Adirondack Family Time™

At the trail register to the Cascade Lake trail, Eagle Bay (Inlet, NY) My family is always looking for those easy Adirondack hikes that still give us a workout and view, but still gets us back to town at a relatively early hour. We still love camping and racking up the 46ers, but we always have time to introduce friends to beautiful easy hikes that are fun for all ages, levels and abilities.  One such hike is the loop trail around Cascade Lake in Eagle Bay (Inlet). It is also an opportunity to cross one activity off the list that gets you closer to earning a badge and your name added to the Inlet Outdoor Family Challenge list*. trail map for Cascade Lake trail loop and Cascade Falls, Inlet NY This 4.9-mile loop hike is located near Eagle Bay and just a few miles south of Inlet, NY. Sometimes a bit muddy, the trail is relatively level path that can be down in two shorter excursions or a longer loop trail. The first 1.1-mile section is a multi-use trail. We encou...

Recently we had to pick up my son from a Nike tennis camp at Colgate University . Since the drive from our house is a lofty 4.5 hours, we needed a place to unwind, stretch our legs and decompress. The beginning of the Vista trail at Bubb and Sis Lake trail, Eagle Bay, NY A favorite hike located between Eagle Bay and Old Forge (NY) is a stroll to Bubb and Sis Lakes. The options are pretty wide open depending on the timeframe from a short hike to a lengthy walk. We weren't under any time crunch, but we'd hiked the Vista trail before and hiked around Moss Lake so we choose to just have lunch on the shoreline of Sis Lake. The hike starts from Rt. 28, about 1.5-miles west of Eagle Bay. Turn north into the parking area. There are two handicap accessible spots so anyone can access the nearby Tobie trail. The only mildly challenging section of the trail is the first 0.2-mile. The trail gains most of its elevation within those first tenth of a mile. My GPS read that it was ab...

newly renovated Stillwater Mountain Fire Tower Stillwater Mountain Fire Tower Hike Distance = 1.0-mile one way Elevation = 2,244' Vertical Ascent = 470' After many years of the Stillwater Mountain Fire tower only being accessible through private lands, the new 1.0-mile trail is now open to the public. My family has not completed the Adirondack Firetower Challenge, but we do enjoy a beautiful hike to a beautiful view and the Stillwater Mountain Fire Tower fits the bill. We've been told by friends that the trail is finally finished after hours of volunteer work by the Friends of Stillwater Mountain. We drive through Inlet to get to Eagle Bay, It's always such a beautiful place so the ride is always a delight. The old trail started near the Observer's Cabin on Stillwater Rd and was marked by pink flagging tape. The new trail has a new parking area, signage with bridge crossings and even a picnic table at the summit. Stillwater Mountain new parkin...

Bald Mountain Fire Tower was restored and reopened in 2005 Bald Mountain (Rondaxe)  Location  = Between Eagle Bay and Old Forge (NY) Distance  = 1.0 mile Elevation  = 2,350' Vertical Ascent = 390' By Diane Chase My son plans on giving me the Adirondack Kids ® version of a climb up Bald Mountain. There are nine books to date in the middle reader series by father/son authors Gary and Justin VanRiper. I am getting the synopsis and walking tour all in one climb to the summit. Looking down from the top of the Bald Mountain fire tower! My daughter isn’t interested in the book tour; she is on a quest of her own. Sometimes I believe she is channeling my grandmother with her apron over a charmingly old-fashioned dress that is only suitable for the very old or very young. Her floppy hat and purse complete her walking outfit. The beaded handbag causes a bit of stir but she has managed to fit in a granola bar and bottle of water. She flings it over her shou...