Press Releases
Return often to find important news articles, exciting happenings and special offers from the Adirondack Lakes Region press room.MALONE, NY - In the Adirondack Lakes Region, summit views, waterfalls, solitude and the sense of accomplishment that come with hiking may be found on short hikes just as easily as long ones.
The Adirondacks have the largest hiking trail system in the nation, and while it is true you can hike 100 miles if you like, you can also find trails between one and two miles long that provide an unforgettable backcountry experience.
Azure Mountain offers a one mile trail to the top. With a 360 degree view that takes in lakes, Canada and the High Peaks, the sometimes steep trail is worth the brief effort. There is a restored fire tower on the summit, where a fire tower interpreter is often posted on summer weekends.
Fire towers are relics of the era when fire suppression efforts required observers to look for tell-tale wisps of smoke on the horizon. Huge forest fires in the late 19th and early 20th century inspired the state to build log structures that were eventually replaced by metal towers, according to information supplied by Adirondack Architectural Heritage. The last Adirondack fire tower was decommissioned in 1988 because light planes made fire spotting easier and less expensive.
The Azure Mountain Trailhead is marked by a yellow-on-brown sign. Approaching from the north, it is located on the Blue Mountain Rd., just over seven miles south of the intersection with Rt. 458 southeast of Potsdam. If you are approaching from the south, take Keese Mills Rd., immediately north of Paul Smith's College on Rt. 30. Keese Mills Road merges into the Blue Mountain Rd. You'll see the trailhead on the left, 17.5 miles from Rt. 30. It should be noted that the Blue Mountain Rd. is a seasonal dirt road. There are as many deer on this road as cars.
Everton Falls Preserve features a roadside waterfall stair-stepping into the St. Regis River. This Nature Conservancy property is managed by the Department of Environmental Conservation, which administers publicly-owned Forest Preserve lands in New York.
Everton Falls Preserve is located approximately 21 miles southwest of Malone. Follow NYS Route 30 to County Route 14 (The Red Tavern Rd.). You will first encounter a parking area with canoe launch in about 7 miles. Park, then walk a further hundred yards down the road to the falls. Be aware of traffic on Red Tavern Rd.
Returning to the parking area, look for a wooden sign that marks the start of a three-quarter mile-long loop trail that traverses gentle terrain through both hardwood and coniferous forests.
"Most visitors to the preserve launch a canoe, but the trail is really pretty and well-marked," according to Doug Monroe, Stewardship Programs Coordinator for the Adirondack Nature Conservancy.
Canoeists and kayakers can launch into the St. Regis for a nine-mile flatwater paddle upstream of the falls. Some of the wildlife that may be seen along the route includes beaver, bald eagles, great blue herons and, occasionally, moose.
Floodwood Mountain offers wonderful views of the dozens of ponds and lakes in the St. Regis Canoe Area as well as the High Peaks. You are practically guaranteed solitude here and there is nothing more exhilarating than a summit to yourself.
Starting from a remote Boy Scout Reservation, this hike traverses gently rolling terrain through a hardwood forest to a final half-mile of steep terrain. Trailhead to summit is 1.7 miles.
From Paul Smiths follow NYS Rt. 30 south to Lake Clear. Continue on NYS Rte. 30 to Saranac Inn. Turn right onto Floodwood Rd. and follow for approximately 7 miles to the trail's parking area.
Panther Mountain provides an eyeful of scenery for a three-quarter mile climb. Located approximately 13 miles southwest of Saranac Lake on NYS Rt. 3, this hike starts out with a steep climb beneath a large grove of hemlocks and arrives at a large open ledge that has broad views of Panther Pond, the glimmer of Follensby Pond and the distant High Peaks.
Trailhead parking is at Panther Pond, across the road from the trail.
Baker Mountain is a favorite hike of locals as well as visitors to Saranac Lake. Located off a residential street in the village, at just under a mile to the summit, its vistas encompassing McKenzie Mountain, Lake Placid and the High Peaks can't be surpassed by most other short hikes.
The going can be steep and the trail is rough from much use. The trail splits two-thirds of the way up, with the right branch offering more views but exposed rock scrambles as well. Both branches converge at a ledge just below the summit.
Follow Rt. 3 (Bloomingdale Ave.) northeast from the intersection with Rt.86 in Saranac Lake. Turn at the third right, Pine Street, then make the second left onto East Pine St., which immediately crosses a bridge over the railroad tracks. Follow East Pine to the northern end of Moody Pond where a yellow-on-brown sign marks the trailhead. Parking is on the roadside.
To really experience the Adirondacks, take a walk on the wild side.
