Following 2 years of cancellations due to COVID-19 restrictions and concerns, the Black Fly Challenge (BFC) is back this Saturday, June 11, which marks the 25th anniversary of the event.  This year’s sold-out race (limited to 1,000 registrants) will start at 10 a.m. at Arrowhead Park in Inlet, NY and end with music, food, and beer near the Indian Lake Central School District. Spectators are welcome and encouraged to hang out at the after party to cheer the racers across the finish line.

The Black Fly Challenge is a classic Adirondack Mountain gravel grinder that takes place annually on the second Saturday in June. The race changes direction every year with the start and finish alternating between Indian Lake and Inlet, NY. Over half the 40 mile course traverses the rugged Moose River Recreation Area on mountain roads composed of dirt, gravel, sand and exposed boulders with several steep elevation changes.

The BFC started as a mountain bike race, but is now a top choice for cyclocross racers as well as tandems and even unicycles. The top racers finish the race in about two hours, while the rest of the field may take four or more hours.

Check out the Black Fly Challenge website or Facebook page for updates, including an event schedule, parking and shuttle information, and more.

It is the mission of the Adirondack Mountain Bike Association, producer of the Black Fly Challenge, to promote, maintain and preserve multi-use recreational trails in the West-Central Adirondack region and beyond.

This will be accomplished by:

• Reinvesting race proceeds in our local communities;
• Partnering with like-minded individuals, agencies and organizations;
• Supporting the cycling community and outdoor recreation efforts;
• Coordinating efforts of various stakeholders and where feasible,
• Providing resources in the form of labor, materials and/or donations,
• Having a positive impact on the local economy.