New York Harbor Circle

Where: Circle around New York harbor -- this adventure includes two states, two New York City boroughs, two big bridges, and a ferry ride. This adventure takes in most of the length of Manhattan Island, the northern tip of Staten Island, and the New Jersey shore of the Hudson River between Bayonne and Fort Lee.  Crosses the George Washington Bridge and Bayonne Bridge, rides the Staten Island Ferry.  Takes a side trip (optional) to one end of the Verrazano Narrows Bridge (which is closed to bicyclists and pedestrians).

Description: 50 miles, mostly flat or gentle, with only two or three significant hills. 43 miles, if the side trip to the end of the Verrazano Narrows Bridge is skipped. Shorter variations could be created by using ferry boat routes between New Jersey and Manhattan.  But check in advance for current service availability and schedules and for current rules or restrictions about bicycles.

Highlights:  A tourism adventure circling around New York harbor -- not a "route" like the others on this website.  Excellent views of the Manhattan skyline from many angles, and lots of pretty views of big expanses of water.  Visits to a variety of New York and New Jersey neighborhoods.  Elegant modern spaces, great bridges, and striking historic architecture.  

Exposure to a wide variety of terrain and traffic -- from busy city streets to elegant walkways; from a dirt path to high-speed roads. 

If you've got the skills and appetite to handle urban traffic, and solve the unexpected challenges this exciting fast-changing city might offer -- and if you can ride it at a time when the traffic volume is low -- this is a rewarding adventure. 

Characteristics: Mostly flat or gentle, with only three or four significant hills. Before deciding to take on this adventure, consider these hazards and challenges, and whether you have the skills, judgment, and "risk appetite" to handle them: 

  urban traffic of several kinds 

• highway traffic with merges, circles, exits, entrances 

• changes and restrictions on roads, paths, bridges 

• train rails crossing streets at sharp angles 

•   unexpected bumps, holes, ruts  

We suggest you consider in advance what techniques and strategies you will use to handle these risks.   Some of the items on the Resources page may help, especially the books.  If you are not sure that these kinds of risks fits with your skills and with your approach and strategy on risks, then choose a different route. 

Traffic:  This route definitely has significant urban traffic -- though many miles of it can be avoided by taking bicycle paths and walkways (which have hazards of their own).  It also has some riding on a road with two lanes of traffic in each direction and no shoulders. 

Because of the traffic, we recommend doing this route early in the morning on a weekend day.  We recommend against doing it on a weekday any time near morning or afternoon rush hour.  

Road surfaces:  Some sections are off-road, with a variety of surfaces other than smooth pavement, including dirt,  brick, plywood -- sometimes in rather bad condition.  Consider what tires you ride on, and be prepared to walk your bike. 

Bridges and Ferry Boats:  Before you decide to start this route, it's good to check the status of the bridges for bicycles.  While making up an alternate route for a closed road is usually not hard, it can be very difficult to find alternatives to a closed bridge.  

Sometimes in years past the Bayonne Bridge has been open to cars, but closed to bicycles and pedestrians -- without any notice on the official website.   Also, you may be required to walk your bike across.

And while we've never run into any problem with the Staten Island Ferry not running at all, sometimes it was not running as often as we were wishing -- so it's good to print a schedule off their website. 

There are several other ferry boat routes that could be useful to create shorter variations of this route, or as contingency plans in case you run into a problem at a bridge crossing.  But check in advance for current service availability and for current rules or restrictions about bicycles.  Many of the ferry routes between New Jersey and Manhattan are run by NY Waterway.  

Crime? This route passes through a rather wide variety of neighborhoods and areas.  We have felt comfortable riding through them in the morning and afternoon on weekends, without feeling afraid of criminal attack.  But that doesn't mean you will or should.  If you're concerned about this, check in advance with experts who have specific knowledge about crime in these parts of New York and New Jersey. 

Security restrictions: To enter Fort Wadsworth (near the Verrazano Narrows Bridge) may require identification to be displayed guard station.  Or it is possible that that area might be closed at times thought to be high-risk.  But that will in no way prevent you from completing the remainder of the route.