Blue Mountain Lake (Fire Tower)

Jun 8

Region: Hamilton County, Adirondacks

May 30, 2021 | Blue Mountain Lake, NY

The background: My initial plan was to complete this and Wakely Mountain fire tower in the same day, since they aren’t too far from each other. That plan went straight out the window when the pouring rain and low temperatures made it clear they weren’t going anywhere that day; however, I decided this would be a good introduction to ADK hiking for my boyfriend, and we both don’t mind a little rain. After breakfast at the Prospect Mountain diner, we got in the car and made our way over to Blue Mountain Lake for a rainy (and cold and windy…) mid-day hike.

Getting there: This hike is in the heart of the Blue Line tucked in a beautiful section of wilderness away from the major towns. The trailhead is about an hour and change from the village of Lake George, and about an hour and 15 minutes from Lake Placid. Typing in “Blue Mountain Trailhead” will give you accurate directions in Google maps. There is a decently sized parking lot and you will most likely have cell service for a good portion (but not all) of your time here. This is a popular hike that you are guaranteed to have lots of company on weekends in peak season.

The hike: a 4-mile out-and-back hike to the summit (although the sign says 2 miles to the summit, I think it’s 0.2 or so longer than indicated...) Roughly 1,400-feet of elevation gain, rocks and rugged terrain await you; as does a gorgeous view of Blue Mountain Lake and an open fire tower to climb to see it all.

This wooded trail is well-marked and easy to follow. The first mile is relatively flat and mild, with only a bit of mud this time of year, but after this portion, you will begin to gain elevation with some classic Adirondack rock slabs to climb up. My boyfriend who is new to hiking in the Adirondacks, found this hike to be semi-challenging, and I can see why! The rain started to pick up a bit, so we cautiously watched our footing and kept going. We were certainly not alone on this rainy Sunday – many hikers were out enjoying the trail! After what seemed like a good amount of climbing and getting our cardio in, we saw the trees begin to clear, thinking we had to be close; however, we had to continue to follow this trail, until we reached the clearing with the tower. You can climb the tower to the open cab at the top, where views of the namesake lake and Blue Mountain Lake Wild Forest greet you– except on this day, we were greeted with lots of fog, clouds, and fierce, chilly winds. We snapped our photos, ate some Oreos, and wandered around a bit on the summit until my hands were nearly frozen. We began our descent back to the trailhead from the same way we made our ascent.
Note — you will see another area at the summit which is a road leading to private property (and indicates so.)

Concluding notes: While I would recommend clear weather to enjoy the view and spend time at the summit, as well as to not worry about slipping on the rocks, a bit of rain or the chance of it should not deter you. The trail is treed-in until the last 0.2 miles or so, and you would be shielded from the elements until then. This would also be a beautiful hike to complete in autumn. While this is not a beginner hike per say, it definitely gives you a taste of Adirondack terrain and an introduction to some of the challenging (but classic) elements in the region.

An ideal day and what you can pair this hike with:

For a day filled with hiking, you can check out nearby Castle Rock (a gem!) Wakely Mountain Fire Tower (near Indian Lake), Owls Head Mountain Fire Tower (in Long Lake) to name a few. But there are plenty of options in this part of the park!