Coot Hill/Big Hollow (NY) August 31st, 2026

Coot Hill/Big Hollow

Location: Moriah, New York
Mileage: 3.6 Miles
Elevation Gain: 476 Feet
Trail(s)Used: Road Walk, Coot Hill/Big Hollow Trail
Views: From Ledges around Coot Hill Summit
Difficulty: Easy (if able to drive to trailhead) / Moderate (if having to do a road walk)
Hiking List(s): Moriah Hiking Challenge

By Monday, we were feeling tired and sore from two days of hiking and exploring around Tupper Lake and Saranac Lake. I suggested tackling the last Moriah Hiking Challenge hike on our way home, since it shouldn’t take too long depending on where we could park. After grabbing breakfast and strolling through downtown Lake Placid, we drove to Lang Road to find a spot to park and start the hike to Coot Hill.

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; Crowfoot Pond, a longer hike to a backcountry pond; and Cheney Mountain, which has stunning views of the High Peaks and Lake Champlain.

From where we parked, it was about a mile-long walk down Lang Road, passing by several houses and hunting camps.

Lang Cemetery is a historic burial ground located in the old Cold Springs Park area, just across from the Coot Hollow/Big Hollow Trail. Some of the graves remain unmarked.

This is the starting point of the Coot Hill/Big Hollow Trail, a short 0.3-mile hike to scenic views atop Coot Hill. The trail also serves as a route for ATVs and snowmobiles.

The Coot Hill/Big Hollow Trail offered a fairly easy hike, with just one steeper stretch along an old ATV path leading up to the summit ledges on Coot Hill.

Cloudy views stretch back toward the Adirondack High Peaks from the ledges of Coot Hill, while to the south lies Big Hollow, a 400-foot glacial chasm.

From the ledges on Coot Hill, you can take in stunning views of the Lake Champlain Valley and the Green Mountains in Vermont.

All that remained was the long, humid, buggy walk back to the car. The views were beautiful, but not being able to park at the trailhead and having to trek the long road was the only downside of the hike. Still, we finally completed the Moriah Hiking Challenge, which we half-heartedly began about two years ago. One patch down, more to go. We love coming to New York to discover the little gems the state has to offer.

Azure Mountain (NY) August 30th, 2026

Azure Mountain

Location: Waverly, New York
Mileage: 2.14 Miles
Elevation Gain: 908 Feet
Trail(s) Used: Azure Mountain Trail
Views: 360 from Fire Tower Cab, Ledge near summit of Azure Mountain
Difficulty: Moderate/Hard
Hiking List(s): Fire Tower Challenge (Adirondack/Catskills), Adirondack Blue Challenge, Adirondacks 29er Challenge

The final fire tower hike of the day was by far the toughest and steepest of the three. The drive over was more of the same, with showers and rain accompanying us to the parking area off Blue Mountain Road. When we arrived, the lot was empty, and the rain let up for most of the hike. We were ready to hit the trail as soon as we parked, so off we went.

Azure Mountain is #22 on the Fire Tower Challenge (Adirondack/Catskills), #8 on the Adirondack Blue Challenge and #7 on the Adirondack 29er Junior Peaks lists.

Signs at the trailhead parking lot warn about aggressive American goshawks in the area.

The Azure Mountain Trail begins with a flat stretch, but it quickly picks up intensity before long.

At the trailhead kiosk on the Azure Mountain Trail, we always make sure to sign in, just in case.

Perhaps the remains of a fireplace from some kind of structure along the Azure Mountain Trail, possibly the site where the fire warden’s cabin once stood?

Amy made her way along the Azure Mountain Trail, enjoying a flat stretch of the path.

A low blanket of clouds gave the steep Azure Mountain Trail a dreamy, almost otherworldly feel during the hike.

The trail was steep, incredibly steep, all the way to the summit plateau of Azure Mountain. It felt like an endless climb straight up.

At the summit of Azure Mountain, which stands at 2,516 feet, there’s a 35-foot steel fire tower.

I came across the summit marker for Azure Mountain today, and it was the only one I found.

A panoramic view unfolds from the ledges just below Azure Mountain’s summit.

From the fire tower cab on Azure Mountain, the 360-degree views were breathtaking. It was windy and rainy at the time, but the sun came out as we made our way down.

The Azure Mountain Fire Tower still has its Osborne Fire Finder, a device used to pinpoint fires from the tower.

We didn’t linger at the summit due to light rain and windy conditions. As usual, just as we started heading down, the weather gods decided to let the sun shine. We passed one other couple going up and hoped they enjoyed a better view than we did.

It was definitely our last hike of the day—three peaks in total, about eight miles of hiking, and roughly 1,800 feet of elevation gain. Not too shabby. While the weather was a mixed bag, we were lucky it didn’t pour or turn into a thunderstorm during our trek.

Cathedral Rock (NY) August 30th, 2026

Cathedral Rock

Location: Fine, New York
Mileage: 2.22 Miles
Elevation Gain: 241 Feet
Trail(s) Used: LathamTrail
Views: 360 from Fire Tower Cab
Difficulty: Easy
Hiking List(s): Fire Tower Challenge (Adirondack/Catskills), Adirondacks 29er Challenge

The second fire tower hike on Saturday took us on a pleasant, though somewhat lengthy, drive from Buck Mountain. We chose this one first since it was the farthest from our stay in Saranac Lake, with plans to tackle Azure Mountain afterward if time and energy allowed. Rain came and went during the drive, adding a bit of atmosphere. The trail starts at the parking lot of the SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry.

Cathedral Rock is #32 on the Fire Towe Challenge (Adirondack/Catskills) and #31 on the Adirondack 29er Junior Peaks lists.

From the parking lot at the Wanakena Ranger School Campus, head around the gate and walk about 200 feet to reach the Latham Trail.

The Latham Trail takes you up to the summit area and the fire tower on Cathedral Rock.

The Latham Trail was a mostly flat, one-mile stretch that passed over a few dirt roads and through some lovely, wooded areas.

The only steep part of the Latham Trail was well maintained, but I could imagine it getting pretty icy or wet.

The Latham Trail even featured a single set of steps on the way to the summit of Cathedral Rock.

A couple of memorial plaques along the Latham Trail, one with a somber tone and the other with a cheerful touch.

A small ledge offers a view just below the summit of Cathedral Rock, with a pavilion situated nearby..

An NYS Ranger Monument sits atop a glacial erratic just below the summit of Cathedral Rock.

The Cathedral Rock Fire Tower stands 47 feet tall atop the summit of Cathedral Rock, which rises to an elevation of 1,727 feet. This is its second location, the first being on Tooley Pond Mountain.

The view from the fire tower on Cathedral Rock wasn’t much, thanks to the rain, and in a few years the trees might grow as tall as the tower.

We retraced our steps and headed back down the way we came. We saw just one other person at the summit of Cathedral Rock, and no one else on the quick hike to the car. Luckily, the rain held off during our trek, which was a bonus. Of the three fire towers we visited that day, this was probably the least impressive, with the long drive and so-so views being the biggest letdowns.

Buck Mountain (NY) August 30th, 2026

Buck Mountain

Location: Long Lake, New York
Mileage: 2.7 Miles
Elevation Gain: 527 Feet
Trail(s)Used: Buck Mountain Trail
Views: From Ledges around Coot Hill Summit
Difficulty: Easy/Moderate 
Hiking List(s): Fire Tower Challenge (Adirondack/Catskills)

The first hike of our three-fire tower day on Saturday was a bit of a puzzle to plan. We had a few hikes in mind but needed to figure out the logistics, since they were far apart and separated by lakes and mountains. We decided on Buck because it was the closest and easiest to reach. The night before, rain seemed unlikely, but when we woke up, the radar and horizon showed rain bands moving in, so we set out to see what we could get done before the weather turned.

Buck Mountain is #23 on the Fire Tower Challenge (Adirondack/Catskill) list.

The kiosk at the trailhead parking lot for Buck Mountain, located just off South Sabbatis Road.

The first stretch of the Buck Mountain Trail crosses several bridges and bog boards, offering a flat, easy path to follow, though it can be muddy and soft underfoot.

The middle part of the Buck Mountain Trail transitions from flat, wet areas to steeper sections with rocky steps.

As the trail steepens near the summit of Buck Mountain, you'll encounter around 10 to 11 ladder sections to help with the climb.

The actual wooded summit of Buck Mountain, at an elevation of 2,424 feet, was just a short bushwhack from where the fire tower stands.

The fire tower on Buck Mountain is a 60-foot steel structure that was built in 1933.

The panoramic 360-degree views from inside the fire tower cab on Buck Mountain.

Amy is making her way down the ladder section.

As we headed back down the mountain toward the car, the rain started and kept falling until we reached the gentler part of the Buck Mountain Trail. The first hike was quick and fairly easy, with decent views despite the drizzle, which lingered through the other two hikes and the rest of the day. Another fire tower peak checked off the list.