It’s nearing peak fall colors in the Adirondack Park. There are many places to see the leaves as mountainsides and valleys turn bright orange, yellow, and red. Protect the Adirondacks has put together hiking guides to 25 hikes that are easy, moderate, and challenging, but lead to terrific locations to see the fall colors in all corners of the Adirondack Park. These guides include maps, information about hiking conditions, and pictures.
This list (see online hiking guides below) includes short, easy hikes of 1 mile or so, such as Azure Mountain, north of Paul Smith’s, Coney Mountain outside of Tupper Lake, Cook Mountain in Ticonderoga, Balm of Gilead outside of North Creek, the Bloomingdale Bog outside of Saranac Lake, Cobble Lookout in Wilmington, or Black Bear Mountain near Inlet and Old Forge in the western Adirondacks.
Moderate hikes of 2 to 4 miles include Poke-O-Moonshine, Catamount Mountain and Silver Lake Mountain south of Plattsburgh, Haystack Mountain outside of Lake Placid, Owl Head Lookout near Elizabethtown, Goodnow Mountain in Newcomb, Moxham Mountain in Minerva, Hadley Mountain outside of Lake Luzerne, Five Mile Mountain north of Bolton Landing, or Owls Head Mountain in Long Lake.
Longer, more challenging hikes that top five miles to great fall color viewing sites include Lyon Mountain north of Plattsburgh, Jay Mountain outside of Keene, St. Regis Mountain outside of Paul Smith’s, Snowy Mountain south of Indian Lake, or Pillsbury Mountain north of Speculator.
All of these hikes will reward hikers with wonderful views of the fall colors throughout the Adirondack Park.
Northern Adirondacks
Azure Mountain This is a short, moderate hike north of Paul Smith’s that leads to an open, rocky summit with a historic firetower that provides sweeping views of the northern Adirondacks.
Bald Mountain Outside of Elizabethtown in Essex County, Bald Mountain is a challenging hike with numerous small lookouts that leads to sweeping views of Giant Mountain and Rocky Peak Ridge.
Bloomingdale Bog Outside of Saranac Lake, Bloomingdale Bog is an easy and flat trail that runs atop of an abandoned railroad bed through a vast wetland and bog complex with stunning and beautiful views.
Catamount Mountain Outside of Silver Lake in Clinton County, Catamount Mountain is a very steep and challenging 1.9-mile hike to a large, wide open summit with 360-degree views.
Haystack Mountain (Ray Brook) Between Lake Placid and Saranac Lake, Haystack Mountain is a great 6.6-mile (round trip) hike in the McKenzie Mountain Wilderness Area that leads to an open rocky summit with great views to the north and west.
Lyon Mountain Just outside of Plattsburgh, Lyon Mountain is a challenging 7-mile hike (round trip) on a newly constructed trail to a spruce-covered mountaintop plateau with a firetower that provides a stunning 360-degree-view that includes the High Peaks and Montreal.
Poke-O-Moonshine Mountain Just south of Plattsburgh, and north of Willsboro, Poke-O-Moonshine is a classic 4.6-mile hike (round trip) on a trail that gradually gains elevation and leads hikers through varied forests, around beaver meadows, wetlands, and ponds, to a rocky summit with a firetower that provides great panoramic views of the Champlain Valley and northern Adirondacks.
Silver Lake Mountain In Silver Lake, Clinton County, this is a moderate 1.8-mile (round trip) hike over a steep and rocky trail that leads to a craggy mountaintop with sweeping views of Silver Lake, Taylor Pond, and the mountain and ridges of the northern Adirondacks.
St. Regis Mountain Outside of Paul Smith’s, this is a 6.8-mile hike (round trip) that winds through dense and beautiful forests and leads to a wide-open summit with a firetower that provides grand, sweeping views.
Central Adirondacks
Balm of Gilead Mountain Outside of North Creek, in Warren County, Balm of Gilead Mountain is a short 3-mile hike (round trip) that leads to a mountaintop with one of the best views in the central Adirondacks.
Baxter Mountain In Keene, in Essex County, the hike up Baxter Mountain is short and easy and leads to a beautiful summit with a series of lookouts with sweeping views of the High Peaks.
Cobble Lookout Outside of Wilmington, in Essex County, Cobble Lookout is a short, easy hike that leads to an open rocky cliff area with big views of the surrounding High Peaks and other mountains.
Coney Mountain Just south of Tupper Lake, in Franklin County, Coney Mountain is a short 2.2-mile hike (round trip) that winds through beautiful forests and reaches a wide-open summit with stunning panoramic views.
Cook Mountain Just south of Ticonderoga, in Essex County, Cook Mountain is a short, lovely hike, south of Ticonderoga, that yields stunning views of Lake George and Vermont.
Goodnow Mountain In Newcomb, in Essex County, Goodnow Mountain is an easy hike on an interpretive and educational trail to a small mountain with a firetower that provides a panoramic view.
Jay Mountain Just outside Keene, in central Essex County, Jay Mountain is a challenging, but highly rewarding, 7-mile hike (round trip) through stunning forests to an open ridgeline trail that provides dozens of great scenic vistas on the way to a rocky summit with sweeping views.
Moxham Mountain In Minerva, southern Essex County, Moxham Mountain (5-mile hike round trip) is one of the best hikes in the Adirondacks, winding through forests and wetlands and over 11 scenic outcrops and overlooks on the way to a wide open mountain with broad sweeping views.
Owl Head Lookout Outside of Elizabethtown, in Essex County, Owl Head Lookout provides spectacular views of Giant Mountain, Bald Mountain, and Rocky Peak Ridge, among other mountains.
Owls Head Mountain Outside of Long Lake, in Hamilton County, Owls Head Mountain is 6.2-mile (round trip) hike through beautiful forests that ascends to a mountaintop summit with a firetower and panoramic view.
Southern Adirondacks
Five Mile Mountain Between Bolton and Hague, in Warren County, Five Mile Mountain is a moderate 7.2-mile (round trip) hike on a long and beautiful Tongue Mountain ridgeline trail that leads to a mountain summit that overlooks Lake George.
Hadley Mountain North of Hadley and Lake Luzerne, Hadley Mountain is a 3.5-mile hike (round trip) that is steep in sections and leads to open cliffs and a rocky summit, with a firetower that provides a panoramic view of the Great Sacandaga Reservoir and the southern Adirondacks.
Pillsbury Mountain North of Speculator, in Hamilton County, Pillsbury Mountain is a 6.4 mile (road trip) hike that starts on a dirt road and traverses some of the oldest forest in the public Forest Preserve on the way to an open rocky summit with a firetower that provides grand panoramic views.
Snowy Mountain Just south of Indian Lake, in Hamilton County, Snowy Mountain is a lovely, but challenging 7.8-mile hike (round trip) alongside beautiful streams and through towering forests to reach a summit with a firetower and sweeping 360-degree views of the central Adirondacks.
Western Adirondacks
Black Bear Mountain Between Inlet and Old Forge in the western Adirondacks, Black Bear Mountain is a short, easy climb outside of Inlet, with sweeping views of the Fulton Chain of Lakes and the Moose River Plains.
Stillwater Mountain North of Inlet and Big Moose Station, Stillwater Mountain is off the beaten track, yet this hike is less than 2 miles (round trip) and winds along a wide, well-maintained trail to a firetower with great views of the rolling hills and lakes of the western Adirondacks.
When You Hike Make Sure to Practice “Leave No Trace” to be Prepared and to Protect the Forest Preserve
Please follow “carry in, carry out” rules for all trash and follow other Leave No Trace principles when hiking in the public Forest Preserve and other wild areas. The seven Leave No Trace principles are: 1) Plan ahead and prepare; 2) Stay on hiking trails and camp at designated areas; 3) Dispose of human waste and trash properly; 4) Leave what you find; 5) Minimize campfires; 6) Respect wildlife; 7) Respect other hikers.
Educated hikers do not damage the environment.
Prepared hikers do not need search and rescue unless injured.
