Goodnow Mountain
Location: Newcomb, New York
Mileage: 3.87 Miles
Elevation Gain: 944 Feet
Trail(s) Used: Goodnow Mountain Trail
Views: 360 from Fire Tower Cab
Difficulty: Moderate
Hiking List(s): Fire Tower Challenge (Adirondack/Catskills), Adirondacks 29er Challenge
The first hike of our three-day trip to New York began as usual with a 3.5-hour drive from New Hampshire, depending on the starting point. I’m getting pretty familiar with the route now. We had a short list of fire tower peaks to tackle, and it was just a matter of deciding which to start with. Since we anticipated a later start, we settled on doing just one peak for the day—Goodnow Mountain. It wasn’t our top choice, but when we passed the parking lot and saw it wasn’t full, we decided to go for it. We geared up and set off up the trail alongside several other groups.
Goodnow Mountain is #18 on the Fire Tower Challenge (Adirondack/Catskills) and #27 on the Adirondack 29er Challenge.
At the trailhead parking area for Goodnow Mountain off Route 28N, there’s a kiosk and a fairly spacious parking lot.
The Goodnow Mountain Trail begins on a gentle, level path that winds around the base of the mountain.
Wooden steps mark the beginning of the Goodnow Mountain Trail.
A little over half a mile in, the trail curves and begins its climb uphill through an old logging cut.
Rock stairs, bog bridges, and an old woods road highlight the nearly one-mile stretch of the Goodnow Mountain Trail before the final climb to the summit.
Along the Goodnow Mountain Trail, on the way to the summit, lies an old foundation, possibly the remains of a State Police radio repeater station. Nearby, though not pictured, are the remnants of an old horse barn.
The final pleasant stretch before reaching the summit of Goodnow Mountain.
Perched on the wooded summit of Goodnow Mountain at an elevation of 2,702 feet stands a steel fire tower, about 60 feet tall, built in 1922.
From the fire tower cab at the summit of Goodnow Mountain, you can take in stunning 360-degree views.
A view of the fire tower warden’s cabin from atop the fire tower on Goodnow Mountain.
The only summit benchmark I could find on Goodnow Mountain was at the top. There were quite a few people sitting there, so there might have been two more hidden from view.
The fire warden’s cabin just below the summit of Goodnow Mountain is always a fascinating piece of history to see. It’s a shame it was closed, as there’s interpretive history inside.
After snapping a few photos and hunting for a geocache just off the summit, we began our descent. Quite a few people were still up top, soaking in the sun on such a perfect fall-like day. Sometimes it feels like the hike down takes longer than the climb up. It was a great start to the weekend, and though there was still enough daylight for another hike, we decided to save more adventures for Sunday, even with rain in the forecast.
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