Bear Den Mountain- A 5.9 km Hike in the Adirondacks, NY

This summer we got to spend a week RV camping in the Adirondacks with our kids. One of the things I love most about the Adirondacks is that you can go on some fairly short hikes and see some absolutely gorgeous views. We planned two trips for our hike that would be short but still a bit challenging for the whole family to do together, and then planned a couple of easier, more restful days. On these days we played at the beach, jumped in a local swimming hole, and tried (unsuccessfully) to catch minnows at Connery Pond.

Our first hike of the week was up Bear Den Mountain and it was SO stunning at the summit- even with half the view obscured by clouds. This hike was short compared to many, but still steep enough to be a workout! Our five-year-old hiked all the way up and then I carried her back down the mountain.

This summit had 180° views, and lots of open rock to sit and relax on. Amazing for adults and older kids! The rock face was quite uneven, so we did have to stay right on top of our 18-month-old to make sure he didn’t take a tumble. But sometimes that’s the price you pay for miles and miles of beauty spread out before you.

Quick Facts

Length:  5.9 km roundtrip
Difficulty: Moderate
Trailhead Coordinates: 44.359222, -73.858465 
Washroom at Trailhead: No
Dogs Allowed: Yes
Cell Reception: Spotty
Wheelchair Accessible: No
Parking: Right at the trailhead.
Cost: Free
Open in Winter: Yes

Getting There

The trailhead for Bear Den Mountain is near the Bear Den Lodge, close to the Whiteface Mountain Ski Slopes. So when we went in the summer time there was a TON of parking available, but I’m not sure what it would look like in the winter. There also weren’t that many people on the trail, but we were there during a weekday so that might change on the weekend.

There were charging stations for electric cars right near the trailhead which was cool, but no other facilities.

Parking was free, and we set out to the tree line ahead of us, having spotted the trailhead register. We crossed a short footbridge over the ditch, and signed in at the trailhead before setting out.

The Trail

The trail was quite wide at the beginning, and well-worn into the dirt. We spotted the standard red ADK trail markers, but also saw trail markers specific to Bear Den as we hiked along. After just 150 metres we reached a trail split. I had downloaded a map to my phone previously, and knew we had to stick with the trail ahead of us (instead of to our left).

We crossed three tiny little streams as we continued gently uphill, and then one short footbridge over a section of trail that probably saw more water in the spring. At 800 metres we reached a second trail split. Off to our right were the Flume Trails, while the Bear Den Mountain Trail continued on straight ahead of us once again.

Uphill

The first kilometre had been a very gentle hike, and then we began to head uphill more earnestly. There were a few steep hills that alternated with more level terrain as we continued along, and rocks and roots here and there but nothing that was too much for our 5-year-old to manage.

At 2.6 kms there was another sign posted for Bear Den Mountain and I was huffing and puffing as I had started carrying our toddler. So while this hike is fairly easy… it’s still a workout! By this point I was ready to see the summit.

Fortunately, we started to see the landscape shift to what is typical of Adirondack summits. A bit more moss, and shorter, stubby trees. We made our way around some open rock face, then another steep section of open rock face… and then we were at the summit!

The Summit

The views opened up right ahead of us and were absolutely gorgeous. We had hiked about 2.8 kms to get to the summit and it had taken us about 2 hours and 15 minutes, hiking at our 5-year-old’s pace.

The summit was an open rockface, but not large, and made up of different large boulders. So the footing was uneven and we made sure to stay right near our 2-year-old to make sure he stayed safe.

We found a nice place to sit and enjoyed our lunch, while soaking in the beauty of the Adirondack wilderness. Even in late August, temperatures at the top of the mountain were much colder than at the bottom, and I was glad I had packed the kids sweaters. Despite sweating buckets on the way up, I was a bit chilled too, so make sure you plan for changing temperatures on your hikes in the Adirondacks!

After a bit of time resting at the summit, and a few pictures, we put both kids in a carrier and headed back down.

Trail Thoughts

By the time we got back to the parking lot we had hiked a total of 5.9 km, and it had taken us 3 hours and 47 minutes. So while it took us over 2 hours to get UP the mountain, carrying both kids down only took us about an hour.

We really loved this hike, and our daughter said it was her favorite out of the two “big” hikes we completed with her during our vacation.

It’s definitely one that’s a great choice for families visiting the Adirondacks. We actually saw a few other kids and babies along the trail that day which is always nice, but it was still quiet enough that we had the summit all to ourselves for a time.

Gear We Brought

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Hiking Boots
Hiking Poles
MEC Shuttlecraft Kid Carrier for our toddler
Tula Preschool Carrier for our big kid (they’re good up to 60 lbs!)
Bug Net for the Shuttlecraft (it’s designed for a stroller)
Bug Spray
Sunscreen
First Aid Kit
Map + Compass
Garmin inReach (this is a satellite communication device we bring with us everywhere, just in case there’s no reception and we need to call for emergency help!)
Water and lunch + snacks
Sweaters for everyone for the summit (the kids wore their MEC Fireside Fleece sweaters– my daughter has worn these since she was a year old because they’re one of two sweaters she’ll actually wear)