200 miles of trails

Take a switchback trail up the mountain with occasional views. Then, hike on old mountain road with great views of Broughton Ledges. Follow the loop back to the switchback trail down to the trailhead.

How to get there

From the east: At intersection of Windy Hill Rd and Ensign Pond Rd, go west on Ensign Pond Rd for 2.3 miles.

From the west: At NYS Rt 9, go east on Casa Turn Rd about 0.2 mi to Ensign Pond Rd. Go east on Ensign Pond Rd for 7.5 mi

Hiking

The Broughton Ledges Trail is a five-mile loop.

Owl Head Lookout is a true hidden gem, and should not be overlooked! In any season, but especially in fall, the views of the sweeping forest will absolutely take your breath away. 

Getting there

From the intersection of Route 9 and Route 9N in Elizabethtown, the trailhead is less than 5 miles away. Follow Route 9N toward Keene for 4.5 miles to a parking lot on the left.

This is a wonderful open peak with a fire tower that is being restored and can now be climbed, even though the tower is not needed for some of the best views in the High Peaks. There are three separate approaches to this peak. Hurricane Mountain is 3,678 feet.

Hiking

From Route 9N

Crane Pond is a beautiful gem in the Pharaoh Lake Wilderness. 

How to get there

Take Route 74 from Ticonderoga to Route 9. Follow Route 9 south, toward Schroon Lake. In just over a half mile, take a left onto Alder Meadow Road, follow it for about 2.2 miles, then turn onto Crane Pond Road. Follow that for 1.5 miles to the large parking area at the end of the road. Crane Pond Road is typically not in very good condition so be prepared for a longer walk or ski if it is not drivable. 

This may seem like a long ways from the south end of the Champlain Valley, but it’s that good of a hike that’s it’s worth the extra drive time to reach it. We have to stress that the trailhead is difficult to find so follow the directions above closely and print out the brochure to have in hand. The preserve is maintained by the Lake George Land Conservancy (LGLC) and the NYSDEC and is made up of two loops with excellent payoffs. 

Deer Leap is more of a cliff over the lake and resides lower than the actual hill. Brown Mountain isn’t all that far away making for a nice destination to add onto your day. 

Getting there

From the intersection of Route 9N and Route 74 in Ticonderoga, follow Route 9N south toward Hague continue for around 18-miles to the trailhead for Deer Leap on the left. Parking is on the right.