Major Route Changes: Atlantic Coast and Idaho Hot Springs

January 25, 2018 - Jennifer Hamelman is Adventure Cycling's Routes & Mapping Assistant Director

A number of years ago, we committed to keeping the growing Adventure Cycling Route Network updated. This means we collect information from cyclists and local resources on our routes to incorporate into map reprints on a semi-regular cycle of every three to four years. The task of doing this can be somewhat daunting at times — especially on routes that cover areas experiencing high growth.

Atlantic Coast Route Reroutes

For a while now, there have been troubling stretches of the Atlantic Coast Route calling for attention. By a happy accident, it coincides with where we routed the Chicago to New York City Philadelphia Alternate (CNP). To that end we were able to dual-purpose the new route research and roll it over into the Atlantic Coast Route when we recently updated Sections 2 and 3.

These reroutes enabled us to move off a hilly street, off some roads where truck traffic has increased, and off streets with deteriorating pavement. Many of the miles were moved off roads entirely and onto separated bike paths, including increasing the use of the Harlem Valley Trail and adding the Wallkill Valley, Torrey C. Brown/Northern Central Railroad and York County Heritage trails. As with the CNP, it also encompasses pieces of BicyclePA Routes S and J.

With this series of changes, the overall mileage for the two sections decreased by a whopping five miles. The maps and GPX data with these route changes are available for sale now. If you have older maps as far back as 2009, refer to the Map Updates and Corrections pages to see renderings of them (as .pdf files) to bring your routes up to date.

Wilderness Designation Hampered IHSMBR

While reroutes tend to happen more often in urban areas due to growth and changing infrastructure, sometimes other decisions influence our routes and precipitate changes, too. Take for instance, the Idaho Hot Springs Mountain Bike Route (IHSMBR).

In 2015, about a year and a half after IHSMBR was published, three new wilderness areas were established in the White Cloud region of Idaho. Due to the Wilderness designation, the White Cloud Option was no longer legal to ride as published, and at that time, we did not have a good work around to offer.

In the meantime, various staff traveled to the area and brought back reports and suggestions for routes around the closure. We were also alerted to the realignment of the Little Casino Trail outside of Stanley. These pieces of intel were brought together and are now available for sale in the newly republished maps and GPX data. If you already own the 2014 version of the route, you can view route changes as .pdf files via the Map Updates and Corrections page.

Photo by Casey Greene

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