Why is Mountain Biking in the Finger Lakes special?
Of course “top five” or “top 10” lists are at best arbitrary, and no doubt other regions claim similar superlatives. But there is no doubt the Finger Lakes region does boast outstanding mountain biking. The reasons for such superb biking are both many and varied. Most of the special nature of Finger Lakes mountain biking is due to the underlying geology and land-use patterns. Combine significant elevation differences (up to almost 2,000 feet), rolling hills and hollows, beautiful deciduous forests, abandoned farmland and significant acreage in public lands, and the result is outstanding and accessible terrain for biking, and lots of it. This terrain is found particularly in the southern half of the Finger Lakes on and at the edge of the Allegheny Plateau. According to longtime local rider Nathan Hunter, you won’t find exotic or grand viewpoints riding in the Finger Lakes. “We don’t need to be a big tourist attraction, we don’t have many breathtaking vistas, just plain, fun riding exper
