Belfry Mountain (NY) **8/15/2026**

Belfry Mountain

Location: Moriah, New York
Mileage: 0.8 Miles
Elevation Gain: 144 Feet
Trails Used: Road Walk
Views: From Ledges at Base of Fire Tower, 360 from Fire Tower Cab
Difficulty: Easy
Hiking Lists: Moriah Hiking Challenge/Fire Tower Challenge (Adirondack/Catskills)

This was our second visit, but my first time climbing the fire tower. We stopped here right after hiking Crowfoot Pond since it was on our route back to Vermont and then home. With the weather so nice, it felt like the perfect opportunity. It’s probably one of the easiest, if not the easiest, hikes to a fire tower in New York. When we pulled into the parking area off Dalton Hill Road, only one other car was there. No packs were needed, so we set off on the short, less-than-half-mile road walk to the tower.

The Moriah Hiking Challenge features four local Champlain Area Trails (CATS) hikes, and completing them earns you a patch. The other three hikes include Belfry Mountain, with its fire tower; Big Hollow/Coot Hill, offering views of Lake Champlain; and Cheney Mountain, which has stunning views of the High Peaks and Lake Champlain.

Begin the hike to the fire tower on Belfry Mountain by walking around the gate, then follow the road all the way to the summit and the tower.

The walk up the road to the fire tower at the summit of Belfry Mountain was easy and uncomplicated, with plenty of thistles lining the way.

The fire tower on Belfry Mountain is a 47-foot-tall structure built in 1917 and decommissioned in 1988. The original tower was made of wood.

The 360-degree views from the fire tower cab at the summit of Belfry Mountain.

Looking down from the fire tower cab at the high point of Belfry Mountain, 1,867 feet above sea level.

I found all three benchmarks at the summit of Belfry Mountain.

The second time was the charm. We strolled leisurely down the road back to the car, enjoying the stunning views from the fire tower overlooking Lake Champlain into Vermont and the nearby High Peaks of the Adirondacks. For anyone seeking an easy hike with a rewarding payoff, this one fits the bill.

Crowfoot Pond (NY) **8/15/2026**

Crowfoot Pond

Location: North Hudson, New York
Mileage: 4.9 Miles
Elevation Gain: 417 Feet
Trails Used: Crowfoot Pond Trail
Views: From end of Crowfoot Pond Trail of Crowfoot Pond
Difficulty: Easy/Moderate
Hiking Lists: Moriah Hiking Challenge

We picked this hike for Saturday since it was one of the few hikes left that we needed to complete to earn a patch. It also happened to be the longest of the four required for the Moriah Hiking Challenge. We took our time driving from New Hampshire, making stops to geocache through Vermont. After crossing the bridge into Crown Point, New York, it was about a half-hour drive to the trailhead. The parking area is off Tracy Road, with a short stretch down a dirt road leading to a spacious lot.

The Moriah Hiking Challenge features four local Champlain Area Trails (CATS) hikes, and completing them earns you a patch. The other three hikes include Belfry Mountain, with its fire tower; Big Hollow/Coot Hill, offering views of Lake Champlain; and Cheney Mountain, which has stunning views of the High Peaks and Lake Champlain.

From where we parked, we crossed a bridge on the Crowfoot Pond Trail. In total, there were about five bridge crossings as the trail wound back and forth over Crowfoot Brook.

The Crowfoot Pond Trail winds along an old woods road through a lush evergreen forest, with the elevation gain gently spread out over the two-plus miles to the pond.

You can tell it’s an old woods road in places along the Crowfoot Pond Trail, but it never felt too rough or difficult to walk.

At the end of the Crowfoot Pond Trail, the only cameras we spotted were the ones on our cellphones.

Crowfoot Pond is a 32-acre pond, and I’m not sure if it’s stocked. I doubt it, though, since I didn’t see any signs by the pond or at the trailhead indicating what types of fishing are allowed.

After snapping a few pictures, we headed back down the Crowfoot Pond Trail to the car. The hike out was pretty uneventful—we only saw three people and a dog the whole way, and it’s a mystery where they parked since we were the only car at the trailhead and they were leaving as we approached the pond. Our next stop was another Moriah Hiking Challenge trek, one we’d done before: Belfry Mountain. I skipped climbing the fire tower the first time two years ago, so since it’s an easy climb, we decided to give it another go.

Owls Head (VT) **8/8/2026**

Owls Head

Location: Dorset, Vermont
Mileage: 4.16 Miles
Elevation Gain: 1327 Feet
Trails Used: Hawk's Pass Trail, Gettysburg Quarry Trail, Dorset Trail
Views: From Arts Bench Overlook, Kevin's Viewpoint, Gilbert Lookout
Difficulty: Moderate/Hard
Hiking Lists: None

It was the second and final hike of the day after tackling Mother Myrick Mountain earlier. The temperature and humidity had been rising, and I was definitely feeling it after the 8-hour, 2,300-foot elevation gain from the first hike. The drive from there was short, maybe just 15 minutes. Along the way, I passed the Dorset Marble Quarry, the site of the first marble quarry in the U.S. and now a popular swimming spot. Once I arrived and found the nearly full parking lot, I grabbed my backpack and set off.

I parked at the Hawks Pass Trailhead off Raptor Lane and followed the half-mile Hawks Pass Trail to reach the start of the hike in Owls Head Town Forest.

The hike to Owls Head and the surrounding quarries officially begins at the parking area for the Owls Head Town Forest.

Surrounded by old foundations and quarries, I followed the former service road, now transformed into the main trail.

I turned at this junction to make my way toward the Middle Prince Quarry area.

I think this is the Middle Prince Quarry, since the Klondike Quarry doesn’t have a trail leading to it. Such a cool area that I wish I’d had more time and energy to explore.

Arts Bench Overlook, easily the best view of the day.

The view from Arts Bench Overlook stretches toward the majestic Mother Myrick Mountain and the towering Equinox Mountain.

The history of the Gettysburg Quarry area was an interesting read. I should have visited the quarry dump area, but perhaps I'll save that for another time.

The Gettysburg Quarry site is fascinating. I’ve visited a few other quarry sites on this side of the state, and I find their history to be on par with the old logging railroads.

The Dorset Trail is an old section of the path that leads to the top of Owls Head and its scenic outlooks. 

Another glimpse of Mother Myrick Mountain, Mount Equinox, and Antone Mountain, seen through a brief opening in the trees along the Dorset Trail.

It was pretty much a steep straight up climb to the summit of Owls Head. I felt every bit of the elevation gain on my way up.

Just below the summit of Owls Head, the trail winds around the base before climbing steeply to the top.

The wooded summit of Owls Head stands at 2,474 feet. I didn’t have the energy to make it to Kevin’s Viewpoint or the Gilbert Outlook, which I’ve read offer incredible views on a clear day.

And with that, the day was done. I turned around and headed back down but made a little loop of the hike and saw another quarry area. It was nice out not but I had little energy to do anything else so it was time for the two hour drive home. Note, the Owls Head Town FOrest also has mountain biking trails, some of which connect with the hiking trails so always be cautious of your surroundings.

Spruce Peak - Mother Myrick Mountain (VT) **8/8/2026**

Spruce Peak - Mother Myrick Mountain

Location: Rupert/Manchester, Vermont
Mileage: 8.6 Miles
Elevation Gain: 2349 Feet
Trails Used: None. ATV/Snowmobile Trail, Bushwhack
Views: From Summit of Mother Myrick
Difficulty: Moderate
Hiking Lists: Vermont 3000 Footers

I’ve been wanting to hike Mother Myrick for years, but for one reason or another, I never made it over to that side of Vermont. With Amy heading to Maine with her daughter for the weekend, I figured it was as good a time as any to finally do it. It was about a two-and-a-half-hour drive to the trailhead off Nicholls Hill Road, where there’s space for 3–4 cars. The day started off very overcast and stayed that way until I headed back down, and it was also pretty humid.

Starting the hike from Nicholls Hill Road, I’d follow old logging roads and ATV or snowmobile trails to reach the summits of Spruce Peak and Mother Myrick Mountain.

The ATV and snowmobile trail features several steep sections and switchbacks that lead up to the Mother Myrick Mountain ridge, from where it’s an easy 1.5-mile hike to the summit.

On the way to Spruce Peak, I stumbled upon an old cabin that appeared to be a junction for several ATV and snowmobile trails.

Starting the bushwhack up to Spruce Peak from the snowmobile trail heading toward Burnt Hill.

At the wooded summit of Spruce Peak, elevation 2,806 feet, there’s a jar register. The area is covered mostly in ferns, with open woods along the way to reach it.

I turned around and followed the ATV/snowmobile trail back toward the summit of Mother Myrick Mountain, encountering very wet and muddy sections along the way.

The old jar register sits atop the wooded summit of Mother Myrick Mountain, at an elevation of 3,355 feet.

This was pretty much my view for most of the morning, taken from a lookout near the summit of Mother Myrick Mountain.

I followed the ATV and snowmobile trail 0.85 miles back the way I came, then took a side trail down to the car.

Although the ATV/snowmobile trail was steep, it brought me closer to the car than the roads I had taken up. The sun also decided to make an appearance at that moment.

As I got back to the car, the sun was coming out and the temperature was rising, but the humidity lingered despite the rain passing through. It was still early, and from where I was parked, I spotted a peak in the distance that caught my interest. A quick look at the map showed it wasn’t far from my current spot, so I decided to check it out. The hiking area is just down the road from the well-known Dorset Marble Quarry, a 60-foot-deep quarry that’s a popular swimming destination.