Hiked with my 18 year old son on Sunday, October 11, 2020. We arrived at approximately 9:30 and the trail head parking area was about 3/4 full. I should point out it was a sunny day and the temperature was in the mid 50s. According to the " Map my walk" app on my smart phone, the distance from the trail head to the fire tower was just a hair over 3.3 miles. The first two miles is very easy and the trail meanders through the picturesque forest with little elevation gain. On October 11 we were enchanted by the brilliant colors of the leaves, it was very beautiful. A little ways past the 2 mile mark the trail comes to a bridge..and that's when the climbing starts. From that point the trail ascends, but in our opinion it doesn't climb that steeply. Your legs will feel it and you sweat, but if you're in average physical shape...it's manageable. At some points on the more vertical last mile of the ascent, you will encounter a lot of mud, and some sections where it seems your hiking in a creek. Whatever footwear you choose to do this hike with, it's going to get caked in mud and probably soaked. My new Merrel boots were certainly initiated into the world of Adirondack hiking! The trail climbs more gently the last quarter mile before you reach the summit. There are some balds that you will do a bit of scrambling over along the way. My son chose to do this one without hiking poles, unlike me. I find that poles are very helpful for going up and down...but I'm 50. A word of caution about the leaves covering almost the entire trail as of October 11: they are slippery, so use caution. As with almost all trails in the Adirondacks, there are many, many roots and rocks to negotiate as you head up. The trail is well maintained and there are numerous yellow trail markers to guide the way. This isn't a big mountain, certainly much less demanding than any of the High Peaks, but it offers big rewards in the form of 360 degrees of spectacular views. The scenery on October 11 was simply magnificent. Bring a lunch and sit on the beautiful summit and take it all in! The fire tower is in good shape, it's been restored, it's worth climbing up and provides even more awesome views. Overall, we highly recommend this one and would say it's perfect for families with younger kids. It's also great for our furry friends, and there were many going up and down with their humans on October 11! Recommend wearing boots, using poles, and bringing sufficient water and food. Round trip was about 6. 6 miles. Only regret: not seeing a Spruce Grouse or two...that would have made a tremendous hike perfect! Good luck...
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