| Hadley Mountain | |
|---|---|
|
Hadley Mountain
|
|
| Elevation | 2,653 ft (809 m) [1] |
| Location | |
| Range | Adirondack Mountains |
| Topo map | USGS Stony Creek Quadrangle (summit), Conklingville Quadrangle (trailhead) |
Hadley Mountain is a mountain located in the southern Adirondacks of New York State. The Hadley Mountain Fire Observation Station was listed on the National Register of Historic Places[2] on September 23, 2001 for its role as a Fire lookout tower with the New York State Forest Preserve. Hadley Mountain is the highest of the three peaks that form the West Mountain ridge.
Contents |
Located in the Town of Hadley, Saratoga County, New York, the trailhead parking area is located approximately 1.5 miles along Tower Road, which off branches from Hadley Hill Road. Trailhead parking can accommodate 10-15 vehicles.
Hadley Mountain is a popular short hike (1.8 miles) with outstanding views of the Southern Adirondack Mountains and especially the Great Sacandaga Lake.[3]
The only trail begins from the trailhead parking area, passing the Historical Marker and begins an immediate climb. The hiking register is reached within seconds of leaving the trailhead. A moderate climb following red trail markers leads through woodland on a mostly bedrock trail. Crossing back and forth over a small creek (dry in summer), the trail continues steeply past interesting boulders and cliffs to a level shoulder at about 1.0 mile. Following this brief gentle section the trail steepens and continues mostly on bedrock to the summit. Outstanding panoramas can be viewed from clearings along the final 0.5 mile to the summit. Descent is via the same trail.
The summit of Roundtop Mountain may be reached via a 0.8m bushwhack from the summit of Hadley Mountain by heading NNE. In Winter this is a popular snowshoe trail due to access and length of trail to summit.
Significant fires in the early 1900s resulted in the first fire tower being built in 1916. This wooden tower was replaced with a steel tower in 1920, followed by a staffed cabin for a ranger. The tower was closed in 1990, but restored and staffed seasonally beginning again in 1996.[1] A historical marker was added to the site in 1999 detailing a brief history of the tower.