It’s mountain season again, and I couldn’t be happier! A few weeks ago on a chilly spring day we packed our bags and headed for Prospect Mountain, just moments away from Lake George village.
[Turn west from on Route 9 from Lake George village onto Montcalm St. Five blocks to Cooper St., Turn right on West St. Left on Smith St., and left again. Park near the elevated walkway.]
We wanted a nice easy hike to get us back into mountain mode, and this was a great choice. The hike is four miles round trip, very well marked, and well maintained. Your hike begins crossing a tunnel over the Northway,
And gradually heads upwards from there. We saw a man releasing a possum into the woods here, seems like a good home. Lots of people, all ages, were hiking on up. The trail follows a stream, and there was a little waterfall trickling in the sunshine.
A part of the hike is bare rock, so when wet it can be quite slippery. As you gain elevation you will find partial views of the beauty to come, keep going!
You must cross the road to get to the top, and once you do you will be dazzled with views of Adirondack Mountains.
Soak that in, and then walk around and explore a bit. It would be hard to miss all of the old railroad equipment here, at one time the worlds largest cable railroad brought passengers to the top of Prospect Mountain to get to the hotel that existed there.
Now instead of a railroad, there is an auto-road. If you do not feel like hiking up the mountain, but would like to enjoy the splendid views, you can pay $10 and take a scenic drive up during the warmer months. If you bring a snack, there are picnic tables to sit at. We hiked prior to the opening of the auto-road, and I’m sure a place as beautiful as this gets packed – so be aware of that! We weren’t able to spot much in the way of wildlife except for a brazen chipmunk,
And the sound of birds twittering. This was a great way to get back into the mountains, and enjoy the Adirondacks.