Mount Marcy
The New York Department of Environmental Conservation is urging hikers to avoid hikes on trails above 3,000 feet until early June 2014.
DEC officials say they particularly want hikers to avoid higher elevation trails in the Dix, Giant and High Peaks Wilderness Areas in the northern Adirondacks, due to muddy conditions and the potential damage hiking can cause to vegetation and soft ground.
Hikers are advised to only use trails at lower elevations during the spring mud season to avoid damaging natural resources and to promote safety. Lower trails usually dry soon after snowmelt and are on less erosive soils than the higher peaks. DEC asks hikers to avoid the following trails:
High Peaks Wilderness Area
All trails above 3,000 feet; where wet, muddy, snow conditions still prevail, specifically:
- Algonquin
- Colden
- Feldspar
- Gothics
- Indian Pass
- Lake Arnold Cross-Over
- Marcy
- Marcy Dam – Avalanche – Lake Colden
- Phelps Trail above John Brook Lodge
- Range Trail
- Skylight
- Wright and
- All “trail-less” peaks
Dix Mountain Wilderness Area
All trails above Elk Lake and Round Pond
Giant Mountain Wilderness Area
All trails above Giant’s Washbowl, “the Cobbles,” and Owls Head.
Alternative Hikes
DEC suggests the following alternative trails for hiking, subject to weather conditions:
High Peaks Wilderness
- Ampersand Mountain
- Cascade Mountain
- Porter Mountain from Cascade Mountain (avoid all other approaches)
- Big Slide
- The Brothers
Debar Mt. Wild Forest
- Azure Mountain
Giant Mt. Wilderness
- Giant’s Washbowl
- Roaring Brook Falls
Hurricane Mountain Wilderness
- The Crows
McKenzie Mt. Wilderness
- Baker Mountain
- Haystack Mountain
Pharaoh Lake Wilderness Area
- Pharaoh Mountain
Saranac Lakes Wild Forest
- Panther Mountain
- Scarface Mountain