ADK 46: Big Slide Mountain
Big Slide Mountain via the Brothers Trail
Region: Adirondacks, High Peaks Wilderness
June 22, 2021| Keene Valley, NY
The background: I had inadvertently put this hike on the back burner because of the limited parking at the Garden (more on that below.) I was hiking in the Adirondacks for this particular week in June and decided it was time to give it a whirl. As always, I had a backup plan in mind should there have been any parking challenges. I picked a rainy overcast Tuesday for this one – while there was limited visibility this day on Big Slide (sadly) we had no issues with parking at 6:30AM.
Getting to the Garden Trailhead: From I-87, take exit 30 towards Lake Placid. Make a left onto US 9 and bear left onto NY-73 West. After 8.5 miles, make a left onto Adirondack Street (Ausable Inn Liquor Store will be on the corner; if you pass Valley Grocery store, you went too far.) The road will turn into Johns Brook Lane; continue for 1.5 miles until you reach the dead end, where you will see a parking attendant booth. It is a self-service payment system, so if no one is at the booth, leave the $10 cash in the envelope box (USD or CAD) and place the parking tag in your window.
Parking is extremely limited due to the space and fact that this is a popular starting point for many different trails as well as Johns Brook Lodge, a backcountry accommodation. During peak summer and fall weekends, it may be nearly impossible to grab a spot if many hikers are spending the night in the backcountry and starting hours before sunrise. Aside from getting dropped off, another option is to park down the road (but not on the side of the road or side streets) at the Rooster Comb trailhead, adding about 3+ miles roundtrip to your day. There is also a shuttle bus option from Marcy Field (for a fee), but it only runs limited hours (starting at 7AM) and certain times of year (it has now ended for the 2021 season.) Learn more about the shuttle operation for spring 2022 here.
This piece is not meant to discourage you, but rather, to allow you to be able to plan accordingly and/or only take one vehicle down the road if you are meeting others.
Your vehicle should have no trouble getting down the road in 3-season weather, and you may have some bit of cell service at the parking lot. Be sure to have your map handy and route planned ahead of time, though.
The hike: ~8 miles roundtrip out-and-back via The Brothers Trail. Elevation gain ~2,800 feet. Mostly a non-technical hike that includes a ladder towards the summit. Trail is marked and maintained.
We arrived at the trailhead on a rainy Tuesday at 6:30AM with plenty of spots still in the lot. We were hoping the rain would let up, but were prepared for a dreary and overcast morning, nonetheless.
After signing in at the register, we headed out on the Brothers Trail following the sign and veering to the right (be sure to follow the signs - this lot is also the starting point to Johns Brook Lodge and other High Peaks trails.)
The trail is moderate and you will pass through a few ridges by way of the Brothers. The clouds looked like they were clearing up a bit, so we had a few fleeting views as we passed by. The trail is marked and rather straight forward to follow. After 3.7 miles in, you’ll see the sign indicating you are .3 miles from Big Slide! Follow the sign and make your way up the ladder and a few larger rock scrambles until you are (supposed to be) rewarded with a view. Unfortunately we were covered in a cloud, but it was still an awesome experience!
We retraced our steps and headed back down the trail as the clouds began to clear for our descent. As we were hiking out, my boyfriend, who was ahead of me, called out that he saw something - so I hurried over. I wasn’t quick enough to get over there and he wasn’t quick enough to snap a photo, but it turns out it was a family of PINE MARTENS!! (Look them up if you haven’t heard of these cute creatures before!) I was disappointed they ran away, but determined to visit again one day to hopefully run into them!
Concluding notes:
This is an awesome, moderately challenging hike on its own as an out-and-back described above since there are not easily any other High Peaks near its path to add on for a day hike; however, you can make it a loop by descending via the Big Slide trail (instead of out-and-back from the Brothers trail) to the Phelps trail, adding some mileage and different terrain. Check the map, but I would still recommend the route I took for this hike.
If you’re heading towards Lake Placid, make a stop at Big Slide Brewery – this is exactly what we did! This was a delicious and appropriate way to celebrate another High Peak climbed.
