Chicago to New York City
A ride from the Windy City to the Big Apple, linking prairie towns, rail trails, and the Appalachian Plateau before finishing across the George Washington Bridge into Manhattan.
- Distance
- 1,159.9 miles
- Surface
- 95% paved
- 3 weeks–2 months
- Route Type
- Point to Point
Ride the Chicago to New York City
This route runs from Chicago to Manhattan. At Pittsburgh, riders can stay on the main route across Pennsylvania or take the Philadelphia Alternate, which follows the Great Allegheny Passage and C&O Canal Towpath.
What to Expect
This route strings together an unusual amount of car-free riding for one of this length, following rail trails like the Monon Trail, the Ohio to Erie Trail, and the Three Rivers Heritage Trail system through several of its bigger cities. In between, expect cornfields and small farm towns across Indiana and Ohio, river towns and steep, wooded hills through the Appalachian Plateau, and long ridge-lined valleys in Pennsylvania. The hills in the second half are the main challenge, and services are rarely far off, but campgrounds on route are scarce, so most riders mix camping with indoor stays.
In Indiana, riders pass Hoosier Prairie State Nature Preserve and the International Circus Hall of Fame. Ohio brings the Dayton Aviation Heritage National Historical Park, home of the Wright brothers’ story, and the route crosses into West Virginia on the Wheeling Suspension Bridge, the first bridge built over the Ohio River. Farther east come Pittsburgh’s rivers, the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area, and New York’s Harriman State Park, before the George Washington Bridge and a final run down the Hudson to Battery Park, where ferries leave for the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island.
The scenery shifts from farm fields and woodlots in the Midwest to forested hills and river gorges in Pennsylvania, with the Palisades and the Manhattan skyline on the final approach. The full Adventure Cycling route includes detailed riding conditions and field notes for every climb and descent.
Services are generally plentiful along this route, with bike shops concentrated in the larger metro areas of Indianapolis, Columbus, and Pittsburgh. A few stretches thin out, including the hills between Zanesville, Ohio, and Wheeling, West Virginia, and the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area, where roads are narrower and quieter, services are sparse, and signage is light. Cell coverage is generally good but can drop out in the hills and river gorges, so download your Ride with GPS route for offline use.
Ride this route from spring through early fall, roughly April through September. Summers bring heat, humidity, and afternoon thunderstorms across the whole route, and spring brings a risk of tornadoes, particularly in Indiana and Ohio. Early fall offers cooler riding and changing leaves in the Appalachians.
Route Sections
Chicago, IL to Indianapolis, IN, 230.8 miles
From the Chicago lakefront, the route crosses into Indiana’s flat prairie country on a mix of rural roads and rail trails, including the North Judson Erie Trail, the Nickel Plate Trail, and the Monon Trail into downtown Indianapolis.
Alternates:
- Indianapolis Cutoff, 103.7 mi, saving about 50 miles by using three rail trails through Marion and Muncie between Peru and Richmond.
Indianapolis, IN to Zanesville, OH, 274.6 miles
The route follows the historic National Road corridor east from Indianapolis before crossing into Ohio, linking a long stretch of nearly continuous rail trail riding from Dayton through Columbus to Zanesville.
Zanesville, OH to Clearfield, PA, 295.8 miles
This section climbs into hillier terrain through eastern Ohio and West Virginia, crossing the historic Wheeling Suspension Bridge and following river trails before continuing through Pittsburgh on the Three Rivers Heritage Trail system into rural Pennsylvania.
Clearfield, PA to New York City, NY, 359.1 miles
The route continues across Pennsylvania’s Ridge and Valley Appalachians, parallels the Delaware River through the Delaware Water Gap, and crosses into New York through Harriman State Park before finishing over the George Washington Bridge into Manhattan.
Pittsburgh, PA to Lancaster, PA, 338.7 miles
Branching from the main route in Pittsburgh, this alternate follows the Great Allegheny Passage over the Eastern Continental Divide and down into Cumberland, Maryland, then continues on the C&O Canal Trail and the Western Maryland Rail Trail before crossing into Pennsylvania on signed BicyclePA routes through Gettysburg toward Lancaster. This alternate trades the main route’s hillier terrain for long, nearly flat, mostly car-free trail miles.
Lancaster, PA to New York City, NY, 179.8 miles
This section crosses Amish farm country in Lancaster County, follows the Schuylkill River Trail into downtown Philadelphia, crosses the Delaware River into New Jersey, and follows the Jersey Shore north to a ferry connection into Manhattan, ending at Battery Park.
Chicago to New York City Photos
Plan Your Ride
Since very few campgrounds sit directly on this route, planning overnight stops in advance matters more here than on routes with plenty of trailside camping.
Trip Planning & Logistics
Both ends are easy to reach, with major airports and Amtrak service in Chicago and New York City. This route can be combined with Bicycle Route 66 for a cross-country ride between Los Angeles and New York City. At Pittsburgh, the Philadelphia Alternate offers a flatter, trail-heavy way east through Philadelphia instead of the main route across northern Pennsylvania. Amtrak serves many stations along the way, though not all offer bicycle service, so check ahead for both ends of any train connection. This route is available in paper and digital formats through Adventure Cycling’s shop and includes routing, detailed service information, riding conditions, and field notes for trip planning.
This route runs mostly on pavement and paved rail trails, so a standard touring bike suits most of it well. Riders taking the Philadelphia Alternate should plan for long stretches of crushed stone and dirt on the Great Allegheny Passage and C&O Canal Towpath, where wider tires make a big difference, especially after rain. Pack front and rear lights and bright clothing for the rural roads in eastern Ohio and Pennsylvania, many of which have little or no shoulder, and low gearing for the short, steep climbs in the Ridge and Valley Appalachians.
Very few campgrounds sit directly on this route, so riders who want to camp every night should plan to ride off route for overnight stops, or mix camping with motels, inns, and Warmshowers hosts in the larger towns. Riders on the Philadelphia Alternate have more options, since the Great Allegheny Passage and C&O Canal Towpath both offer trailside campsites. Some campgrounds charge solo cyclists the same as a full tent or RV site, often $10 to $20 per night, though hiker/biker rates are sometimes available. Many campgrounds close after Labor Day, so riders chasing fall foliage should call ahead and reserve indoor lodging in advance.
Services are generally plentiful through Indiana, Ohio, and the larger metro areas, so resupply is rarely a concern. Stock up before the hills between Zanesville and Wheeling and before the Delaware Water Gap, where stops are fewer. Along the way, Chicago deep-dish, Pittsburgh pierogies, and a New York bagel at the finish make for a fitting menu. Check your digital route in Ride with GPS for service phone numbers, and call ahead for anything outside peak season.
Watch for narrow shoulders and winding roads through eastern Ohio, West Virginia, and the Ridge and Valley Appalachians, where sight lines can be short on hills. Traffic increases significantly in and around Indianapolis, Dayton, Columbus, Pittsburgh, and the approach to New York City, so plan to avoid rush hours where possible, and use caution at road crossings on rail trails. Watch for loose dogs on rural roads, check for ticks after riding or camping in wooded areas, and store food properly in the Delaware Water Gap, where black bears are common.
Always check Adventure Cycling Route Updates and Corrections before you go.
Routes change. Bridges wash out, businesses close, and construction pops up overnight. We strive to keep routes updated as those things happen. When we learn about a change, we reroute around sections that have become dangerous, update service information as businesses open, close, or move, and reroute around temporary road and bridge closures or construction. Digital routes are updated as soon as we’ve reviewed a reported issue.
You’re often the first to spot these changes out on the road. Help us keep this route accurate for the next rider by reporting anything you notice with our Route Feedback Form.
This Route Is Part of Something Bigger
It’s one piece of the Adventure Cycling Route Network, began in 1976 and built on a simple mission: to empower people to travel by bike. Our team maps and maintains it; our members and donors make it possible.
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Frequently Asked Questions
It’s our flagship, staff-built route network. The one that started it all 50 years ago with the TransAmerica Trail, the route that launched bicycle touring and bikepacking in America. Every route in it is designed and researched by our own team of cyclists and cartographers: months of research and on-the-ground testing go into each one, so what you get is more than a line on a map. Each Adventure Cycling route has detailed logistics, terrain and elevation info, points of interest, camping and lodging, safety alerts, and history, all in one place. It’s the most in-depth of our three networks, available as digital routes and most as paper maps too. It’s the route network we update most regularly as conditions change.
They’re related, but not the same thing. The Adventure Cycling Route Network is made up of routes we’ve researched, ridden, and mapped ourselves, chosen specifically for a great touring or bikepacking experience. The U.S. Bicycle Route System (USBRS) is a state-by-state national system that we serve as technical experts for, made official through each state’s department of transportation. The two overlap in a lot of places, but an ACRN route carries our own on-the-ground vetting; a USBRS route carries official state recognition.
It depends! If you want a route we’ve personally scouted end to end, with services, camping, and terrain notes built in, start with the Route Network. The ACA Route Network has routes of many different lengths and can be a much easier starting place for someone new to bicycle travel. If you’re an experienced cyclist piecing together an officially designated corridor, or riding somewhere the two systems converge, the interactive USBRS map is a good resource to use.
The Adventure Cycling Route Network is a premium network because of everything that goes into it. Unlike the U.S. Bicycle Route System (built by state DOTs) or Short Routes (submittedby cyclists in their own communities), every Adventure Cycling route is researched, ridden, and vetted end-to-end by our own team. Unlike other routes, Adventure Cycling routes come with extensive information on riding conditions, terrain notes, camping and lodging info, logistics, safety alerts, and points of interest. We also keep it current as roads and services change. The price supports that ongoing research and maintenance work, done by a nonprofit whose whole mission is making sure the route in your hands is one you can trust.
Turn-by-turn directions with a bike icon aren’t the same as a route built for specifically touring or bikepacking. Every mile in the Adventure Cycling Route Network has been researched and ridden by our staff and researchers, chosen to avoid dangerous traffic, and mapped with what a touring cyclist actually needs — food, water, camping, hotels, bike shops — spaced out along the way. The Adventure Cycling Route Network was built for cyclists by cyclists, is regularly updated, and comes with the resources and information needed to plan your ride.
No. The network includes routes for a wide range of experience and difficulty levels, from a first multi-day trip to a cross-country expedition. What every route has in common is that it was chosen with a touring cyclist’s needs in mind, whatever kind of trip you’re planning.
Not at all. Alongside iconic long-distance routes like the TransAmerica Trail, the network includes shorter regional routes, so it works for a weeklong vacation or a two-month journey.
For many years, we focused on paved routes, but today the network includes plenty of unpaved gravel riding for bikepacking. In fact, Adventure Cycling mapped the Great Divide Mountain Bike Route in 1998, arguably the most impactful bikepacking route in the world. The Adventure Cycling Route Network also includes the Golden Gravel Trail, Idaho Hot Springs Mountain Bike Route, Arkansas High Country Route, and more. Some routes are a 50/50 mix of pavement and gravel. Some routes follow paved and unpaved bike paths and rail trails. The Adventure Cycling Route Network has terrain for every cyclist.
We revisit our printed maps every three to five years, and push corrections to our digital route data as we learn about changes on the ground. If you have an Adventure Cycling Route in Ride with GPS that we’ve updated, you’ll get a notification when you open the route to update to the newest version of the route. Updating will ensure you have the latest data, information, and points of interest vital to being on route. For cyclists who have Adventure Cycling paper maps, we keep a list of route- and section-specific updates current on our Map Updates and Corrections page.
Change comes from two directions: our own staff research and reports from the cyclists actually out there riding them. If a bridge washes out, a shoulder disappears, a campground closes for repairs, or a town loses its only grocery store, that’s the kind of thing that triggers an update. You can help us keep our routes accurate; fill out our Route Feedback Form.
Most of our Adventure Cycling Routes come as waterproof print maps and digital Ride with GPS navigational data. Our print maps are the #1 longstanding popular resource for traveling cyclists. They are waterproof, highly detailed and always work. For long trips, many cyclists use a combination of print maps and digital routes.
If you’re already comfortable and familiar with a GPS navigational aid such as Ride with GPS or a Garmin, our digital data packages are an excellent choice. We do not recommend GPX data for beginners since there are a few extra steps to installing and troubleshooting.
Once you purchase a digital route, you’ll get an email with a link to unlock it in the free Ride with GPS app — no separate subscription required for basic navigation. From there you get turn-by-turn voice directions, curated points of interest like campgrounds and bike shops, and field notes on the history, geography, and climate along your route, all available 100% offline. If you’drather use a dedicated GPS device, you can export the route as a GPX file to load onto a Garmin, Wahoo, or similar device.
To export GPX files of your Adventure Cycling digital route, use your laptop or desktop to open the email you received after purchasing your digital route. Click on the link that allows you to access your Digital Route. Finally, click on EXPORT ALL at the bottom of the screen. This is the only way to export files that include the route line, points of interest, and services. Files will be exported as one ZIP file.
Adventure Cycling uses abbreviations across its paper and digital routes to indicate particular services, land or road types, route names, direction of travel, and route type. Please see our key to abbreviations.
If you have questions on how to purchase a digital route or about the route content, please contact Adventure Cycling: cartography@adventurecycling.org or 406-721-1776.
If you have questions on how to use your Digital Route in Ride with GPS, please check the Ride with GPS support page or email them at info@ridewithgps.com.
If you’re new to Ride with GPS, please check out the following resources:
Our print map panels aren’t always oriented northwards for space and layout reasons. Refer to the north arrows to help orient yourself if you’re not sure.
No. The Routes and Mapping Department does not do custom routes for individuals. Check out the routes we’ve already mapped, and use the interactive map to piece our route networks together, forming a route that gets you from a point A to point B of your choice.
It started with a single route. In 1976, we mapped the TransAmerica Trail, and more than 4,000 cyclists crossed the country together for Bikecentennial — the nation’s bicentennial cycling celebration our founders organized. That one route became the seed of a network we’ve spent the decades since expanding. Today it’s more than 58,000 miles of mapped routes across the U.S. and Canada, from classic epics like the TransAmerica Trail, Great Divide Mountain Bike Route, and Pacific Coast, to shorter regional routes.