Zim Smith Original: Oak Street to Coons Crossing Road (August 2024)
It’s been a busy month at the shop, and being busy often means we trade our riding time for work time. This past week, however, we were finally able to get out to ride for the first time since July 4th.
We decided to get an early start (okay, not early, but not an evening ride) and made it down to the Oak Street trailhead for the Zim Smith Trail just before 1pm. This is a trail we’ve ridden on, and written about, many times. Due to time constraints we decided to do the “Original” Zim Smith Trail - the Oak Street trailhead in Ballston Spa to the trailhead at Coons Crossing Road in Mechanicville.
When we first started riding the Zim Smith Trail, that is where the trail ended, and the last few miles were crushed stone and gravel. Today, the trail is fully paved, and extends almost all the way to downtown Mechanicville. For those looking to avoid hills, or wanting a shorter ride, the “Original” is a great option. The “Original” is almost exactly 10 miles one way.
Most of the trail travels through the woods away from any indication of nearby roads, although it does have a handful of crossings and a couple short stretches that do dip out to parallel the roads briefly. There are four main points of interest along this route: Stewart’s (bathrooms, ice cream, snacks) about 2.5 miles in, Shenantaha Creek Park (parking, bathrooms, playground, repair stand/tools) about 3 miles in, Leah’s Cakery/Round Lake (food & drinks, parking, playground) about 5.5 miles in, and the Coons Crossing Road trailheads (bathrooms, parking) 10 miles in.
This trail is great for riders of all ages and abilities, and especially for kids since the trail is wide, paved, has multiple large parking areas, and passes a couple playground areas along the way. We would recommend starting at Shenantaha Creek Park if you’re planning to do a shorter ride with kids.
As always, we’d love to help make your rides safer, more comfortable, and more enjoyable. We’re coming up on the best time of year for riding, and it’s not too late to make improvements. Come see us!
You can view this route on Ride With GPS here: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/48184271
