Hikers Should Temporarily Avoid High Elevation Trails in the Adirondacks

It is the start of a new season of outdoor hiking and recreation on public lands in the Adirondacks and the New York State Departmentof Environmental Conservation (DEC) urges hikers to be cautious and postpone hikes on trails above 3,000 feetuntil early June, the agency announced today.

DEC is asking hikers to avoid trails above 3,000 feet, particularly high elevation trails in the Dix, Giant and High Peaks Wilderness Areas in the northern Adirondacks, due to muddy conditions and the potential damage hiking can cause to vegetation and soft ground.

Hikers are advised to only use trails at lower elevations during the spring mud season to avoid damaging natural resources and to promote safety. Lower trails usually dry soon after snowmelt and are on less erosive soils than the higher peaks.

DEC asks hikers to avoid the following trails:

• High Peaks Wilderness Area – all trails above 3,000 feet; where wet, muddy, snow conditions still prevail, specifically: Algonquin, Colden, Feldspar, Gothics, Indian Pass, Lake Arnold Cross-Over, Marcy, Marcy Dam – Avalanche – Lake Colden which is extremely wet, Phelps Trail above John Brook Lodge, Range Trail, Skylight, Wright and all “trail-less” peaks.
• Dix Mountain Wilderness Area – all trails above Elk Lake and Round Pond
• Giant Mountain Wilderness Area – all trails above Giant’s Washbowl, “the Cobbles,” and Owls Head.

DEC suggests the following alternative trails for hiking, subject to weather conditions:

High Peaks Wilderness:

• Ampersand Mountain
• Cascade Mountain
• Porter Mountain from Cascade Mountain (avoid all other approaches)
• Big Slide
• The Brothers

Debar Mt. Wild Forest:

• Azure Mountain

Giant Mt. Wilderness:

• Giant’s Washbowl
• Roaring Brook Falls
• Hurricane Mountain Wilderness
• The Crows

McKenzie Mt. Wilderness:

• Baker Mountain
• Haystack Mountain

Pharaoh Lake Wilderness Area:

• Pharaoh Mountain

Saranac Lakes Wild Forest:

• Panther Mountain
• Scarface Mountain

DEC’s web site contains additional information on trail conditions at Adirondack Trail Information or contact the DEC ForestRangers at (518) 897-1300.