South Branch Trail
- 2.3 mi
- round trip
- 1,920 ft
- climb
- Singletrack
- surface
- Out and back
- route
- Jun, Aug–Sep
- best months
South Branch Trail is a short, easy mountain biking route in the Black River Wild Forest in New York, managed by the State Department of Conservation. The trail is about 4.6 miles long and is an out-and-back, with the high point at 1,713 feet and the low at 1,623 feet. The climb is gentle, with a one-way gain of about 77 feet, and the steepest stretch comes at about 1.6 miles in, with a grade of about 4%. Summer is the most comfortable time to ride. Typical averages from the nearby Old Forge weather station show July highs around 75°F with lows near 54°F, while winter highs stay in the 20s. Several other trails sit close by. Remsen Falls Trail is about 0.1 mile away and Wolf Lake Landing Road about 0.2 mile. Big Woodhull - Sand Lake Falls Trail is about 1.4 miles off, and Bear Lake Trail is about 1.7 miles away.
Best time to go · Jun, Aug–Sep
Best time to visit South Branch Trail
Best months: June and August–September. Best months have typical highs of 55–85 °F, lows of 30 °F or warmer (32 °F where the station doesn't record snow), at most one snowy day and no more than 12 wet days.
Jan
26° / 5°
19 wet
Feb
29° / 7°
16 wet
Mar
36° / 15°
14 wet
Apr
50° / 29°
13 wet
May
64° / 41°
13 wet
Jun
71° / 50°
12 wet
Jul
75° / 54°
13 wet
Aug
74° / 53°
12 wet
Sep
67° / 46°
12 wet
Oct
55° / 36°
14 wet
Nov
42° / 25°
15 wet
Dec
31° / 15°
18 wet
Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Old Forge, NY, 6.2 mi away at 1,748 ft. This station doesn't record snowfall. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.
Keep exploring — more rides worth the drive
RIDE
Wolf Lake Landing Road
Next door
1.65-mile easy gravel road with 423 ft elevation gain in New York.
RIDE
Remsen Falls Trail
Next door
0.26-mile out-and-back singletrack in New York with 103 ft elevation gain.
RIDE
Remsen Falls Trail
Next door
0.22-mile easy singletrack out-and-back in New York.
RIDE
Big Woodhull - Sand Lake Falls Trail
~2 min drive
0.33-mile out-and-back singletrack in New York with 14 ft elevation gain.
RIDE
South Branch Trail
~3 min drive
1.80-mile easy singletrack out-and-back with 122 ft elevation gain in New York.
RIDE
Bear Lake Trail
~3 min drive
1.64-mile out-and-back singletrack with 320 ft elevation gain in New York.
RIDE
Wolf Lake Landing Road
~5 min drive
3.13-mile easy gravel road with 435 ft elevation gain in New York.
RIDE
Bear Lake Trail
~3 min drive
1.41-mile out-and-back singletrack with 406 ft gain in New York.
RIDE
South Branch Trail
~5 min drive
1.07-mile out-and-back singletrack with 126 ft gain in New York.
RIDE
Bear Lake Trail
~3 min drive
2.14-mile out-and-back singletrack in New York with 155 ft elevation gain.
Map and trail data © OpenStreetMap contributors
