Brand New Hiker/Camper

[NicholasM]

Hi! I am aiming to try some easy hiking and camping this spring, summer, and fall but know very little about where to start. I'm looking for any suggestions. I live in Glens Falls and want some closer day hikes. I'd also like to know where I could hike and camp as a beginner but a place that is more secluded (camping near water would be fantastic).

Also, any pointers, tips, things I should pack for a day hike that I might not think of, things I should pack for camping that I might not think of as well.

I did grow up in the country and was always in the woods on the mountain I grew up on so I'm not totally clueless but I know I'm also less than an amateur at hiking and actually camping in the Adirondacks so looking for any and all tips and suggestions! Thanks!

[DSettahr]

The Lake George 12sters is a good list of peaks closer to home for you for day hikes. Most of these peaks fall into the "easy" category- at least by overall ADK hiking standards. (Although it should be noted that if you try to hike multiples of the Tongue Range peaks in a single go, that can be a pretty involved and physically challenging outing.)

Across the broader Adirondacks (as well as the Catskills), the ADK's Fire Tower Challenge is also a good reference for selecting day hikes. Most of these peaks also tend to be easier (although again, a few of them can be fairly challenging in their own right, so do your research). The Adirondack Mountain Club also publishes a guidebook for the fire tower hikes that is indispensable if you do decide to focus on these peaks.

For easier overnights, you've got a few options somewhat close to home. There's a number of lean-tos located on small backcountry ponds/lakes on the east side of Lake George that are accessed via relatively easy trails- Lapland Pond, Black Mountain Pond, Millman Pond, and Fishbrook Pond. In my experience, this area tends to get less overnight use than some other areas of the ADKs (although overflow options are non-existent if/when a lean-to is taken, so any Plan B is going to involve hiking on to another pond in that area to check on the lean-to there).

A bit further north you've also got the Pharaoh Lake Wilderness near Schroon Lake. This can be a popular area, but Pharaoh Lake especially has a ton of designated tent sites on it so your chances of finding a site are usually good- the only question is how far around the lake you have to hike to find an open site (an early Friday arrival here isn't a bad idea to maximize the selection of available sites). It's easy to see why the lake is popular once you get to it... Pharaoh Lake is beautiful- it's got good swimming, and if you're up for it, Pharaoh Mountain is a relatively easy climb from the lake for solid views across the central ADKs as well as across Lake Champlain into Vermont.

Don't make the mistake of relying on hiking apps alone for navigation- apps can be useful but they aren't always particularly accurate in the info they share (a lot of hiking apps rely on crowd-sourced info that hasn't been vetted by any official land-management agency). For the Lake George region, a good hiking map to invest in is National Geographic's Trails Illustated #743- you can either purchase it alone or purchase it in combination with an associated guidebook that provides detailed info on most of the trails on the map.

Another common beginner mistake regarding backpacking is also not familiarizing oneself with the regulations. The DEC has a webpage with a simplified list of the most pertinent regulations that is worth looking through. (Another advantage to investing in the National Geographic map is that it also has the regulations listed on it for easy reference while in the backcountry.)

Note also that due to high levels of use and associated impacts, there's additional regulations for the High Peaks Wilderness should you choose to undertake any hikes (or overnight trips) there. Chief among these is that in the Eastern Zone of the High Peaks Wilderness, campfires are prohibited year-round, and bear canisters are required for overnight food storage between April 1st and November 30th. There's also a prohibition against camping at higher elevations due to the sensitive nature of the alpine ecosystem. The DEC website has a page on the High Peaks Wilderness that also includes a summary on the regulations for that area.

(Honestly, for first-time overnight trips especially, it's not a bad idea to just avoid the High Peaks entirely due to the added regulatory considerations as well as the challenges of competing with other users for campsite space. The High Peaks is beautiful and well worth visiting, but for beginner overnights selecting a different destination entirely helps to keep things a bit simpler.)

I hope this is helpful for you. Good luck as you start making plans for your upcoming trips!

[Tick Magnet]

I echo what DS said. Spot on advice. About the only thing I'd add is start off slow and get used to the ADKs. The Lake George area hikes are great for that. Maybe think about starting out hiking at Moreau Lake State Park. There are some really nice loop hike opportunities here and it's practically in your backyard. It's rugged enough to scratch that itch and it's good practice following marked trails with a good park map.

[Wldrns]

Although they are getting harder to find and going out of print, there is an excellent guidebook series that you can still find at outdoor shops and libraries in the region as well as still available on Amazon. Bill ingersoll and Barbara McMartin produced this "Discover the Adirondacks" book series covering all various different regions of the entire Adirondacks, so you can choose the area you may like to explore. They contain maps and detailed trail descriptions, along with historical facts about the trails and what you may encounter as side information, making each trail description most fun to read and explore.

[adkh20]

Consider joining your local chapter of the Adirondack Mountain Club (ADK). There are many outings offered with experienced leaders.

https://adk.org/chapters/

[DuctTape]

And Welcome to the forum! Hope you return to tell us all about your adventures.

See you on the trail. -dT

[Crash]

I'd strongly recommend to start with the Nat Geo Map that DSettahr recommended. Then I recommend to first focus on the Pharaoh Lake Wilderness area because there are so many cool hikes there (day and overnight). DSettahr commented on Pharaoh Lake itself - maybe start there, or Crane Pond area or Putnam Pond area.

The reason I specifically would recommend this wilderness area is because each time you go here, your familiarity with the area grows, and this is a wonderful area to eventually know like the back of your hand. I wish I lived closer to this area!

[TCD]

Welcome. You are blessed to live in a hiking paradise! We lived in Glens Falls for 30 years. There is an extraordinary amount of hiking opportunity close to you.

Of course there are great hikes in the farther away areas, but I would try the stuff close by first. Nothing like a short drive!

DS is right on about the East side of Lake George. If you never went to any other area, you could get everything you would want right there. Great open summits, camping, ponds, rock climbing, backcountry skiing - all of it is there.

Definitely buy guidebooks. I know it's extremely old fashioned and people laugh at it, but there is a LOT of info to be gained from buying and reading guidebooks. Agree with Wldrns, get the "Discover" book for the region. Also get the ADK book Eastern Trails.

After work workouts: Buck and Prospect. I don't know how young or fit you are, but hammer these as often as you can and you will get in great shape for any hikes you want to do.

Yes, join the ADK chapter; also try to develop some friends who hike; maybe friends from work?

(To GREATLY expand your opportunities, learn (with a group) off trail hiking and night hiking. Great things are close to you; and the weekend is not enough time to enjoy them all. In my years there, our group of friends did numerous night hikes and night bushwhacks to amazing, seldom visited places. Of course it's a process to learn these skills, and you have to be safe.)

[Banjoe]

Along with all the great suggestions above, I'll make a few based on experiences of "some friends."

Having a good backup plan or bail-out option is wise. There are so many variables you will not have considered, and being stuck without adequate food, shelter or necessary provisions can turn into a serious issue quickly. Campgrounds like Putnum Pond or the State campgrounds on Piseco Lake, while not secluded camping, still have plenty of hiking to get away from crowds and you can scout potential camping spots farther in. You can also investigate roadside camping options; there are a few not too far from you.

Lots of people wouldn't think of camping without a fire, but they aren't necessary, and regulations aside for areas already mentioned, lack of wood or an excess of rain can leave someone in a bind if that's how they plan to cook. A friend didn't bring a stove on a trip that turned unexpectedly cold and wet so he did a hike that conveniently passed his truck and decided the easiest dinner option was to drive to a restaurant.

Another friend barely came out of his tent on a trip due to mosquitos and didn't cook anything the whole trip.

Final advice: don't camp with my friends.

[NicholasM]

Thank you all for such great advice and recommendations! I'm going to invest in the suggested guidebooks and maps! So much good information you all posted for me and I appreciate all of it so much!

From my own Google searches and such before I had read some of the information on the hiking and camping on the east side of Lake George and was thinking that would be a good start for me so it was good to have that confirmed!

Also, thank you for pointing out many things I hadn't considered- like the different regulations, and the backup plans, bail-out options, and joining the local Adirondack Mountain Club, and so many other things! Really, I am so thankful for such great advice and will use much of it going forward!

[Zach]

It sounds like you have a good plan, and I hope you'll enjoy the experiences you'll have. The eastern Lake George area has always sounded nice, though I've not been there.

With regard to friends/hiking buddies, for shorter day trips I often bring my mother, who likes these but doesn't have the energy anymore for longer distances. For long days and overnights my usual hiking group consists of me, my evil twin, our imaginary friend, and the man in the moon, and we usually get along pretty well together and can agree on what to do.

[VermontDacker]

Although they are getting harder to find and going out of print, there is an excellent guidebook series that you can still find at outdoor shops and libraries in the region as well as still available on Amazon. Bill ingersoll and Barbara McMartin produced this "Discover the Adirondacks" book series covering all various different regions of the entire Adirondacks...

These are an excellent reference. I've acquired most of them, and find them very useful still.

However, they are definitely out of date, so they can't be used as your only source of information. You will need to vet the information about the trail you want to do.

For example, there are several trails to clearings in the Siamese Ponds Wilderness listed in the books. These clearings are long gone, grown up with trees.

On the other hand, new wilderness areas such as Hudson Gorge Wilderness, and new canoeing/biking areas such as the Essex Chain Lakes Complex, have been designated since the books were written. Other Wild Forest and Wilderness areas may have been expanded with additional state land purchases.

I don't think a truly up-to-date printed source at the level of detail of the Discover the Adirondack series exists.

Far too many books on the ADKs are of the "50 best hikes in..." genre. They tend to steer you to overused, ultra-popular trails, and emphasize dayhikes over backpacks.

[Wldrns]

These are an excellent reference. I've acquired most of them, and find them very useful still.

However, they are definitely out of date, so they can't be used as your only source of information. You will need to vet the information about the trail you want to do.

For example, there are several trails to clearings in the Siamese Ponds Wilderness listed in the books. These clearings are long gone, grown up with trees.

On the other hand, new wilderness areas such as Hudson Gorge Wilderness, and new canoeing/biking areas such as the Essex Chain Lakes Complex, have been designated since the books were written. Other Wild Forest and Wilderness areas may have been expanded with additional state land purchases.

I don't think a truly up-to-date printed source at the level of detail of the Discover the Adirondack series exists.

Far too many books on the ADKs are of the "50 best hikes in..." genre. They tend to steer you to overused, ultra-popular trails, and emphasize dayhikes over backpacks.

So, make that all part of your game plan for discovery and your own trail and backcountry research. Heck, for many years I studied ancient far out of date USGS Adirondack topo maps, finding old trails and the remains of abandoned settlements to explore. Bill mentions many in his book series, some of which I visited to help him describe in later book updates. Just because a direct well worn trail no longer exists does not mean you can't still find ghost trail or logging road remnants and hone your skills following it. It could be a valuable necessary skill to have someday. Many times the trail itself has overgrown, if there ever was any kind of trail at all instead of a series of point to point landscape features, Even if the old path is too difficult to push through the saplings and brush, you can still often follow just outside the edge line of new spruce or hobble bush growth that itself reveals the old pathway. Old overgrown trails and logging roads are still there, possibly much hidden by new growth or other activity by humans. For the most part, they are still part of the Forest Preserve and can be a satisfying test for improving navigation, discovery, and exploration skills.

Quite the opposite effect in a region of the Tug Hill that I know well. the most recent topo map of the area has not been updated since 1943, showing vlys and connected forested rolling hills with headwaters steams. Go there now and you will find much of the area has been overtaken by beaver colonies and newly formed wetlands that did not exist in 1943. Does that stop me from going and enjoying the area where my parents grew up and where my father taught me to navigate his old trails where I have to find new connections around new terrain features? Not at all, it is what I enjoy doing.

As a bit of advice for the brand new hiker/camper, learn and improve skills by doing, Just do it safely. Maybe make your own seriies of current updated guidebooks. Bill took over from Barbara McMartin, maybe someone new should now take on the banner.

[stripperguy]

We’ve had similar discussions before…
My conclusion was and still is that this forum is the best resource for accurate up to date info.
we have experts here on hiking, bushwhacking, rock climbing, paddling, camping, ADK regulations, and, well, you get the idea.

[VermontDacker]

Wldrns,

All great suggestions, but possibly a little too ambitious for a self-described "new" hiker/camper who started the thread. Some of these old trails are essentially bushwhacks now.

I'm interested in exploring some of these abandoned trails myself, such as the trail from Lewey Lake to Colvin Brook shelter. But getting some "beta" on possible routes is a good idea before jumping in too deep. 🌊

I spend my spare time in winter planning and researching trips that I will take next summer and fall.