46 High Peaks • Out-and-back

Phelps andTabletop

Phelps and Tabletop make a logical but deceptively long Loj pairing, combining Phelps’s steep rocky climb and summit view with Tabletop’s muddy unmarked route from the Marcy corridor.

Trailhead Information

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Adirondack Loj to Phelps and Tabletop

Trailhead: Adirondack Loj / HPIC
Region: Route-specific access
Parking: Large HPIC / Heart Lake hiker lot. First-come, first-served. Parking fills early and often, especially in summer and peak foliage season. Nearest overflow starts about one mile down Adirondack Loj Road at Meadows Lane. No waiting for spots, no sleeping in cars, and roadside parking between Heart Lake and Meadows is prohibited.
Fees / Permits: ADK posted rates as of 1/1/2024: non-members $25 full day, $15 half day, $120 weekly; ADK members $10 full day, $6 half day, $50 weekly. Member season passes are available. Verify current rates before leaving.
Access / Shuttle: No standard HPIC hiker parking reservation system listed. Parking is first-come, first-served and availability is not guaranteed.

Plan for early arrival on busy weekends and holidays. Adirondack Loj / HPIC is a paid, high-demand High Peaks parking area that can fill early.

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Route map

Adirondack Loj to Phelps and Tabletop

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Planning use

Use the route line and GPX as planning aids. Carry a physical map and verify current official conditions before relying on any route.

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Route History

Phelps and Tabletop both carry useful High Peaks history. Phelps was named for Orson Schofield “Old Mountain” Phelps, even though he never reached its summit, and Verplanck Colvin originally called the mountain Little Marcy before the name changed. Tabletop was once known as Flat Top, and older survey work around the peak gives it more character than its wooded summit reputation might suggest. Together, the pair shows two sides of the 46er list: one summit with a strong view payoff, and one quieter mountain that remains memorable because of its route and history.

Route Options

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Primary Route

Adirondack Loj to Phelps and Tabletop

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Route Overview

Adirondack Loj to Phelps and Tabletop

This standard route reaches Marcy Dam, follows the Van Hoevenberg corridor, climbs Phelps first, returns to the main approach, continues to the Tabletop turn, climbs Tabletop, and returns the same way to Adirondack Loj.

Selected Route Access

Start from Adirondack Loj / HPIC and follow the main approach to Marcy Dam, then the Van Hoevenberg corridor. The final Tabletop route is unmarked, so treat this as a marked approach with an unmarked herd-path-style summit route.

Selected Route Caution

This pairing combines a long Loj approach with two very different side routes. Phelps is steep and rocky, while Tabletop is an unmarked, muddy herd path with limited summit payoff. Save enough time and energy for the full return from Marcy Dam.

Selected Route Guidance

Full guide collapsed for quick scanning. 10 sections available.