Hiking |
You can find trails criss-crossing the mountains in the
Adirondacks, providing hikers with unending enjoyment. There’s
a whole network of trails, for longer backpacking trips, where
you could take an entire summer and hike from one end of the
park to the other. For weekenders, many of the trailheads
are easily spotted from the roads, and have destinations within
a few miles, for daytrips. Some trails lead to mountain summits,
while other trails involve little change in elevation...perfect
for carrying in a canoe for a remote wilderness canoeing experience.
At the other end of the spectrum there are the High Peaks,
mostly in the northern section of the Park. The High Peaks
exist as individual milestones, each one, when reached, symbolizes
a personal achievement for the hiker. Locals speak of “bagging
another High Peak”. The High Peaks have grandiose names
to reflect their stature: “Giant”, “Mt.
Skylight”, “Iroquois Peak”.
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| Trails in the Adirondacks range from gentle pine-needle-covered
pathways taking you up only 1000 feet to a saddleback; to rugged,
rock-filled craggy paths jutting straight upwards as you climb
3000 feet to your summit. Boulders abound, which makes for impressive
scenery and challenging hiking environments. You might find
yourself scaling a 15-foot boulder, putting your arm strength
to the test, as your trail leads right over a field of gigantic
rocks (careful coming back down the trail…). Waterfalls
are not rare in the Adirondacks, where you will frequently be
presented with the magnificent sight of water crashing down
on rocks from a distance. First evidence will be the sound of
water in the distance, growing as you hike nearer the source.
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Backpacking
If what you want is an intense wilderness experience, or
even if all you want is a relaxing night under the stars in
a rustic lean-to, nothing compares to backpacking in the Adirondack
Park. There are over 6 million acres to explore…that’s
bigger than the entire state of Vermont! Networks of trails
throughout the park provide routes for short or long excursions,
and you don’t need a permit unless you’re part
of a big group.
Day Hiking Trips from Albany
Here are some hikes located on mountains about an hour’s
drive from the Albany area.
Buck Mountain
This is a popular mountain, since it’s close to Albany,
Saratoga, and Lake George. Summer weekends bring lots of people
to Buck Mountain, which lies on the Eastern shore of Lake George.
It’s the perfect day trip, since the hike itself takes
about 3 hours round trip. Unfortunately, this trail, because
of its popularity, is washed out in some areas due to erosion
or overuse. The summit is memorable, not only because of the
wide view of Lake George, but also because you end up on a huge
slab of rock, like you’ve climbed a gargantuan boulder.
There are several “summit spots”, where hikers can
stake out a quiet place to be away from others if they want.
In summertime you can see boats inching across the water leaving
white streaks of water behind them. Buck’s trails are
nice and wide and soft in many places, making for a pleasant
descent at least part of the time. If you like to run down the
mountain, and you haven’t yet burned out your knees, parts
of Buck are a lot of fun. Lots of Adirondack trails are very
rocky which make for slow, cautious descents. Of course Buck
has rocky areas too…one part of the trail goes over giant
boulders, so high some trail crew built a wooden ladder into
the trail. One part of the rocky trail merges with a streambed,
which especially in springtime requires that you pick your way
down the mountain very slowly. Is that what hiking poles are
for? Slippery rocks are treacherous.
Prospect Mountain
This one is on the outskirts of Lake George Village, so it’s
also just an hour away from Albany. Prospect is steep but not
long…maybe 3 miles total round trip. This climb gets you
warmed up fast because you have to climb tons of metal steps
to get over I-87 Thruway to where the trail begins. Rocky trail
much of the way, and often the rocks are wet. Good trail if
you want a quick workout, as there aren’t many flat areas,
it’s uphill right from the start. After hiking for more
than an hour, maybe two hours nonstop, you arrive pretty tapped
out and sweaty at the top, only to find picnic tables 25 cent
binoculars for tourists, and a picnic pavilion. There’s
a road to the top!
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Adirondacks
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