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.

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

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.

This was a great and challenging hike up Mt. Marcy, completed on a clear and warm October weekend…read moreday (low 40, high 76). We arrived at 6:00 AM, which was unfortunately just a few minutes too late to secure a spot at the trailhead parking lot. This meant adding an extra mile or so to our roundtrip due to having to park down the road. By the time we finished in the early afternoon, the line of parked cars seemed to stretch for a couple of miles. We began the hike in the dark with headlamps at 6:30 AM and kept a steady pace with minimal and very brief breaks. Our roundtrip hiking time was 6 hours, not including time spent enjoying the summit. Depending on fitness level and break frequency, hikers should generally plan for a total time of 7-9 hours. Conditions at the summit were perfect: clear with a light wind, and the views were absolutely amazing.

Van Hoevenberg Trail offers beautiful views and a rewarding hike to its 2,940-foot summit. The…read more4.4-mile round trip is moderately challenging. It's perfect for a solid workout without being too intense. Scenic, well-marked, and not overly crowded. Had an awesome time!

Beautiful part of Vermont for a short, scenic hike and dog friendly. If you are in the area most…read moredefinitely stop by and see this wonder! In the summer it's crawling with swimmers and the fall is just hiking but bring water proof boots. Pictures don't do it justice!

Came here on a morning before the crowds came and, being midweek and at the end of summer, there…read morestill were not a lot of people as the morning wore on. There are arrows on the path pointing you in the direction(s) you want to go. Boulders are pretty slippery, so watch your step. The river water, almost turquoise in color, was. as expected, very cold but super refreshing, Waterfalls were mesmerizing. Lots of places on the riverbank & even the riverbed to hang out in the sun, or, of course, dive into the deeper swimming holes. There is a small parking lot, dogs have to be leashed, and carry out what you bring in.

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.

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.

Wow ! What a hidden gem ! We were visiting Ludlow VT and saw this fall . Kids wanted to enjoy…read morewater and this was a perfect choice for us . The water was colddddddddddd though. Ufff . Very cold . The first dip was tough ! Later once you get use of it , it felt a bit better . Pathway was a bit crazy , in some places .it is about a 2 mile walk but we just went not too far : .. the lower and middle falls is also accessible from car parking lots outside . Parking is outside and sometimes you have to park 5-8 mins away from the falls . Not much of restrooms around . Lots of dogs in the water :) It was an amazing tint though ! Loved it . 5 stars !

As we were staying near Ludlow, I had put this on our schedule as a "check it out whenever time…read morepermits" item. We drove back after visiting some places to the north, and were passing this around 4 p.m. so we checked it out. This was in early October and the sun was just starting to go down. Though it was pre-dusk, it would be better to visit this site in full sunlight. There are 3 separate falls (the creatively named upper, middle, and lower). You access them from the main highway via a side road that starts as paved but soon becomes (good) dirt/gravel. The total length is less than 2 miles. You first get to a wide spot / parking area from which you can access the middle and lower falls. A trail leads down a hill where you must choose which falls to visit. The middle falls is impressive. It is probably the easiest one to access. The area from which you have the best view is a bit rocky, but navigable. It makes for nice photos. The lower falls appeared accessible from a side trail that descended a bit more steeply. You can also see it from above (somewhat) without descending. It appeared smaller and less photogenic than the middle falls. We then drove another 1/4 mile up the road (to its end) to check out the upper falls. There is a sharp short descent from the road to the top of the falls. It appeared to have a fairly large pool at the bottom and a flat dirt/sand area where some people had laid out a blanket for a picnic. The light was fading more so we skipped walking down the relatively gentle slope to check it out further. If you are in the area and have time, this is a nice spot to visit. It is within 3 miles of Ludlow. I cannot comment on what the swimming is like, but I saw references to that online (during summers, I guess).