski is when there is still ski-able snow on the ground. I live in Jackson Hole which is rollerski heaven. Close to 40 miles (and growing) of non-motorized paved pathways for your rollerskiing pleasure. Jackson is close enough to SLC for a quick get away...especially in the summer when it is so hot in Salt Lake. Grand Teton NP has a new pathway that extends from the South Park entrance in Moose, Wyoming to Jenny Lake (7.5 miles through some of the most beautiful country in the lower 48). There are plans to extend it to Signal Mountain (an additional 7.5 miles), and they will shortly begin a pathway to connect the town of Jackson to the South entrance of the NP in Moose (another ~8 miles). Plus a lot of pathways are relatively new asphalt so they are in good shape, and you get really good purchase with every pole (except when it is really cold out). My only gripe (if you can call it that) is that many of the pathways are pretty flat, which is good for a long DP. On the other hand, around here you will likely have a pretty good head wind depending which way you are going which makes it feel like you are going up hill :).
I used to live in SLC in the avenues, and I rollerskied up City Creek most days that it was allowed. I didn't walk down any of the down hills, but that is because I was stupid...I got close to getting killed a couple times when there was an unexpected maintenance vehicle coming up the road. I still really like City Creek. You have to go up and down it a couple times to get in a longer ski. I classic skied in Big Cottonwood but I don't recommend it for safety reasons - not enough shoulder, too much traffic. I used to skate up Gardsman's Pass (from the Big Cottonwood side). There is less traffic and you can usually hear the cars coming so you can pull off. Between the grade and the altitude you will be puking (at least I came close most times...unless I stopped to catch my breath and let the cars pass :).
Posted 2 years ago # -
Here's a really unique & wonderful place to RS - on the beach in Calf. Starting at the N. end of Fort Bragg, CA is an old haul road that is now a path in Mac Karricher State Pk. A new foot bridge has been built across Pudding Ck so you can start from about anywhere in town. You'll have to cross a gravel path in one spot where the road has been washed out & the pavement is pretty rough - big wheels best for this one. Then you'll need to walk across the sand to get to the next stretch of pavement.
But a sunny day with the waves crashing & sea lions barking and..... As good as it gets.
Know of other paved beach paths?
Posted 2 years ago # -
Beach paths on the east coast: Sandy Hook in NJ is part of Gateway National Recreation Area. There's a ~3 - 4 mile paved bike path from the southernmost parking lot up to Fort Hancock, which guarded NY harbor from the mid 19th century up through he cold war. A good bit of it passes through scrub forest that borders the sand dunes. You might also see a Nike missile battery or 2, freighters waiting to enter NY harbor etc.
Posted 2 years ago # -
This spring and summer, I have been rollerskiing all over NYC and CT. Google Farmington Canal Rail Trail and you will find maps and descriptions. I rollerskied in sections all the way from Farmington CT up into Southwick MA. And from the Yale campus into Cheshire. There is also a Rail Trail following the Farmington River from Farmington to Collinsville.
Some great beach areas to Rollerski in CT are at Greenwich Point, starting on the bike path on Sound Beach Avenue down to the point. Greenwich Point is resident only until 5pm, but permits pedestrians after that time. The Compo Beach area in Westport is nice. You can roll from South Compo Ave at the intersection with US-1 and head south into the Longshore Country Club roads and out onto the beach roads.
For non-Manhattanites, Central Park can be a pain to get to if coming by car. Riverside Park is a phenomenal place to rollerski. The bike path is now continuous from the Battery to Spuyten Duyvil. Coming in from out of town, a good place to park is at the 158 St exit off of the West Side Highway. I did this in sections as well. Google Manhattan Greenway.
In the Bronx, I rollerskied in sections from Pelham NY to Van Cortlandt Park. The parkways in the Bronx are all interconnected and you go from Pelham Road to Orchard Beach to Pelham Parkway to Bronx Parkway to Mosholu Parkway to Van Cortlandt Park. There is also a spur that goes down Hutchinson River Parkway.
Last fall, I rollerskied the Harlem Valley Rail Trail which parallels the Taconics and Route 22. There are two sections that take you from Wassaic at the Harlem Metro North Line northern terminus up to near Bash Bish Falls at the MA border. Google HVRT.
In the next few months, I plan to try the Norwottuck Rail Trail in MA that runs from Northampton to Amherst about 12 miles. I will also give a try to the 6.5 mile section of the Bronx River Parkway that will be closed to motor vehicles and open to bikes and pedestrians on Sundays Sept 19, 26 from Yonkers to White Plains from 10 to 2. I missed the spring season when it was closed to vehicles on May and June Sundays.
I am not a skater and not at all a faster skier, so the Rail Trail suggetions may not be too interesting to racing skaters but as a kind of plodding classical dude, I love the rail trails that let me do long sections of diagonal stride on uphills and long double poling pieces on the gradual downhills. Excellent real delt and ab workout.
Please let me know if you want any further details on the preceding. Mark
Posted 1 year ago #
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