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.
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