Mount Jesse (NH) *8/1/2026*

 Mount Jesse

Location: New Durham, New Hampshire
Mileage: 2.4 Miles
Elevation Gain: 560 Feet
Trails Used: None. Road Walk
Views: Summit Views
Difficulty: Easy/Moderate
Hiking Lists: None

Wanted to do something easy and trailed on Saturday after the long hike on Friday. Mount Jesse is one hike I have been meaning to do since the SELT bought the land and opened it up to hikers. It had long been off limits due to a private residence on the summit, as well as shooting ranges. Currently, you can walk up the access road to the summit and its views but SELT is working on hiking trails in the future.

I began at the gated access road to Mount Jesse, just off Kings Highway.

The access road winds its way to the summit of Mount Jesse, with a few steep stretches along the way.

Approaching the summit of Mount Jesse, with a charming house perched at the top, the trail is lined with endless blueberry bushes. The entire hike up is a feast for the eyes, culminating in open fields that lead the way to the peak.

From the summit of Mount Jesse, looking north, the panorama was shrouded in haze from the morning’s high humidity.

More views from the summit of Mount Jesse, looking north and west. On a clear day, the scenery would be absolutely stunning.

Overall, it was a nice hike, with the only downsides being the bugs and humidity this morning. I had considered doing some other trails in the area, but a lingering headache and fatigue from yesterday’s 18-mile trek in Vermont kept me from it. I’ll be back once they add some hiking trails.

Stewart Mountain - Bartonville Mountain (NY) *7/26/2026*

Stewart Mountain

Location: Chester, New York
Mileage: 0.8 Miles
Elevation Gain: 218 Feet
Trails Used: Stewart Mountain Trail
Views: Ledge View
Difficulty: Easy
Hiking Lists: Chester Challenge - Adirondack 29er Junior Peaks

We drove to Schroon Lake, in the Adirondacks, to stay the night and do a few hikes on Sunday before we headed home. We made a pit stop at our favorite place in New York: Stewarts to refuel and get drinks before we headed to the motel down the road. Sunday, we headed out early to begin the easy drive to the trailhead off of White Schoolhouse Road, which has room for maybe 4 to 5 cars depending on how you park. Since this was a short hike, we decided against using backpacks.

Stewart Mountain is part of the Chester Challenge, which requires you to hike six of eleven trails listed on their website to obtain a pin for finishing, or patch if finished in winter between December 20th to March 20th. Stewart Mountain is also #36 on the Adirondack 29er Junior Peaks list. 

The parking area is located off White Schoolhouse Road, where a map points out the trail leading to the view ledge on Stewart Mountain.

We start up the Stewart Mountain Trail, climbing at an easy to moderate incline for the first 0.2 miles.

The one brief, steep stretch of the Stewart Mountain Trail.

The final stretch of the Stewart Mountain Trail just before reaching the main ledge views on Stewart Mountain lower summit.

The ledge overlook on Stewart Mountain offers stunning views of Loon Lake and the Gore Mountain Ski Area.

A few pictures and then a quick return hike back to the car. We passed a woman and her dog going to the summit and then a couple heading up as we made it back to the car. A quick half hour hike to stretch the legs as we headed to hike number 2. 

Bartonville Mountain

Location: Horicon/Brant Lake, New York
Mileage: 1.8 Miles
Elevation Gain: 546 Feet
Trails Used: Jack and Jill Trail, Ricks Run MB Trail
Views: Ledge Views below summit of Bartonville Mountain
Difficulty: Moderate
Hiking Lists: ADK-9 Challenge 

Our second and final hike of the day was near Stewart Mountain, and finding it turned into a bit of an adventure. I actually drove right past it at first, but we eventually backtracked to the big parking lot next to The Hub, a mountain bike repair shop, restaurant, and bar. Unfortunately, it was closed when we arrived since it was early, so we didn’t get the chance to check it out. The Hub is also responsible for building the hiking and mountain biking trails on Bartonville Mountain. Please remember to respect this private property that we’re fortunate to be able to enjoy.

The Jack and Jill Trail sits beside the Mountain Biking Trail, starting just behind The Hub, where you can grab a bite or a drink. From there, it veers right and makes its way toward the ledge view.

The red-blazed Jack and Jill Trail features several switchbacks as it winds its way 0.67 miles to the scenic ledge views atop Bartonville Mountain.

Stretches of bedrock along the Jack and Jill Trail add variety and break up the monotony of rocks and roots.

The ledge on Bartonville Mountain offers stunning views, overlooking Brant Lake and the vast beauty of the Pharaoh Lake Wilderness.

The Jack and Jill Trail links up with Rick’s Run, a mountain biking path, which I followed to reach the summit of Bartonville Mountain.

The wooded summit of Bartonville Mountain was just a short bushwhack from the Rick Run Trail.

We turned around and made our way back down the trail at a relaxed pace. It was fortunate we did both hikes early, as the day’s heat was starting to build and would have made things uncomfortable later on. Though both hikes were on the shorter side mileage-wise, I felt they fell short in the views department compared to what the Adirondacks usually deliver. Now it’s time for the four-hour drive back to New Hampshire.

Slide Mountain (NY) *7/25/2026*

Slide Mountain

Location: Shandaken, New York
Mileage: 6.4 Miles
Elevation Gain: 1709 Feet
Trails Used: Slide-Wittenberg-Cornell Trail (Burroughs Range Trail), Curtis-Ormsbee Trail, Phoenicia East Branch Trail
Views: Several Ledges below the Slide Mountain Summit
Difficulty: Moderate
Hiking Lists: Catskill 3500, New York County High Point, Northeast 115, Town High Point

Slide Mountain is one of the few peaks in the Catskills we still wanted to tackle, being one of only two four-thousand-footers in the range. Attempting the full Catskill 3500 isn’t feasible for us right now, mostly because of the long drives, the mileage to get there, and the many other hikes we’re planning this year in New Hampshire and the Adirondacks.

We decided on Friday to get a hotel room in New York closer to Slide Mountain, as it usually takes us about 4.5 to 5 hours normally to get to the Catskills. So we left New Hampshire and made the drive to East Greenbush, NY to stay the night. We awoke early for the roughly 1.5-hour drive to the trailhead parking area for Slide Mountain. We geared up and headed up the trail to begin our hike.

The trailhead parking area for Slide Mountain, located off Oliverea Road, is a spacious lot that was completely full when we got back to the car.

Upon entering the Slide Mountain Wilderness, you cross the Neversink River, which was unusually dry today. From here, it’s about 2.8 miles to the summit of Slide Mountain.

The first 0.7 miles of the Slide-Wittenberg-Cornell Trail were pretty steep and rocky before meeting up with the Phoenicia East Branch Trail.

From here, the Slide-Wittenberg-Cornell Trail was steady but never too steep, following an old jeep road once used for the fire tower that stood atop Slide Mountain.

At the junction of the Phoenicia East Branch Trail and the Slide-Wittenberg-Cornell Trail, we would head toward the summit of Slide Mountain.

The DEC sign marks the 3,500-foot elevation, where camping is only allowed above this point during winter. In other seasons, there are about four campsites available in the area.

As we continued along the Slide-Wittenberg-Cornell Trail, the path leveled out, making for a fairly easy walk to the summit of Slide Mountain.

This stretch of the Slide-Wittenberg-Cornell Trail was scattered with small white quartz pebbles, something I’ve never seen on any other trail.

Just below the summit of Slide Mountain, two small viewpoints provide modest glimpses of the surrounding scenery.

Slide Mountain’s wooded summit reaches about 4,184 feet, though it hasn’t been officially measured. Future LiDAR data might revise that number. A bit farther along the trail, you’ll find a memorial plaque for John Burroughs, which is why this route is part of the Burroughs Range.

The views from the ledge just below the summit of Slide Mountain are stunning. An old fire tower once stood at the summit, and a few stone blocks now mark its probable location.

There’s no sign at the junction of the Burroughs Range Trail and the Curtis-Ormsbee Trail, but it’s about 0.7 miles from the summit of Slide Mountain.

The Curtis-Ormsbee made for a pleasant descent compared to the rocky trails we climbed. There were two lookout spots, but both lacked views as trees have gradually grown to block them.

This is one of the steepest stretches of the Curtis-Ormsbee Trail. A nearby viewpoint exists, but tree growth has blocked any views during this time of year.

The Curtis-Ormsbee Trail leveled out near an intriguing rock formation, a cleft in the stone with several caves and rugged cliffs.

A primitive campsite is located along the Curtis-Ormsbee Trail, just before it meets the Phoenicia East Branch Trail. Be aware, there’s no water available at this spot.

The memorial monument honors William Curtis and Allan Ormsbee, avid hikers who lost their lives on Mount Washington in New Hampshire on June 30, 1900. This trail was Curtis' favorite way to reach the summit of Slide Mountain.

The Phoenicia East Branch Trail was incredibly muddy, and I could imagine it turning into a river during the rainy season and winter.

The final water crossing on the Phoenicia East Branch Trail marked the start of a 0.7-mile hike down and back to the car.

It was an easy walk back to the car, passing quite a few people heading up while the parking lot was full and spilling into the street. Yet another simple Catskill hike—none we’ve done so far have been particularly tough or long. We’ll likely return someday, but with Slide Mountain, Hunter Mountain, and all the fire towers checked off, there’s not much left we feel we need to tackle for now.

Slide Mountain, located in the Catskill Mountains, is the highest peak in the town of Shandaken, New York.

Tremper Mountain (NY) 6/27/2026

Tremper Mountain

Location: Phoenicia, New York
Mileage: 6.4 Miles
Elevation Gain: 1952 Feet
Trails Used: Phoenicia Trail
Views: 360 from Inside the Fire Tower Cab
Difficulty: Moderate
Hiking Lists: Catskill Fire Tower Challenge/Fire Tower Challenge (Adirondack/Catskills)

On Friday night, we made a last-minute decision to head to New York and tackle the final Catskill Fire Tower on our list. Saturday morning, after a long drive to the trailhead parking area, we didn’t start hiking until almost 11 a.m. I was surprised to see so few cars when we arrived, so I squeezed into a spot and we geared up. The temperature was pleasant, though the humidity was high, but manageable thanks to a light breeze. 

Notably, this mountain is one of the few in the Catskills with several timber rattlesnake dens scattered around. These snakes are venomous, so it’s important to keep children close and dogs leashed.

The Catskill Fire Tower Challenge requires you to climb all eight Catskill fire towers between January 1st, 2026, and December 31st, 2026. Tremper Mountain is #7 on the Catskill Fire Tower Challenge and #17 on the Fire Tower Challenge (Adirondacks and Catskills).

The Phoenicia Trail begins just off Ulster County Route 40, with parking available for about 7–8 cars, depending on how they’re parked.

The Phoenicia Trail starts off with a pretty steep climb right after you cross the bridge, and about half a mile in, you’ll reach the old jeep road that leads up to the summit of Tremper Mountain.

The Phoenicia Trail has plenty of switchbacks and some steep, rocky stretches, but it never felt difficult to hike or tricky to navigate.

Along the Phoenicia Trail, there’s a pile of large rocks that looks like a slide but is actually an old bluestone quarry.

Another stretch of the Phoenicia Trail offered a pleasant and easy walk.

The Baldwin Memorial Lean-To sits at around 2,100 feet, with a privy nearby and a spring about an eighth of a mile up the trail. Not much water from the spring today, though.

A glimpse of the Tremper Mountain Fire Tower peeks through the trees. Standing 47 feet tall, it was built in 1917 and served until 1971, before being restored for public use in 2001.

Foundation remains right behind the fire tower on Tremper Mountain, elevation 2730 feet

The views from the fire tower cab on Tremper Mountain are stunning in every direction.

We didn’t spot any timber rattlesnakes during the entire hike, unfortunately. Overall, it was a pleasant trail that was neither too steep nor too flat. We eventually turned around and headed back to the car, passing a few hikers making their way up to the summit.

With the Catskill Fire Tower Challenge now complete, my favorite was probably Bramley Mountain or Hunter Mountain for their easy hikes and great views. My least favorite was definitely Overlook Mountain, which we tackled in winter under miserable conditions with far too many people. It was a nice change of pace from the White Mountains in New Hampshire and the Adirondacks in New York.