Hiking in Hamilton County, NY, in the Adirondacks

Auger Falls
(.6 miles RT, easy) This short walk leads to overlooks of a long series of cascades in a deep gorge lined with hemlocks. Please use caution, the banks are steep and slippery.

Baldface Mountain
(2 mile RT paddle across Indian Lake and 2.2 mile RT hike, easy) Norman's Cove, which has a great picnic area and a sheltered bay, is where you leave your boat and start your hike. It is an easy ascent to spectacular views from open ledges on the summit.

Beaver Lake
(4.6 miles RT, easy) This is a pleasant walk or bike ride on a dirt road to a clearing on the lakeshore which was once the site of a private estate built in 1904.

Blue Mountain
(4 miles RT, difficult) After ascending some steep final grades, you'll be rewarded with partial views from the rocky summit and expansive views from the fire tower where an interpreter may be on hand to answer questions. A trail guide describing 14 interpretive stops is available at the trailhead.

Buttermilk Falls
A short, well-used trail leads to the large flat rocks — a great spot for picnics — at the edge of the waterfall and river.

Cascade and Stevens Ponds
(8.4 miles RT, easy) You'll cross Rock Pond outlet on a 200-foot boardwalk and follow the route of a historic road on your way to these two beautiful ponds.

Castle Rock
(2 mile RT, moderate) This sometimes steep trail leads to a rocky promontory that juts 200 feet above the surrounding forest and provides magnificent views of Blue Mountain Lake and its many islands. Eight islands including two of the largest islands were recently opened to public access; for a different perspective, paddle out and explore the islands.

Cathedral Pines
Just off Route 28 is this stand of tall white pines.

Cedar Lakes
(8.4 miles RT, easy) This trail follows the route of an old road that parallels the Miami River on its way into the beautiful Cedar Lakes area. Be sure to visit the two lean-tos; both are beautifully situated and have great views. For long distance hikers, the Northville-Lake Placid heads north and south from here.

Chimney Mountain
(2.8 miles RT, easy, $1 parking fee) This is a very interesting hike to an unusual geological chimney formation and broad views over the wilderness area. Use caution around the maze of caves and crevices near the summit. Expert spelunkers will find this area a delight to explore.

Clockmill Pond
(3 miles RT, easy) This is a mostly level walk on an old woods road, marked as a snowmobile trail, to a clearing where you leave the marked trail and follow an unmarked path to the lake.

Echo Cliff-Panther Mountain
(1.5 miles RT, easy) The trail to this popular destination is well worn and occasionally steep. An open grassy area and ledges provide spectacular views across Piseco Lake to Spy Lake and the Silver Lake Wilderness.

Fawn Lake
(3 miles RT, easy) This walk leads to a pristine lake surrounded by state land. The trail leading to the north shore of the lake is a snowmobile trail that leads to Piseco.

Good Luck Lake-Good Luck Cliffs
(5.8 miles RT, easy) First, there is a level walk on a marked trail to a secluded sandy beach on Good Luck Lake, and then you can backtrack to an unmarked trail that leads up a short steep climb to an open ledge with fantastic views.

Great Camp Sagamore Lake Trail
(3.7 mile loop, easy) This is a pleasant walk on an old carriage road which circles the lake and provides views across the lake to the Great Camp Sagamore, once the summer home of the Vanderbilts. There are several other trails in the vicinity and an interesting tour of the extraordinary Great Camp complex itself (admission fee). An extensive schedule of educational programs is available. 315-354-5311.

Griffin
View the waterfall below the bridge from above or below. Look for old foundations from the tanneries and logging operations that once thrived in the village of Griffin. An old road leads west to Auger Falls — a four mile round-trip walk over level terrain.

Jockeybush Lake
(4 miles RT, easy) This is a pleasant walk along the outlet stream of a natural deep-water lake. Boulders line the shore and provide nice picnic spots.

Lake Lila-Frederica Mountain
(8.8 miles RT, easy to moderate) Most of this walk is on a level dirt road which leads to a large grassy clearing on the lakeshore where the Nehasane Lodge Great Camp once stood. A moderate climb leads up to a ledge overlooking beautiful Lake Lila.

Lost Ponds
(2 miles RT, easy) This old road crosses a stillwater area on Sumner Stream and continues on to these popular fishing ponds.

Marion River Railroad
(12 miles RT paddle from Blue Mtn. Lake, moderate, and a 1 mile RT walk, easy) After paddling across Blue Mtn. Lake, under W. W. Durant's classic bridge (circa 1891), and down narrow Eagle and Utowana lakes, you reach the remains of the steamboat landing at the eastern end of the Marion River Railroad. Walk the right-of-way (used today as a canoe portage trail) of what was the world's shortest railroad. The half-mile railroad ran between the two steamboat landings thus connecting Raquette and Blue Mtn. lakes. This ingenious route was used by thousands to reach resorts on Blue Mountain Lake in the 1880s. The locomotive and passenger coach are on display at the Adirondack Museum.

Mitchell Ponds
(3.8 miles RT, easy) This is a pleasant walk or bike ride over mostly level terrain on an old woods road. The two ponds are partially separated by a peninsula and lined with picturesque cliffs along the north side. A one-mile long spur trail along the north shore ends near the outlet.

Murphy, Middle and Bennett Lakes
(8.3 miles, moderately easy, two cars needed) This route follows an old road and trail once used by early settlers who farmed and mined in this area. You'll pass a series of very attractive lakes, an old ferrous oxide pigment mine — the red paint was processed in nearby Northville and used on many area buildings — and the stone walls, foundations and apple trees of the former homesteads.

Old Cemetery
A short trail leads to an old cemetery containing the grave of Colonel Peck, Hamilton County's only Revolutionary War officer.

Old Growth Trees
Here is a treat for those who don't have the time or the ability to walk great distances to observe an old growth forest. A portion of the remote Powley-Piseco road traverses a stand of old-growth white spruce, perhaps the most spectacular in the Adirondacks.

Owls Head Mountain
(6.2 miles RT, moderate) The first half of this hike is mostly level but then it is a steep scramble to the top where there are excellent views. Blowdown damage is visible from both the trail and summit. &contentOwls=(6.2 miles RT, moderate) The first half of this hike is mostly level but then it is a steep scramble to the top where there are excellent views. Blowdown damage is visible from both the trail and summit.

Pillsbury Mountain
(3.2 miles, moderately difficult) After some steep climbing, you will reach the abandoned fire tower and views from the summit to the east and south. The access road to the trailhead is rough and may only be passable by four-wheel drive vehicles.

Pine Orchard
(4 miles RT, moderately easy) This walk culminates at an isolated grove of enormous white pines that are 200 to 250 years old and have trunk diameters that exceed six feet.

Potholers
This especially interesting section of East Canada Creek has a series of waterfalls, chutes and potholes. The area is a beautiful spot for a picnic and is easily accessed via a short walk upstream.

Puffer Pond
(3.8 mile RT, moderate, $1 parking fee) The trail to beautiful Puffer Pond skirts a chain of beaver dams, marshes, and open flows along Carroll Brook. Trails lead in both directions on the pond's northern shore where there are two lean-tos.

Rocky Mountain
(1 mile RT, moderate) This is a short, steep climb on a popular trail to an open view of the Fulton Chain of Lakes.

Sacandaga Pathway
(850-yard boardwalk trail, easy) Gentle riverside terrain for all ages and a great place for bird watching. The pathway is a wetland walkway with a boardwalk that traverses a variety of habitats and three types of wetlands. Historical exhibits on logging, geology, and other topics.

Sargent Ponds Loop
(6.5 miles, easy) This walk passes a stand of old growth pines, blowdown from the July 1995 storm and four ponds which are historic brook trout waters.

Sawyer Mountain
(2.2 miles RT, easy) This is one of the easiest summit climbs in the Adirondacks. There are partial views from ledges near the summit.

Snowy Mountain
(7.8 miles RT, difficult) This is the tallest mountain in the southern Adirondacks and the trail to its top, especially the final climb, is very steep and demanding. You'll enjoy outstanding views of Indian Lake, the distant High Peaks and unbroken wilderness from the rocky summit ledges, which are dangerous and should be approached with caution. The fire tower on the summit was recently restored for safe public use.

Tenant Creek Falls
(4 miles RT, easy) Three beautiful waterfalls grace Tenant Creek. The first one, only .5 miles upstream, is a good destination for children. An unmarked path parallels the south side of the stream to an ideal picnic spot beside a deep pool at the base of the 50-foot waterfall. Continue to follow the stream to reach the equally impressive set of falls further up.

Tirrell Pond
(6.5 miles RT, easy) This pleasant woods trail traverses some blowdown enroute to the popular sand beach on the northern shore of this mountain-ringed pond.

William C. Whitney Area
(13.5 mile trail system, easy) Burn Road, formerly used for logging, is the main access trail to viewpoints and campsites along the north shore of Little Tupper Lake. Side trails lead to several interior ponds.

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