Yesterday while discussing the hike I went on with my girlfriend over the weekend at work someone asked me what a lean-to was. The Adirondacks are practically in our backyard and many have never gone hiking nor camping! The Adirondack mountains are over 6.1 million acres. There are a plethora of peaks to hike that all have stunning views at the top. If you are looking for recreation on a sunny day that has minimal costs associated with it, then this is your event!
Gloversville is located at the foot of a vast wildlife preserve with many mountains to explore. The Department of Conservation offers challenges for hikers that hike certain trails, such as the ones with fire towers atop, that result in achieving patches. It is important to note that not all of these peaks are long. There are two trail heads that lead to the top of Kane Mountain and the fire tower. The .5 mile hike climbs 600 ft. to the top of the mountain at 2200 ft. above sea level.
There are also many trails that are more suitable for those who do not want to climb a mountain. Willie Wildlife Marsh is an easy 1.5 mile loop, where there is a viewing platform, ten interpretive stops, and three boardwalks that traverse the marsh and open water.
The Northville-Placid Trail officially starts in Northville and ends in Lake Placid at a total of about 133 miles. Now that sounds daunting if you hike the entire trail at for an average of 19 days. However, you can always break the hikes up into smaller inspiring trips.
Over the weekend I hiked from Upper Benson to Silver Lake along the Northville-Placid Trail. It was about 8 miles in and we chose to sleep in a lean-to before heading back the following morning. At about 5.5 miles there is Rock lake which has a small clearing for camping right on the shore. The route has many rolling hills but is an around rather steady elevation hike.
Sometimes I find it nice to just put my electronics away for a weekend and get back to the simpler things in life. It provides time for reflection and truly reminds us of the things that are most important in our lives.
Article by B. Logan Barclay