The Adirondacks offer more than 3200km of trails along forested paths, taking you to summits with 360º views, extending as far as the eye can see, or to short day hikes through enchanting forests. Naturally, as you get higher up in the mountains, the tree species change from hardwood forests into basalm fir and red spruce in the mid-regions and again to black spruce once you reach around 3,500 feet elevation. Join Active Pass to get Backpacker magazine, access to exclusive content, 1,000s of training plans, and more. Elevation: 2876 ft Ascent: 700 ft Round-trip Distance: 2.2 or 2.6 miles Location: ADK’s Heart Lake Program Center near Lake Placid Region: Lake Placid/High Peaks region There are two trails up Mt. The latest gear, trips, stories, and more, beamed to your inbox every week. The short day allows late starts, swimming, or picking trailside blueberries (August). Located near Lake Placid, this Mount Marcy trail is 17.6 miles long, offers 5,068 feet of elevation gain, and gives you the chance to cross off 3 of the 46 High Peaks in one day. This trail, located near Wanakena, is a little (ok, a lot) more challenging at 1,300 feet of elevation change, which isn’t terrible, but…It is 19.2 miles in length. ADK Adirondack Mountain Club lists hiking information about hiking in the adirondacks, trail conditions and weather, trailhead parking, joining the Adirondack Forty-Sixers. Hiking in the Adirondacks is a favorite activity of residents and visitors alike. The Adirondack Park is a protected park in the U.S. state of New York. Tomorrow, with a decade’s worth of hiking conditioning and know-how, I’ll scramble up it at sunrise for a circle of peaks. Access member exclusive content + more benefits →, The three-sided log shelter is pretty unremarkable on first glance, blending into the surrounding thicket of spruce in the Adirondack High Peaks. And, of course, you’ll eventually be climbing Mount Marshall (4,360 ft) and checking off another summit on the 46 high peaks in the park, if you’re into that. The length of this loop makes for a challenging two day trip or a moderate three day trip.This hike starts at the very popular and crowded Bear Lake trailhead. If you are feeling extra adventurous, you can also head off to Pharaoh Mountain. I haven’t been back here in close to 10 years, since my very. Adirondack Hiking Guide. The three-sided log shelter is pretty unremarkable on first glance, blending into the surrounding thicket of spruce in the Adirondack High Peaks. Locals call them “46ers,” and you’ll tag five on this 17.3-mile loop. Gray and Skylight, with glowing views stretching into Vermont. 2017 News: Our ADK trail map currently has 115 hiking trails, 38 mountain biking trails, 32 road biking trails, 30 waterways, 42 suggested lakes and ponds for fishing, 13 birding hot spots and 8 motorcycle riding loops, with accompanying .pdf descriptions. Located near Newcomb, this trail is 15.5 miles long, contains 3,405 feet of elevation gain, and also receives light traffic. Head southwest past a killer swimming hole to … A Short Trail to a World of Insight. The Adirondack Park Loop is almost entirely within the boundaries of the Adirondack Park. The Adirondacks is an adventure lover’s dream come true, with six million acres and hundreds of miles of trails to explore. BackpackingNut © 2019. With that said, the Adirondacks offer some of the best backpacking loops in the eastern United States. Hiking difficulty is relative to each hiker, of course, but High Falls Cat Mountain trail could mostly be considered moderate with some areas proving more difficult. This trail poses some interesting challenges with steep areas, rock scrambles, and ladders, but the views can’t be beat. Access member exclusive content + more benefits →, Two Blind Veterans Tackle the Americas’ Highest Peak, How to Level Up Your Rain Game for Wet Hikes, 3 Exercises to Help You Prep for a Big Backpacking Trip, Don’t Just Survive on Your Next Long Trip—Thrive, Winter Hiking in the High Peaks Wilderness, New York, Hikers Set New Speed Record for Climbing Adirondacks’ High Peaks. Other than the fun challenge of climbing these three peaks, you also pass Lake Arnold, Feldspar Brook, Indian Falls, and Lake Tear of the Clouds. Forty-six peaks in the Adirondacks rise higher than 4,000 feet. You can start from Upper Works trail head, hit Allen. In our opinion, the Great Range Loop Trail an excellent option if you’re looking for advanced hiking loops for your backpacking trip through the Adirondacks. Access member exclusive content + more benefits → Crane Mountain, Crane Mountain Pond 1.4 miles (2.8 miles round trip); 2.7 miles (5.4 miles round trip); 4.1-mile loop Johnsburg, Warren County Southern Adirondacks Hiking, Snowshoeing, Cross-country Skiing Pharaoh Lake Wilderness 24 mile loop Moderate-difficult Adirondack 10 Peak Tour is a 28.9 mile lightly trafficked loop trail located near Lake Placid, New York that features a lake and is only recommended for very experienced adventurers. Over half of the park is populated by hardwood forests. Hikes vary from short and easy to steep and strenuous. While they may not be the towering behemoths of the Rockies out west, states such as Vermont, Maine, and New York offer plenty of mountain hikes. Permit none Contact Lake Placid GPX Five Peaks Loop, Difficulty 4/5 It’s known for its fall foliage–viewing and forested mountains, with hiking trails crossing the Adirondack High Peaks near Lake Placid. Return to the Four Corners (mile 14.3) and head north, breaking treeline and climbing rock slabs to the summit of Mt. © 2021 Pocket Outdoor Media Inc. All Rights Reserved. (By the way, Gothics is said to be one of the most scenic areas in the park with its 360° views. Trek to the trail-free summits of Macomb, Hough, and The Dixes. From here you can go one of two ways. The trail offers a number of activity options. Crane Mountain and Crane Mountain Pond make a great trip that shows the rugged and varied terrain of the southern Adirondacks. As you will quickly find with many of the trails in Adirondack Park, Pharaoh Lake Loop has more than one starting point and several connecting trails to make your hike even longer, if you like. The Adirondacks, as you can imagine, house a diversity of terrain. Along this section of the Great Range trail you will climb Roostercomb, Hedgehog, Lower and Upper Wolf Jaw, Armstrong, Gothics, and Pyramid. There are some tough scramble spots and even an area on the other side of Gothics with a permanent cable to help hikers, so exercise caution, especially in/after the rain. But tomorrow morning we’ll head up Mt. 50 Adirondack hikes to avoid overcrowded trails this weekend Labor Day weekend is one of the biggest hiking weekends in the Adirondacks. Create a personalized feed and bookmark your favorites. Stone Valley Recreation Area: 12 miles (full loop), 294 feet net elevation gain. Being the highest point in the park as well as the entire state of New York, this trail is sure to be a challenge. Enjoy views of pristine Lake George. The shorter and steeper trail has been well built by ADK’s trail crew. Duration 2 days. Good thing you aren’t planning on doing it all in a day, right? The mountains in Pennsylvania are usually free of snow a little sooner than my backyard mountains in the Adirondacks. Jo. Skylight for sunrise at mile 12.25. At 6 miles and an elevation gain of less than 100 feet, Pharaoh Lake is not too long or arduous, perfect for dipping your toes in the waters of backpacking. Besides, you’ll get a better view of the stars and the Milky Way on clear nights without the cover of a lean-to roof. It’s advised to either wear waterproof shoes or go later in the season. At mile 3.75, near some lean-tos, turn left and head east, climbing to a crest at Lake Arnold before descending to. At the intersection east of the dam, take the trail south toward Avalanche Pass. With a daunting 5,458 feet of elevation gain and 16.5 miles in total, the Great Range Loop Trail is definitely more for the advanced hiker. These mountains contain over 100 peaks, over 40 of which are over 4,000 feet high! Adirondack State Park Five Peaks Loop, Adirondack High Peaks, NY Uphill Lean-to is the perfect basecamp to nab a collection of Adirondack High Peaks, including Mt. The gorgeous lake is the third largest in the Adirondack park, and one of the best maintained in the state. From the Wanakena trailhead, follow the Wanakena Primitive Corridor 3.7 miles to camp along the Oswegatchie River at High Rock. Or, if you prefer something more secluded, there are a few lean-tos and designated campsites along the way. I hope this list has given you some ideas on good places to start exploring the Adirondacks, no matter what level of backpacker you are. Happy hiking! Whiteface Mountain’s ski runs are nearby. Lake George Wild Forest 21 mile loop Moderate-difficult An excellent loop with beautiful ponds, cascades, and great camping. One is located at Janack’s Landing and the other on the Oswegatchie River near the falls. In fact, New York alone boasts 3 notable mountain ranges: The Catskills, the Adirondacks, and part of the Appalachian range. I haven’t been back here in close to 10 years, since my very first backpacking trip as a teenager; despite the unassuming first impression, that cherished memory makes the lean-to feel like coming home. The Indian Pass Brook is especially gorgeous in the fall. Marcy, the state’s tallest peak with its slabby rocky pyramid poking above krummholz, as well as Mts. Starting in Albany, New York, the route travels north through Saratoga Springs before crossing the “Blue Line," the term that many locals and frequent visitors use for crossing the boundary into the park. You can either head back down past Rainbow Falls or continue on for an even more extensive hike to Mount Marcy, summiting Sawteeth, Saddleback, Basin, and Haystack Mountains along the way. Falling in about the middle of the list height-wise, Mount Marshall would be a great one to start with too! There are five shelters. The views from Sleeping Beauty, and Black Mountain in particular, are stunning. With 2,000 miles of hiking trails, there are plenty to choose from. Taking up roughly the same amount of area as the entire state of neighboring Vermont, Adirondack Park is a backpacker’s paradise. Phew!In short, a loop that takes in what many people picture as the quintessential Colorado experience of backpacking: Wide open spaces, limitless vistas and big mountains. Numerous other trail segments throughout the Adirondack Park are also included. Original: Sep 20, 2013. Happy traveling! And don’t forget about the 3,000 lakes and ponds and 1,200 miles of rivers along the way either! Adirondacks. All Rights Reserved. Backpacker Map Contributor Lisa Densmore says you’ll want to spend at least four days on the leisurely, 19.2-mile High Falls Loop, a route packed with stay-awhile features. On this backpacking loop in the Adirondack High Peaks Wilderness of Northern New York, you will get to see the picturesque Avalanche Lake that’s nestled between two mountains, climb Mount Marcy the highest peak in New York at 5,344’, and enjoy many spectacular … Marcy (5,344 feet) at mile 15.1. Speaking of the falls, it and the short hike to Cat Mountain are both actually located on short jaunts off of the main loop. From a parking area on the south side of NY 73, seven miles south of Keene Valley, access the … If you are into spooky stuff, even some ghost towns can be found in the region! The Cranberry Lake 50 is an exciting challenge that offers 50 miles of trails that loop around one of the largest Adirondack lakes - Cranberry Lake. High falls is on a mere .5 mile spur and Cat Mountain is about 1.5 miles off the trail. All of these are of varying difficulties to climb, though most are said to be not too bad. Get the ADK trail map (National Geographic map #742). We are the authoritative source for information regarding individual, aerobic, life-long sports and fitness in the area. You’ll also find huge boulders along the way, evidence of herd paths, and views of Wallface Mountain and Summit Rock. Speaking of elevation, the Adirondacks has some considerable peaks, ranging from 1,200 feet to 5,344 feet at the mountains’ (and the state’s) highest point, Mount Marcy. February 2, 2021 Ryan Wichelns This trail offers a little bit of everything, yet, perhaps because of the mileage, sees light traffic, so you’re almost guaranteed seclusion. With 12 High Peaks and 10,000’ of elevation gain, this is one of the most demanding routes in the Adirondacks. Located near Ticonderoga, the Pharaoh Lake loop trail is a good one for beginners. Best backpacking trails in Adirondack Park, New York 129 Reviews Explore the most popular backpacking trails in Adirondack Park with hand-curated trail maps and driving directions as well as detailed reviews and photos from hikers, campers and nature lovers like you.