Bald Mountain is rated an easy trail to do with families around Old Forge. My family with teens…read moredecided to hike this trail and said it was super fun. They liked the climbing the boulders, ledges and roots. It does take some balance and finesse to navigate the trail. Some difficult areas have herd trails next to it to help with the steep portions if you're unable to climb. It would be difficult for anyone with mobility issues or balance issues. 3 areas with breath taking views. The full trip is 1.8 miles with a steep incline a few steps in and then some ups and down in the trail. It took our family 28 minutes to hike up. This was with stops to take pictures and 34 minutes to hike down. Descending is more of a challenge. Registration book and pencil at the beginning of the trail to sign in. I would use caution during a wet season or early morning dew.

REALLY enjoyed my hike the other weekend!!…read more I didn't know what to expect because of the number of people this mountain attracts but I was really happy during the hike because it wasn't as crowded as I thought. It was like the perfect amount of hike! The views were gorg and amazing!! We had to wait in line for like 20 minutes to climb up the lookout, but it was totally worth it for the pic and the view! Really beautiful, will be back for sure! Also - be careful parking on the side of the road, the cops wait to give out tickets after people park..

Absolutely beautiful. Loved every minute of trekking through the caves, bridges and trails. This is…read morea must see attraction in the Adirondacks and a great way to see the natural landscape. Grab a walking stick and get ready for a fun outdoorsy adventure and don't forget to check out the gem & gift shops on the way out!

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.

This was the first high peak we climbed and wow did it pay off! This is often considered the best…read morebeginner high peak but it was still very tough for us given that we were out of shape. Parts of ot are very steep and can be difficult in wet conditons. Cascade is great because if you can push yourself a little more, you can double back to see Porter mountain's peak as well! The view was absolutely breathtaking and I would recommend it to anyone looking for a challenging hike!

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.

The wife and I came here after hearing about it for a couple of years. She had found out about it…read moreonline, and I saw their scale model promotional displays in downtown Albany. So, we made a daytrip of coming up north. It was pretty cold and overcast in early October, but we still had a good time. When we arrived on a weekday there were only a dozen or so other people around. We practically had the place to ourselves. We first watched the four otters swim in the pools (brr) and play on the tubes. One really seemed to like me, and we both shared the name Louis, so we hit it off from the start. I liked him more than the otters (!), but I think he just came to the fence to see me because he thought I was going to feed him. Then, we saw the staff with their "mystery" public interaction animal... a porcupine. She seemed hungry and grumpy, and spent the time eating food. I guess if I was trotted outside in the 40-degree weather I would be upset too. We went for a walk in the woods and heard music piped on speakers in the trees. My wife made a comment about it feeling like an anime or RPG experience, and I think she was right. It was odd, though enjoyable. We then walked around on the elevated paths in the woods and looked out of the bird's nest towers and spider's nest (yuck). There were swinging bridges and other interactive things for kids of all ages. Again, it was cold or we might have spent more time looking at them. They had indoor exhibits which were closed due to the pandemic (boo), but on a day like this they are very much needed to help recharge and get warm. It was a good time, despite being chilly. The views were great, but my glasses kept fogging up from the masks so I couldn't see as much as I would have liked. It is a great park seemingly in the middle of nowhere, and very far from where we live. But, I would like to return in warmer weather to experience it again.

We had an incredible time here! The indoor area is not to be missed! So many unique hands-on…read moredisplays, sea otters, ugly fish, collections of fungi and interesting plants. The outdoor walk is a breathtaking walk through the treetops with unbeatable views. My 5 year old also loved the outdoor loose part natural play area. The whole adventure is a lot of fun for both kids and adult. Also very responsible with covid policies!

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 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!

10 miles of open trails that are perfect for the summer, to walk, hike or bike. Choose between 20…read moretrails - easy, moderate or hard. Trail 1 - Corridor 0.3 miles (Easy) Trail 2 - Delta 0.4 miles (Easy) Trail 3 - Bluff 0.4 miles ( Moderate) Trail 4 - Corridor Loop 0.4 miles (Easy) Trail 5 - Cedar 0.4 miles (Moderate) Trail 7 - River 0.4 miles (Easy) Trail 8 - Marble Mountain 0.6 mile (Moderate) Trail 9 - Erratic 0.3 mile (Moderate) Trail 10 - Ridge is 1.5 miles (Hard) Trail 11 - Flume Knob 1.0 miles & hiking trail only Trail 12 - Bear Den Mountain 1.2 miles & hiking trail Trail 19 - Whiteface Upper Connector 1.0 miles (Hard) Trail 20 - Whiteface Lower Connector 0.9 miles (Easy) We did a mix of trails and the River, Corridor loop, Flume Knob and Whiteface Lower connector were a lot of fun and also very scenic. Remember to apply bug spray generously and carry some with you - we met many a pesky mosquitoes en route! Also there are no public rest rooms on site.

Great hike. Picturesque views. Lots of areas to take a dip and swim. Don't forget the bug sprayread more