BLACK MOUNTAIN - High above Lake George

Elevation: 2646 ft

Ascent: 1046 ft

Distance: 2.5 miles (direct route to summit) 4.3 miles (pond route)

Location: Pine Brook Rd off of the road to Hulett's Landing.

Getting there from Queensbury/Glens Falls…..
Take Route 149 to Fort Anne and turn left ( north) onto Route 22. Stay on Route 22 past Whitehall for about 4.5 miles and look for a sign for Hulett`s Landing (left turn). Drive for 2.7 miles and turn left on Pike Brook Road. At .8 miles look for a large trailhead parking lot on the left.

The summit looms 2300 feet above the lake. There is a tower on the summit, however it is closed to the public. The views are spectacular even without access to the tower.

The Pike Brook Road approach has the advantage of offering a loop option in which the hiker can experience many of the glories of hiking the Lake George region. After parking at the trailhead on Pike Brook Road walk on the old logging road for a mile.

At the one mile point a trail junction is reached.  The trail straight ahead is the most direct route to the summit.  The summit affords a magnificent view of the whole northern end of Lake George.

Or at the first junction, you may choose to take the trail to the left over to Lapland Pond and a lean-to which is above a rocky point on the pond which slopes into the water. To continue on to Black Mountain return to the second trail intersection and continue on the trail through the woods past Round Pond and Black Mountain Pond to the trail junction with the trail coming up from the lake. It is at this point where your woods stroll ends and the climb to the summit begins in earnest, climbing about 900 feet in the remaining mile to the tower. This route is 4.3 miles to the summit.

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NOTE: For a more complete description of the trails, please see ADK's GUIDE to ADIRONDACK TRAILS - Eastern Region, pp 211-212.

Dr. Stuart Delman (and Biscuit)