Review Date
September 23, 2009

Overall Rating
 4 of 5

Aerobic Difficulty
 4 of 5

Technical Difficulty
 3 of 5

Ridden Trail:
Once a week

Reviewed by: mtbiker179 ,  Weekend Warrior

Summary:
The Shaker Bay "mansion" complex has expanded into a large portion of the trail. What remains is still ridable, although significantly shorter than before. The ice storm last winter hit the trail pretty hard, but I've been out there almost every week cutting away fallen trees and blazing some new trails to make it longer. I have plans to build a few small obstacles (teeter totter, balance beam, etc.) Very little of the trail is still on Shaker Bay land, so hopefully we won't loose much more.

**NOTE: Beware during hunting season, there are a couple of tree stands along the trail, so don't go riding in your deer costume**

Recommended Route:
Drive down Forts Ferry till you pass Dolphin Drive. Keep an eye on the right hand side of the road and you'll see an old access road (before you start to go down the hill). Parking is an issue, I bike there, so I have no suggestions. Follow the access road .38 miles till you see the trail intersect on your left. Follow that in for about .2 miles and you'll start seeing other trails on your left. They're all interconnected so just start exploring. (It is no longer a loop) Some trails are dead ends because of Shaker Bay expansion. I'll try to mark them in the near future.

**NOTE: Beware during hunting season, there are a couple of tree stands along the trail, so don't go riding in your deer costume**

Other recommended trails in the same area:
Colonie Town Park on Schermerhorn Rd. (Latham)
Lock 7 where Lock 7 Rd. crosses the Mohawk Hudson Bikeway (Niskayuna)
Luther Forrest (Malta)

Review Date
July 20, 2008

Overall Rating
 4 of 5

Aerobic Difficulty
 4 of 5

Technical Difficulty
 3 of 5

Ridden Trail:
Once a week

Reviewed by: Adirondack Blues ,  Cross Country Rider

Summary:
This trail still rocks- excellent for fun fast ride or race training (which is what it was built for). There is still a 5-6 mile loop which is intact and very fun with 500+ total feet of climbing in the clock-wise direction. Up and down, twisty, rollercoaster singletrack. Roots and logs- no major technical features. Fun at night as well. For a real workout, do two or more loops in a row.

There is potential to revive a few more trails back here- they just need a little TLC.

Recommended Route:
Up the hill through the meadow, turn left and down the hill onto the singletrack. Continue down along creek, turn right after a big log and climb singletrack along ravine (tough climb). Turn right at next trail intersection and right onto doubletrack. Look for almost immediate left onto singletrack into woods. Right on doubletrack access road through big mud puddle and downed tree. After 1/4 mile, take a left back into woods on singletrack. At next intersection, take left followed by immediate right up and over a small steep roller and follow until you reach the fast loop in the big woods on the hill by Shaker bay. Left or right on fast loop- you can't get lost now! Follow singletrack back out to meadow. Repeat!

Other recommended trails in the same area:
Colonie town park singletrack (shale trails).

Review Date
April 20, 2005

Overall Rating
 4 of 5

Aerobic Difficulty
 3 of 5

Technical Difficulty
 3 of 5

Ridden Trail:
Every few months

Reviewed by: Kingpin ,  Racer

Summary:
I challenge Big D to a race one on one around the poop loop. The trail I made with my own bare hands. Big D thinks he is a big rider but when i used to whoop up on him at all the Plaine's races he wasn't so big then. You hear me Carl? MM is your mentor.

Review Date
April 26, 2004

Overall Rating
 4 of 5

Aerobic Difficulty
 2 of 5

Technical Difficulty
 2 of 5

Ridden Trail:
Once a week

Reviewed by: swank ,  Weekend Warrior

Summary:
BE ADVISED POOP LOOP GOING AWAY

I have see the map of the new subdivision that has been encroaching on the loop; this year should see a major expansion into the area on which the loop runs, and I would expect to lose half of the available land to housing lots.

The road is going to continue straight into the loop...slamming right into it, with a group of large houses w/large sized lots.

ENJOY IT WHILE YOU CAN!!!!

Review Date
May 18, 2002

Overall Rating
 5 of 5

Ridden Trail:
Once a week