Topic
Adirondacks…where to start?
Forum Posting
A Membership is required to post in the forums. Login or become a member to post in the member forums!
Home › Forums › General Forums › General Lightweight Backpacking Discussion › Adirondacks…where to start?
- This topic is empty.
-
AuthorPosts
-
Dec 11, 2012 at 2:05 pm #1296972
I live in Western CT and would like to plan a trip in the Adirondacks but dont know where to start. I normally go with a friend but can go solo and due to work/family I only have time for a one nighter (two if lucky). I'm looking for short drive times, safe parking and loop trails. This would be more for 3 season hiking and I usually like to do 10-15 miles a day. Any help in getting me started would be great
Dec 11, 2012 at 3:46 pm #1934825Well, there are no close places in the ADK's from CT. Everything will be about a 3-4 hour drive. There is the NPT, of course. But this is a week-ten days. Several short loops you can take around Peseco, and, up to Long Lake. Good paddling and quick overnighters on Forked Lake, and Long Lake, too. There are some connecting trals for the Long Trail, probably enough for a night or two. Keen and Keen Valley are both good places for entrance into the High Peaks, area. Lots of pull-offs/parking just off the Northway.
The Catskills will be a bit closer, around 2 hours. Woodlands and the surounding area has some good hikes and camping.
I would get some good maps of the area and check out the various road crossings. Almost all will have a parking spot and trail heads leading both east and west.
Dec 16, 2012 at 6:44 am #1935770The ADKs have a lot of hiking options and it's really a beautiful wild and rugged place. I'd suggest visiting the High Peaks region. Two potential trailheads would be the "Garden" in Keene Valley and the ADK Loj by Heart Lake closer to Lake Placid. Both have many loop options and are quite popular. A less frequented but great starting point would be the trailhead at Elk Lake. From here you can summit the five 46ers of the Dix range and there's a fun climb straight up the slide on Macomb.
The trails in the High Peaks region are very rugged, and wet and muddy (deep mud!) in many places. There's also very little that's flat so you'll have a lot of elevation change to deal with. I don't log as many daily miles there as I would on the AT in the Mid-Atlantic or Southern New England.
-
AuthorPosts
- You must be logged in to reply to this topic.
Forum Posting
A Membership is required to post in the forums. Login or become a member to post in the member forums!
Our Community Posts are Moderated
Backpacking Light community posts are moderated and here to foster helpful and positive discussions about lightweight backpacking. Please be mindful of our values and boundaries and review our Community Guidelines prior to posting.
Get the Newsletter
Gear Research & Discovery Tools
- Browse our curated Gear Shop
- See the latest Gear Deals and Sales
- Our Recommendations
- Search for Gear on Sale with the Gear Finder
- Used Gear Swap
- Member Gear Reviews and BPL Gear Review Articles
- Browse by Gear Type or Brand.