A really fascinating place to visit for a decent hike/ tour. It's a self guided tour after you grab…read moreyour tickets inside the gift shop. There are some pretty incredible views & a few astounding caves you can explore. The trail features quite a bit of stairs & winding paths so come prepared (eg. walking stick if need be). We saw plenty of families, children & seniors on the trail so it's suitable for an array of people. We saved the coolest part for last: cracking open a few geodes. This is completely random but it's enchanting to wait & see what color is inside! We love this place.

Such a great day for kids while in the Adirondacks! The geode popping and activities at the end of…read morethe trail were fun.

Beautiful views! I'm 55 and in fair shape, so the hike got a little daunting towards the top (got…read morea little steep), but the views at the top make it well worth the sweat and panting! A huge plus is that you are protected from the sun by the shade of beautiful trees the entire hike!

The 2-hour hike and 3-hour drive was worth the view we were able to see at the top! The only…read moredownfall to this hike was that it was SUPER muddy but we still continued to hike. The weather was also nice as it peaked in the high 60's.

This is one of those things you shouldn't review because you don't want it overloaded with others,…read morewhere the selfish gene blooms. But, this is also one of those things you must-must-must review because it's the best damn thing God & Mother Nature ever could have birthed. And, sure, reviewing a trail seems strange, but this is the Adirondacks -- and there's a fine chance someone is looking for the hike of their life; this is it. I've hiked a bit, yes, but I've never climbed a mountain, let alone two -- and that's what this trail offers. All told you'll be ascending just about 8,700 feet of elevation (yeah, I know, in one hike). You can "bag 2" of the 46 peaks over 4,000 ft. elev are on this trail. If you hike in on the West end (like us) you'll climb Giant Mtn. 11 miles later you'll end up on the East end if you hike through (the key to this is to have a loving partner / family member / neighbor move your vehicle from where you hike in over to where you hike out so you can hike through rather than back track -- there's also the drop off, pick up option too). I'll leave the dirty details for when you dive in to this (and, really, you can just dive in as I did: I hadn't hiked in 4 years, and not exercised in nearly a year and I pulled it off, so you can, too.) Beyond human will, what's the driving force? Companionship on the trail, the fact you get to the peak of a mountain twice, and then the endless payoffs of 360º views for just about 50% of the trail. (Really: the photo set I added is a panorama of the trail from Bald Mountain, a little over halfway through the trail). It's called Ridge Trail for a reason. You spend a majority of the time on rocky ridges overlooking the 6 million acres of the ADK, Lake Champlaign and Vermont. If you time your hike right (late July to mid-August) you'll come across Blueberry Cobble where wild mountain blueberries blossom. There's also a 3000+ ft. alpine lake -- Lake Mary Louise to "water up." Bring a water filter. Overnight camping areas are super limited, and considering the difficulty of the trail you'll want to leave packing in gear for the well-versed and fit (cobble is an option for an overnight). If you hike in at 730am, plan to hike out around 530pm (however if you're the amazing guy in red that trekked this trail in just about 6 hours total, I think, that we came across, I'm super impressed and I should've high-fived you). You'll traverse 11 miles of some of the best nature views of your life. Consider the steep, narrow 4 hour rocky, rooty descent before you take this on. Going down a mountain can be easily overlooked, and this is a painstaking descent that takes a massive amount of mental focus. If you do take it on, the mental, emotional, phyiscal and spiritual clarity that happens will carry through the rest of your life. And, believe it or not, you'll be ready to do it all over again. This was my first ever hike in the Adirondacks, and it's far beyond novice or intermediate, and I like that. There's no better introduction to this mountain range to inspire someone -- like me -- to become a 46'er by the time I'm 46. Two down!

This is the perfect example of a place where burgers and done right. No idea who the chef is behind…read morethis place, but honestly the crispiest buns I have ever seen! The pickles, burger patties, even the soda were all just incredibly deep fried to PERFECTION! Lots of room for improvement... it's pretty alright. The hostess kept giving me strange looks and telling me that I needed to leave, and that I looked "unwell" and "sick" but it's a free country and she did not receive much of a tip. 10/10 would recommend highly

A great hike of moderate difficulty. The summit is lovely, with beautiful views of Lake George and…read morethe surrounding mountains. Some areas of the trail are fairly eroded, but there were crews there working to protect the trail and divert water. Even with a full parking lot, the hike was long enough that we didn't see people very often along the way. We saw some families with little ones, but none near the top, so I'm not sure how far they made it. This wouldn't be an easy hike carrying kids, and I don't think most kids under 10 would stick it through to the end. A few portions are pretty steep, so it'd be tough on little legs. The one downside is that apparently Dacy Clearing Road isn't always fully open to vehicles, so rather than parking closer to the trailhead, you may have a few extra miles to walk on a gravel road. This takes your roundtrip from approximately 5 miles to roughly 8.

One of the most beautiful places I've hiked in. The view from the summit is spectacular on a sunny…read moresummer day, and probably even better in the fall. The hike to the top can be long or short, depending on your skill level, and how you want it to be. If you choose to do a longer hike, you can park at the Hogtown parking lot at the bottom. If you choose the shorter path ( 1.8 mi) to the summit, you must drive further down a dirt path (if the gate to go further is open) for another mile or so and park at the Dacy clearing. The hike itself is not bad. It can be a little rocky and steep, but if you're in average shape, you should be okay. It is for the average to moderate hikers. There were a lot of families with smaller children and dogs when I went. It's definitely something a family can enjoy. If you go on a nice day, I would recommend bringing lunch or snacks with you. It was really nice to eat with a view of the Adirondacks, and Lake George.

One of the best 46 high peak hikes I've done so far. Giant Mountain is challenging, but doable even…read morefor first time mountain hikers as long as they are in decent cardiovascular shape. The best thing about Giant Mountain is that most of the hike is along a ridge line so you're getting into the gorgeous scenery early on. Time-wise I would plan for 5-7hour round trip with some time for breaks, but if you're a fast hiker you could probably do it even sooner. We caught some wild blueberries on the trail in early August which we ate and got some sustenance for the way up. I thought some of the views on the journey up were even better than the actual summit giving credence to the saying: it's about the journey, not the destination.

We love climbing the 46. Giant was my 10th peak. It was nice because it gets right to business, up!…read more3.4 miles puts you to the top, and then you can go on to Rocky if you want with an additional 2.4 round trip, which took us over an hour moving at a quick pace. Enjoy this peak!

Peaceful wooded area surrounding the rushing river. Easy to navigate. Good parking lot. Part of the…read moreAppalachian Trail.

Look at me, parking the van and going for a semi-random walk in the woods. Yes, there is parking…read morehere for the Clarendon Gorge Appalachian Trailhead which meets up with the Long Trail (which runs through Vermont from the Massachusetts border to Canada and the Appalachian Trail. About a tenth of a mile down a well worth path from the trailhead is the Clarendon Gorge Bridge (which is also called the "Bob Brugmann Memorial Bridge" after a hiker who attempted to cross the raging river below but fell and died) that wobbles 30 feet or so over the riverbed. Yes, wobbles. It is a cable-suspension bridge and it was built in 1975 to replace an earlier bridge that was washed away in a flood in 1973. I expected it to be even wobblier but it has netting to keep you safe and the anchors look quite solid. Note that it's quite a drop into the riverbed from either side and there are no railings or protections to stop you from doing something stupid. Also, there is wildlife. Never hike alone and always bring a friend! [Review 18464 overall - 64 in Vermont - 1986 of 2022.]

One of my favorite hikes in the high peak region -- it's a great starter one to those interested in…read moredoing a high peak. You combine it with Porter to get two mountains off your list, for the "physical price" of doing one! This is a gentle mountain, but still should not be taken lightly as it is a high peak and it will challenge you, no matter how fit you might be. I've climbed this in the summer 2-3 times and at least 2-3 times in the winter. I prefer doing it in the winter personally for less crowds and beautiful ice covered pine sights and an Arctic wonderland, but either one is gorgeous. Parking is free, but limited...come early to try to snag a spot. Doing both mountains will only add an hour or so to your total hike time, so don't be afraid to tackle both even if you might be tired after hitting Cascade. I think Cascade is good to hit first and then head over to Porter, but honestly either one will work well. Plan 3-8hours round trip, depending on your level of physical ability. Come prepared and know the conditions, talk to the rangers or other hikers so you know what to expect.

One of the 46 high peaks and known to be the easiest and quickest round trip hike! This means that…read moreyou should expect it to be the busiest as well! Early birds will get the parking spots, but during the warmer season, early may mean arriving before 6:30am for optimal parking! A phenomenal panoramic view that gives a great view from anywhere you decide to post up on the top for a quick snack. You can also hike this to mount porter which is another high peak of the 46er club! For avid hikers/trail runners, you could really round trip in under 2 hours. For new mountain hikers, best to expect a 4-5 hour trek for those who aren't use to the 2000 feet of elevation gain.

We did a quick 15-min hike to the falls and got a somewhat-slippery though gorgeous view of the…read morepowerful falls and all the ways the water has shaped and smoothed the rocks. Loved the up-close view of it all and the shade of the forest. 5 stars!!!!

So glad we did the short but somewhat challenging hike to see these during our visit to Stowe -…read moretotally worth it. We parked at the trailhead (plenty of space on a weekday afternoon). Had to be careful on the rocks but on the whole doable. Wasn't brave enough to jump into the waters but you could. No restrooms that we saw so plan accordingly.

If you are looking to hike and summit Mount Killington, Bucklin Trail is a wonderful option. Much…read moremore of a traditional hike (as opposed to climbing the ski trails on the resort), the path is well-marked and well-maintained. It is approximately 7.5 miles round trip to the summit and back. It is marked with blue blazes that are easy to follow. To find the trailhead, you must turn down Wheelerville Road off Route 4... keep in mind that this is an unpaved road. After approximately 4 miles, you will reach a sharp turn in the road. There is a turnoff to the left with a decent sized area for parking. The trail begins here and remains relatively flat for almost 2 miles. It follows Brewers Brook for some time, with a couple of bridge crosses over its rocky waters. After the initial 2 miles, the trail begins to climb more steeply until it joins the Appalachian and Long Trail (follow the white blazes for this section). Along this section is Cooper Lodge, a refuge for backpackers... built in 1939, it is the highest shelter on the Long Trail. Unfortunately it was covered in graffiti (I mean really... who brings spray paint 4,000 feet up a mountain?). To end the hike you scramble up the last and steepest part of the climb, emerging from the treeline to a panoramic view of the surrounding Green Mountains. It took about 3.5-4 hours of actual trekking to complete the hike. I am not a fast hiker by any means and took several breaks along the way (especially as it got steep!). Beware of the black flies that swarm in the spring/early summer. Overall, I was very pleased with this hike. Waterfalls, rivers, bridges, panoramic views. Doesn't get better than that!