Early this spring, we risked the bugs to go down to Tupper Lake, NY, and start working on the Tupper Lake Triad. To finish the challenge, we hiked Goodman Mountain, then Coney Mountain.
Coney Mountain was great! It was short, but a bit rockier than the others so our kids enjoyed the additional challenge of trying to step on every single rock they saw on their way up the mountain.
Our 5-year-old daughter hiked up this mountain easily, and we got some beautiful views at the top!
On the summit of Coney Mountain.
The Tupper Lake Triad
In order to complete the Tupper Lake Triad, there are 3 mountains that you must hike. It doesn’t matter what order you do them in, time of year, or how long it takes you to finish all three! Although there IS a special patch for people who complete all 3 in the winter.
Mount Arab: 3.2 km roundtrip, elevation gain – 229 metres
Coney Mountain: 3.5 km roundtrip, elevation gain- 171 metres
Goodman Mountain: 5.5 km roundtrip, elevation gain- 177 metres
The Tupper Lake Triad is, in my opinion, the easiest hiking challenge in the Adirondacks. It’s perfect for beginner hikers and kids!
Quick Facts
Length: 3.5 km
Difficulty: Easy
Trailhead Coordinates: 44.100612, -74.529776
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
Coney Mountain is quite close to Goodman mountain. You can use these coordinates to get to the trailhead: 44.100612, -74.529776. The parking lot is just off of Highway 30, with space for about 10 cars. There is no washroom or garbage cans at the trailhead.
Near the back of the parking lot is the trail register, and immediately beyond that the trail begins.
The beginning of the trail up Coney Mountain.
The Trail
Today, we would be following blue markers along the trail to the summit.
The trail was easy to follow, as it was well worn into the dirt. At first, it wasn’t too technical, although it began heading uphill immediately. Then just 100 metres in we crossed over a small footbridge and the trail became quite rocky.
Look for these trail markers.
The trail alternated between hard-packed dirt and rocks as we gently ascended the mountain. There were also some cool little bridges, and a set of stairs along the way.
Then once we had hiked 1.3 km, we hiked through a little valley between two rock faces, before reaching the steepest section of trail. The trail wound behind the rock face to our right, bringing us behind it and up to the summit.
Getting closer to the top.
The Summit
Despite this next part of trail being the toughest, it was still quite manageable. And it only lasted about 300 metres. Then we found ourselves facing a big open rock face that we traversed just before reaching the summit, having hiked about 1.75 km.
The summit of Coney Mountain was wide open, with views on all sides. It was also mostly comprised of open rock face, and was quite large- so we were able to let the kids wander a little more than they had on Goodman Mountain.
We spent some time up top and then got both kids in their carriers so we could bring them down quickly.
Heading back.
Trail Thoughts
By the time we arrived back at the parking lot we had hiked a total of 3.3 km according to my Garmin. We covered that distance in 2 hours and 10 minutes. But the bulk of that time was spent walking slowly UP with our kids. Once we carried them and moved at our own pace, things moved along a lot more quickly. I think we got back down from the summit in about 30 minutes.
Coney Mountain was probably the most “kid friendly” off all the hikes in the Tupper Lake Triad, just because the rocks and small footbridges along the trail really kept things interesting for them. And the summit was much safer than some others I’ve been on with my kids.
So Coney Mountain made for an awesome hike, and for 2/3 mountains for our Tupper Lake Triad hiking challenge!
Our kids loved the rockier sections of trail.
Map and Elevation Gain
My GPS tracked route along the trail.
Whenever I’m hiking somewhere new, I tend to wonder about who was on, and who took care of that land before me. I’ve enjoyed using this website as a place to start learning more about the Indigenous people whose land I’m on: Native-land.ca.
Elevation gain.
Gear We Brought
For The Kids
MEC Shuttlecraft Kid Carrier (for our toddler)
Bug net to cover the toddler’s carrier
TULA Toddler Carrier (for our 5 year old)
Insect shield pants for our daughter (they shield from ticks!)
Hydro Flask water bottles (insulated so our toddler’s milk stays cold and doesn’t leak everywhere)
Sun Bum sunscreen
Bug spray
Snacks!
Rain jacket and pants for our daughter
MEC Newt Suit for our son’s rain gear
Rainboots from Walmart that were AWFUL and kept falling off while we carried them. Note to self to upgrade these.
Smarties (for bribing)
For Us
Map
Compass
Bear bell
Hiking Boots (mine are Keen)
MEC hiking poles
Fjallraven hiking trousers (so many pockets, and good stretch!)
Polyester long sleeve top
Rab 4 Ultra lite emergency shelter (this link is for the 2 person)
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!)
Nalgene water bottle
MEC Aquanator rain pants (these fold up small and aren’t very heavy so you can easily stash them in your pack)
Arc’teryx rain jackets
