7 Short Hikes in the Adirondacks With Amazing Views
Here’s a fun fact that might blow your mind: The Adirondack Park is larger than Yosemite, Everglades, Grand Canyon, and Yellowstone National Parks combined! That is a massive amount of land, filled to the brim with epic mountain peaks, pristine lakes, and a seemingly endless network of trails to explore.
The Adirondack Mountains are also home to the famous 46 High Peaks, which are the 46 peaks over 4,000 feet. Becoming a “forty sixer” requires a significant time commitment and level of hiking prowess. But we’ll tackle that another time!
In this post, I’m going to share my favorite Adirondack hikes with the best views that are all under 4 miles round-trip.
Tips for hiking in the Adirondacks
Although the mileage might be short, we can’t confuse that with a trail being easy. Trails in the Adirondack Mountains are notoriously rugged, rocky, and many of these short trails gain a significant chunk of elevation in a short period of time.
That being said, I truly believe that the Adirondack Mountains should be enjoyed by everyone! Whether that means a short day hike or multi-day backpacking journey. In this post, I’m sharing 7 short hikes in the Adirondacks that are perfect for a day hike.
Before heading out on the trail, here are 3 important safety tips to remember:
Always check the weather reports before you leave.
Tell someone where you are going and when you expect to return.
Make sure to sign in and out at the trailhead registers.
Also, because the Adirondacks have seen a huge increase in trail traffic in recent years:
Remember to Leave No Trace
Whether enjoying views from the side of a scenic road or hiking up to a mountain summit, always remember to follow the Seven Principles of Leave No Trace when enjoying these beautiful natural spaces.
Plan ahead and prepare.
Travel and camp on durable surfaces.
Dispose of waste properly.
Leave what you find.
Minimize campfire impacts.
Respect wildlife.
Be considerate of other visitors.
The 7 Best Day Hikes
All of these trails are under 4 miles! Making any of them a great choice for a half-day adventure.
Mount Jo
Difficulty: Easy-Moderate
Length: 2.2 miles (short trail) or 2.6 miles (long trail) round trip
Elevation gain: 700 feet
Parking: Paid parking lot $15 non-member, $7 member. More info here.
Trailhead location: Lake Placid, NY
This is, in my opinion, the best short hike in the Adirondack Mountains. The Mount Jo trail begins from the hiker parking lot on the Adirondack Loj property. You’ll hike through the woods next to Heart Lake until reaching the trail sign to veer right onto the Mount Jo trail. Sign in at the trail register, and carry on up the mountain until you reach signage for the ‘long trail’ or short trail.’ The short trail requires more boulder scrambling, but both trails are still an easy-moderate level. Both trail options will reconnect near the top, where you’ll see signage for the ‘summit’ ahead. The Mount Jo trail is incredible any time of year, but especially during foliage season! The open summit ledge provides one of the very best views of the High Peaks. If you’re hiking on a weekend, I highly recommend starting your hike early in the morning to catch sunrise and avoid the mid-day hiking crowd.
Cobble Lookout
Difficulty: Easy
Length: 2.6 miles round trip
Elevation gain: 242 feet
Parking: Free street parking + very small free parking lot
Trailhead location: Wilmington, NY
The Cobble Lookout trail is one of my favorite trails for days when you don’t want to tackle that typical Adirondack trail type - I’m referring to steep boulder scrambles, specifically. This trail has a very gradual (and minimal) elevation gain, making it a perfect family hike. My personal favorite time of day to hike to the summit is for sunset, when the light traces and then dips beneath the mountains directly in front of you. Whiteface and Esther mountains are to your right, and Giant Mountain and other High Peaks are straight ahead. Pack a picnic and enjoy Cobble Lookout for a relaxing afternoon in the mountains.
Balanced Rocks
Difficulty: Moderate
Length: 3.2 miles round trip
Elevation gain: 930 feet
Parking: Free street parking + small parking lots, shared with Cascade Mtn trailhead.
Trailhead address: Lake Placid, NY (Almost directly across from the Cascade Mtn trailhead)
Don’t blink, or you’ll miss this trailhead! The best way to find the Balanced Rocks trailhead signage is to park at the Cascade Mountain trailhead, cross the street, and walk down towards Cascade Lakes along the rock retaining wall until you hit the trail sign. It’s no more than a 2 minute walk from the Cascade Mountain trailhead. Along the trail, you’ll hit a few scenic overlooks that peer directly down over Cascade Lakes. Stop and take a breather here! After a few boulder scrambles and rocky sections that require a bit of climbing, you’ll near the top. Make sure to have your trail map at the ready, because it’s easy to miss the hairpin turn towards the summit. Keep walking along the open, rocky summit area until you can see the massive ‘balanced rocks.’ And yes, you can climb up onto them!
Big Crow
Difficulty: Moderate
Length: 1.4 miles round trip
Elevation gain: 570 feet
Parking: Free parking, limited spaces
Trailhead location: Keene, NY
The Big Crow trail is very short, and you are climbing almost the entire way. It’s a leg burner! But don’t let that deter you, as the views from the top are worth the effort. Upon reaching the summit, you’ll be greeted with views including the valley of the East Branch of the Ausable River and 28 of the 4,000-foot peaks. That’s a lot of bang for your buck. Don’t miss the chance to carry on past the ‘first’ summit, as the trail does continue past Big Crow to Little Crow, so you’ll have the opportunity to take in multiple viewpoints from one climb.
Giant’s Nubble
Difficulty: Moderate-Hard
Length: 3.0 miles round trip
Elevation gain: 1,167 feet
Parking: Free street parking
Trailhead location: Keene Valley, NY
This might be my favorite trail on the list, due to how much landscape variety you have on one single trek. Start your journey from the Giant Mountain trailhead near Chapel Pond, and follow that path up to Giant’s Washbowl. Stop here on your way up for a breather and a photo op. The washbowl is also a designated primitive tent site, so you have the option to set up camp here on a longer journey. Carrying on up the trail, you’ll see signage indicating the way to Giant’s Nubble. Keep following that trail past a handful of overlooks that could be considered ‘false summits,’ including a gorgeous top-down view over the washbowl. When you hit the end of the trail, the proper summit is up on a large rocky knob, which you will need to climb up (it’s easy). The top of this trail offers views of Giant Mountain and many of the peaks in the Great Range.
Shelving Rock Mountain
Difficulty: Easy
Length: 3.4 miles round trip
Elevation gain: 610 feet
Parking: Free parking lot
Trailhead location: Lake George (Fort Ann), NY
Shelving Rock Mountain feels like a hidden gem, since it’s tucked away from all of the other trails mentioned. Located on the east side of Lake George, you’ll need to drive the dirt Shelving Rock Road to access this trailhead. Be aware that this road is narrow, steep, very curvy and subject to seasonal closure. Park at the Shelving Rock Day Use Parking Area #4 and begin your trek! Shortly after starting, you’ll reach a sign that directs you to follow the trail to the left. Carry on up the winding ascent until you reach the ‘summit’ that’s designated on the trail map. Important note: The marked summit has a view that’s obstructed by trees, so you will actually need to walk downhill a bit further to reach the wide open summit views. After you’ve hiked back down, don’t miss the short walk into Shelving Rock Waterfall.
Rocky Mountain Summit
Difficulty: Easy-Moderate
Length: 1.0 mile round trip
Elevation gain: 450 feet
Parking: Free parking lot
Trailhead location: Inlet, NY
For such a short trail, the Rocky Mountain summit has some of the best scenic views in the Adirondacks. This is an incredible hike for sunset light, so plan your trek around an evening timeframe when possible. The trail itself is very easy to follow, though I would classify it as easy-moderate due to the fact that it’s fairly steep the entire way. As soon as you reach the top, you’ll experience sweeping views over Fourth Lake and Inlet. Just like every other trail, the views are beautiful all year round, but it’s exceptionally pretty in the fall when the sunset light sets the foliage colors aglow.
Other short trails in the Adirondacks
Owl’s Head - Keene
Baxter Mountain - Keene Valley
Mount Arab Trail - Tupper Lake
Coney Mountain - Tupper Lake
Castle Rock Trail - Blue Mountain Lake
Bald Mountain - Old Forge
The Pinnacle - Lake George
Crane Mountain - Johnsburg
Packing list essentials for your Adirondack day hike
Here’s a general packing list to reference for your day hike in the spring, summer or early fall seasons.
Appropriate clothing (wicking materials, no cotton)
Snacks / energy bars
Lightweight jacket and/or rain jacket
Extra socks (no cotton)
The ADK Mountain Club has a fantastic PDF list of hiking gear essentials that you can save, linked here. This is geared towards completing the more strenuous 46 High Peaks, but is a great resource regardless. For a full checklist of the “Ten Hiking Essentials” (what to pack on every hike) visit this guide on LNT’s site.
Happy trails!
