Lesser traveled Adirondack hiking category image
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Quieter Routes

Lesser Traveled

Browse Adirondack hikes that tend to feel quieter, less obvious, or farther from the most heavily trafficked trailheads, from discreet summits and remote ponds to historic routes and low-key fire towers.

Quieter Routes

Explore Lesser Traveled

Browse Adirondack hikes that tend to feel quieter, less obvious, or farther from the most heavily trafficked trailheads, from discreet summits and remote ponds to historic routes and low-key fire towers.

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Silver Lake Mountain image
#1

Northern1.8 miEasy Moderate

Silver Lake Mountain

Silver Lake Mountain is a short, steep Taylor Pond Wild Forest climb with open views over lakes and northern Adirondack peaks.

Gain 900 ft

Silver Lake Bluffs image
#2

Eastern2.2 miBeginner

Silver Lake Bluffs

A bog-boardwalk-to-bluff hike overlooking Silver Lake, with birding, wetland scenery, and Whiteface-area views.

Gain 295 ft

Floodwood Mountain image
#3

Northern4.6 miModerate

Floodwood Mountain

Floodwood Mountain is a short Saranac Lake Wild Forest summit hike with steep slab sections and broad northern views.

Gain 1,325 ft

Sawyer Mountain image
#4

Central2.2 miModerate

Sawyer Mountain

Sawyer Mountain is a short Route 30 summit-area hike with steady climbing, wooded summit terrain, and open ledge views.

Gain 340 ft

Cascade and Stephens Ponds image
#5

Central8.3 miModerate Hard

Cascade and Stephens Ponds

Cascade and Stephens Ponds form a moderate Blue Ridge Wilderness pond hike using the Northville-Placid Trail and Cascade Pond side trail.

Gain 750 ft

Lower Sargent Pond image
#6

Central4.8 miEasy Moderate

Lower Sargent Pond

Lower Sargent Pond is an easy Sargent Ponds Wild Forest hike through open hardwoods to a quiet pond and lean-to.

Gain 120 ft

Pine Lake image
#7

Western7.2 miModerate Hard

Pine Lake

Pine Lake is a longer, low-gain Moose River Plains pond outing suited to hikers seeking quiet interior water rather than summit views.

Gain 250 ft

Middle Settlement Lake image
#8

Western5.2 miModerate

Middle Settlement Lake

A western Adirondack lake hike through mature forest to a quiet shoreline, lean-to area, and classic Ha-De-Ron-Dah Wilderness feel.

Gain 200 ft

Broomstick Lake Trail image
#9

Southern1.5 miEasy

Broomstick Lake Trail

Broomstick Lake Trail is a short Ferris Lake Wild Forest lake hike with optional continuation toward Stewart Lake and Third Lake.

Gain 292 ft

Raquette River Falls image
#10

Northern4.2 miModerate

Raquette River Falls

Raquette River Falls is a long, rolling backcountry river hike from Coreys Road to a pair of remote waterfalls.

Gain 300 ft

Camp Santanoni image
#11

High Peaks9.8 miDifficult

Camp Santanoni

Camp Santanoni is a historic Great Camp outing to Newcomb Lake, reached by a long carriage-road walk, bike, ski, or wagon approach.

Gain 500 ft

Debar Mountain image
#12

Northern7.4 miHard

Debar Mountain

The namesake summit of Debar Mountain Wild Forest, pairing a quiet northern approach with a limited but meaningful High Peaks view.

Gain 1,725 ft

Cobble Mountain (Upper Jay) image
#13

Eastern2.2 miModerate

Cobble Mountain (Upper Jay)

Cobble Mountain is a discreet Sentinel Range Wilderness summit above Upper Jay with open woods, blueberry ledges, and quieter views away from the busier Lake Placid and Wilmington objectives.

Gain 721 ft

Pillsbury Mountain Fire Tower image
#14

Southern3.4 miModerate

Pillsbury Mountain Fire Tower

Pillsbury Mountain is a remote fire tower hike reached by rough seasonal roads and a steady climb to open tower views.

Gain 1,350 ft

Wakely Mountain Fire Tower image
#15

Central6 miModerate Hard

Wakely Mountain Fire Tower

Wakely Mountain Fire Tower is a longer Central Adirondack fire tower hike to a 70-foot tower widely cited as the tallest in the Adirondacks.

Gain 1,600 ft

Stillwater Mountain image
#16

Western1.9 miEasy Moderate

Stillwater Mountain

Stillwater Mountain is a short fire-tower hike above Stillwater Reservoir with broad tower views and seasonal private-land access rules.

Gain 534 ft

Goodnow Mountain Fire Tower image
#17

Central3.8 miModerate

Goodnow Mountain Fire Tower

Goodnow Fire Tower is a moderate Newcomb fire-tower hike with a restored summit tower and broad views over High Peaks country.

Gain 1,100 ft

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