Prospect Mountain - Hike or Drive

On a Fall day, the views from Prospect Mountain are a spectacular riot of color. The trip can be made on foot or by car. Hiking is free. The marked trail starts on the western edge of Lake George Village and crosses the Northway on a screened in bridge. The trail from the bridge to where it crosses the Prospect Mountain Toll Road is not my favorite. It travels along what I would call a rock filled trench. After it crosses the toll road, it is just a normal Adirondack trail with some pretty steep sections. It comes out and crosses the toll raod again near the summit. The picture (above) was take from the edge of the parking lot which a hiker on this route would have to hike down to get to.

Visitors should wander around on the park like summit area and take in the historic remains as well as views Lake George (shown right) and of the High Peaks visable from a rock outcropping on the north-west portion of the summit.

Personally, I usually climb the mountain on an unmarked trail that starts in the back (north-west) corner of the Lake George Village recreation area. All the local people know about this trail. It has a much more modest gradient, and it saves climbing at least 200 feet. It starts as the main trunk route of their crosscountry ski area (in the form of a blocked truck road). It starts west, but soon turns north and proceeds to the northern extent of the ski area. At that point (in the second small clearing reached) the truck road ends and two tote roads begin. Ignore the one going left up a hill, stay on the flat one to the right, enter the woods, and cross a major stream on a substantial bridge. The tote road goes all the way to the back corner of the summit parking lots. At a point where it crosses a substantial tributary to the main stream on a rickety bridge, one can either bushwhack up the right bank of the tributary and intersect the tote road as it swings back east acrsss the face of the hill, or one can go back about 15 feet and find a lightly used herd path (marked with orange paint). After a quick switchback, the herd path follows a shallow depression east and a tending north until it intersects the tote road. As one travels along the herd path, the tote road is always a couple of hundred yards (or less) up hill to the left. Staying on the tote road will get you to the same place, but it will be a longer hike.

NOTE: For a more complete description of the trail, please see ADK's GUIDE to ADIRONDACK TRAILS - Eastern Region, pp 164-167.

Have a great hike!
Bob Goodwin