Loon Lake Mountain
Location: Franklin, New York
Mileage: 6.1 Miles
Elevation Gain: 1639 Feet
Trail(s) Used: Loon Lake Mountain Trail
Views: Ledges near summit of Loon Lake Mountain
Difficulty: Moderate/Hard
Hiking List(s): Fire Tower Challenge (Adirondack/Catskills), Adirondack Blue Challenge, Adirondacks 29er Challenge
Drove over from New Hampshire as usual for another hike in the Adirondacks. We had a few specific peaks on the Adirondack Blue Challenge we wanted to do so we had our pick of three peaks, Lyon Mountain, Jay Mountain and Loon Lake Mountain. We decided on Loon Lake Mountain as it was most likely going to be the easiest of the three peaks. I thought the parking lot would be full as it was getting towards peak foliage in the Adirondacks, but I was able to park just besides the sign in the first picture. We geared up and started our hike for the day. Conditions were pretty good for a fall day.
Loon Lake Mountain is #12 on the Fire Tower Challenge (Adirondack/Catskills), #4 on the Adirondack Blue Challenge and #12 on the Adirondack 29er Challenge lists.
The Loon Lake Mountain Trail begins off County Route 26, with parking available for about five to six cars, depending on how they are parked.
The Loon Lake Mountain Trail begins with a narrow path that connects to an old forest road.
You cross the meadow and follow the old woods road for just over a mile before turning into the forest to begin your climb to the summit of Loon Lake Mountain.
At around 1.25 miles, we took a left onto another old woods road. All the trails were marked with yellow DEC trail markers, so in some areas it was important to watch for those or follow arrows.
The Loon Lake Mountain Trail offers gentle grades for just over half a mile before it begins to climb more steeply toward the summit.
There are several bog bridges along this section of the Loon Lake Mountain Trail, though the hiking conditions were fairly dry.
The Loon Lake Mountain Trail had more old telegraph poles than I’ve ever seen on any fire tower hike.
This was probably the steepest stretch of trail we’ve tackled in the ADKs, maybe even Catamount Mountain. It was slow going and, no joke, incredibly steep.
An old telegraph pole still holds some of its original wire.
One of the rare scenic views along the Loon Lake Mountain Trail that isn’t at the summit.
The final stretch of the Loon Lake Mountain Trail evens out as it approaches the summit area.
Spotted all three summit benchmarks at the top of Loon Lake Mountain.
The 35-foot fire tower on Loon Lake Mountain, sitting at an elevation of 3,337 feet, is unfortunately in poor condition, making it inaccessible for enjoying the views.
Nearly 180 views can be enjoyed from the summit ledges of Loon Lake Mountain, and you might discover even more to the south if you search for a path.
One of the nicer sections of the Look Lake Mountain Trail as we are headed back down.
A final bonus shot of a pond we passed on our way to our overnight stay. The stunning color made us stop and capture the moment.
The hike out was slow due to the steep descent, and we crawled through that section. I slipped once and scraped my wrist, but that happens fairly often. Once past the steep part, it felt like the old woods roads on the way out were longer than the hike in. The summit offered nice views, but unfortunately, we couldn’t climb the fire tower stairs. It’s one of the few fire towers in New Hampshire, Vermont, and New York that I haven’t climbed. I can’t emphasize enough how steep the upper sections of this hike are.
