Mount Equinox

5.4 miles, 3,173 ft of climbing, 11.1% average grade.

The hardest climb almost nobody gets to ride: Skyline Drive, the private toll road up Mount Equinox, is closed to bicycles except on race day, 5.2 miles at a grade that trades punches with Mount Washington. When the gate opens for racing, the highest peak in the Taconics delivers the most exclusive suffering in the Northeast.

Highlights

• Grades comparable to Mount Washington on a road bikes can't otherwise touch
• The highest summit in the Taconic Range (3,848')
• A private toll road opened to bikes only for the race
• Monastery land: the mountain is home to a Carthusian charterhouse

Must Know

• Not on the 2026 BUMPS calendar, the race runs intermittently; watch the series news for its return.
• Bikes are not permitted on Skyline Drive outside of race day. Don't try.
• The summit is exposed; descending by car is the norm.

Lodging

Manchester at the base is a full resort town, inns, the Equinox hotel itself, and outlet-village amenities.

Food & Views

• Manchester's Depot Street restaurants
• Views: the Saint Bruno viewing center at the summit, overlooking five states on the right day

Nearby Routes

• Road: the valley roads to Dorset and the Merck Forest climb
• Gravel: Sandgate and Rupert's legendary dirt network
• Hike: Equinox's Blue Summit Trail from town
• MTB: the Rutland–Pine Hill Park network, 40 minutes north

Resources

• PJAMM climb profile
• Skyline Drive