Looking for a Summer Riding Vacation Spot

[Karenanywild]

How lucky are we to have some great rails to trails paths in our area? Very! We are thoroughly enjoying the trails.

But, we live in Florida and it is getting hot. We are looking for a July vacation spot that we can drive to that has some good, cooler riding. We've been looking at Blowing Rock, NC. The temps seem good, but haven't found any trails yet.

I'll be checking out the rails to trails info but would love to hear if someone has a good recommendation.

I realize it's not going to be cool anywhere within driving distance but cooler than Florida summer heat would be nice.

[marni]

you could do worse than Moab Utah, with bike access to various state and National parks including garden of the gremlins, the back side of Mesa Verde, Capital Reef, Canyonlands Arches ,and several others. True it is not going to be exactly cool, but at least the humidity is lower, it is cooler at nights (altitude warning)r and the scenery is spectacular. You can also access the north rim of the Grand Cnayon, Zion and several other sites from Moab as well.

[indysteel]

Acadia National Park in Maine. The park has 40 or so miles of carriage roads that are fun to ride. Plus, the area offers kayaking and hiking. Just be forewarned that it will be crowded.

I've been to Moab in April during a warm spell (low 90s). Low humidity only gets you so far when the temps are that high.

[Veronica]

I've been to Moab in July - twice. Unless, you're willing to get up and ride at sunrise, it's too hot.

Veronica

[Crankin]

I second Arcadia. If you want to ride only on rail trails, you'll enjoy this. There's a lot to do, besides ride. I went on vacation there in August many years ago, and though it was crowded, it was still fun. Stay in Southwest Harbor, not right in Bar Harbor. You'll need to have a car, but it's quiet and beautiful.

[indysteel]

We rented a house through VRBO last September about 15 minutes outside of Bar Harbor. We brought our touring bikes and rode all around the island, plus the park. We also sea kayaked and lake kayaked. It was one of my very favorite vacations--and we travel a lot. I'd go back in a heartbeat.

[Karenanywild]

Thanks for the great ideas. Moab sounds great at a cooler time of year.

We were in Acadia a couple of years ago and enjoyed the area. Hmmmm ..... Maybe a return trip is in our future.

[goldfinch]

The UP of Michigan is nice in July, we usually spend a couple of weeks there. I like Marquette and Sault Ste. Marie (both the US and Canada sides) and Sugar Island is nice for biking. No trails but very few cars. It is isolated though so it may not be to your liking.

Northern Minnesota has great paved bike trails and July is generally nice. We are spending this summer spending time along each of the trails. Like the Paul Bunyan, Root River, Mesabi, etc.

[Bike Writer]

I am very partial to Michigan of course because I live here but our northern Michigan is excellent in the summer, it can get hot here but not steamy like so much of the nation and there's always a cool stream, river, lake to dip into to cool off. I just got back from scouting out a gorgeous route around the "tip of the mitt" going from Charlevoix to Mackinaw City and if that isn't enough you can take the ferry to the NO automobile island and ride there too. There are several trails that run the length, north and south of the state, right up the middle and along the coast lines of the Great Lakes. This route I checked out connects several coastal towns and offers riding along the lakeshore and through the "tunnel of trees" for 20 miles of heavily canopied narrow winding roads. I have a friend who pedaled the entire coast of Michigan over 1,500 miles and did an online log of his trip. I'll find the link and post it here.

[Skippyak]

Moab would be stinking hot LOL.

[Caren]

I'll second the UP, I've been to Drummond Island and then Sault St Marie and Marquette as well and it's just beautiful up there.