Easy-ish Hikes in the Adirondacks, NY

The Adirondacks are one of my favorite places to hike! But since I only started hiking as an adult, and most of my time is spent on the flat ground of Ottawa, ON, the Adirondacks do still feel a bit intimidating to me.

And over the past five years, the challenge of hiking in the region has increased as we grew our family but wanted to keep hiking. The best thing about the added challenge of hiking with kids is that it’s introduced us to Adirondack hikes we might not have considered before. Looking for shorter, easier hikes we could complete with our little ones in tow has gotten us out on some amazing trails and gotten us some unexpectedly amazing views too.

We’ve also recently started hiking more during the winter in the Adirondacks, and that adds a whole other element of challenge! If, like us, you’re new to hiking in the mountains in the winter, it may benefit you to start with some of these shorter hikes before tackling anything too challenging!

Here are the easiest hikes we’ve done in the Adirondacks:

Saranac Lake

Panther Mountain- A 1 Mile Hike Near Saranac Lake, NY | Adventure Report
Length: 1.6 km roundtrip
Difficulty: Easy
Trailhead Coordinates: 44.230852, -74.335404
Washroom at Trailhead: No
Dogs Allowed: Yes
Open in Winter: Yes
Why This Hike is Awesome: I think this is the shortest trail I’ve ever hiked in the Adirondacks, making it perhaps one of the easiest! The view from the summit is nice, and it was a perfect hike for us when we hiked it way back with our daughter who was only about six months old, and we were still getting used to hiking with a baby!

Baker Mountain- A 2.1 Mile Hike Near Saranac Lake, NY | Adventure Report
Length: 3.4 km
Difficulty: Easy
Trailhead Coordinates:  44.331405, -74.115836
Washroom at Trailhead: No. And there’s no parking allowed near the summit either. It’s recommended you start your hike downtown, which only adds on another mile or so.
Dogs Allowed: Yes
Open in Winter:  Yes
Why This Hike is Awesome: This was the first mountain summit my daughter was ever on as a baby! And recently, we hiked Baker Mountain in order to complete our winter Saranac 6er. As far as mountains go, this hike is nice and easy. In the summer the trail is really easy to follow because its so popular that its worn well into the dirt. In the winter, the markers are few and far between. There’s also no sign at the summit, making it hard to tell once you’ve reached it. And the view has grown in over the last 5 years, so while there’s not much of a view from the summit there are a few nice ones on the way up.

Tupper Lake

Coney Mountain- a 3.5 km Hike in Tupper Lake, NY | Adventure Report
Length: 3.5 km roundtrip
Difficulty: Easy
Trailhead Coordinates: 44.100612, -74.529776
Washroom at Trailhead: No
Dogs Allowed: Yes
Open in Winter: Yes
Why This Hike is Awesome: Coney Mountain is an easy hike with a huge, wide open summit! It’s part of the Tupper Lake Triad hiking challenge and we hiked it with our five-year-old and toddler, and they had tons of space to run around up top.

Goodman Mountain- a 5.4 km Hike in Tupper Lake, NY | Adventure Report
Length: 5.4 km roundtrip
Difficulty: Easy
Trailhead Coordinates:  44.115630, -74.535882
Washroom at Trailhead: No
Dogs Allowed: Yes
Open in Winter: Yes
Why This Hike is Awesome: Despite the roundtrip length being 5.4 km, Goodman Mountain is definitely one of the easiest hikes I’ve completed in the Adirondacks. About half the trail is actually PAVED, and only has a gentle incline. So for half the hike it’s SO easy, and then the hike up to the summit itself really isn’t too bad either. At the top, there’s a beautiful view and a bit of open rock face you can sit down on to enjoy it. So I highly recommend! Goodman Mountain is 1 of the 3 mountains you have to hike to finish the Tupper Lake Triad.

Mount Arab- A 3.2 km Hike Near Tupper Lake, NY | Adventure Report
Length: 3.2 km Roundtrip
Difficulty: Easy
Trailhead Coordinates: 44.213710, -74.595837
Washroom at Trailhead: No
Dogs Allowed: Yes
Open in Winter: Yes
Why This Hike is Awesome: The hike to the top of Mount Arab is really quite easy compared to most hikes in the Adirondacks. And at the top, there’s a fire tower that you can climb for 360° views! Mount Arab is part of the Tupper Lake Triad, so we had an awesome weekend with our kids completing that challenge all together as a family. And as a bonus, it’s part of the Adirondack Fire Tower Challenge too, so if you love a hiking challenge as much as me, Mount Arab is a 2-for-1!

Lake Placid

Cobble Hill- A 3.1k Hike in Lake Placid, NY | Adventure Report
Length: 3.1 km roundtrip
Difficulty: Moderate- because of the one scramble involved!
Trailhead Coordinates: 44.293982, -73.974229
Washroom at Trailhead: No
Dogs Allowed: Yes
Open in Winter: Yes
Why This Hike is Awesome: Cobble Hill is the perfect hike for getting a taste of Adirondack hiking, without it being TOO tough! The one scramble on the trail is somehow intimidating but manageable all at the same time. And of course the views up top are beautiful! Cobble Hill is one of the 9 mountains that make up the Lake Placid 9er hiking challenge.

Mount Jo- A 2.1 Mile (3.4 km) Hike in the Adirondacks | Adventure Report
Length: 3.4 km roundtrip
Difficulty: Moderate– it’s short but steep!
Trailhead Coordinates: 44.181507, -73.965016.
Washroom at Trailhead: Yes
Dogs Allowed: Yes
Open in Winter: Yes
Why This Hike is Awesome: Mount Jo has a special place in my heart because we had professional photos taken with our daughter near the summit. The views near the top are beautiful, and this is an “easy” hike in the Adirondacks that is really quite steep and rocky. So it provides a degree of challenge that’s closer to many other hikes in the Adirondacks, but is still quite a short hike so it’s manageable in that sense. Parking can fill up quickly so plan to be at the trailhead EARLY!

Bear Den Mountain- A 5.9 km Hike in the Adirondacks, NY | Adventure Report
Length: 5.9 km Roundtrip
Difficulty: Moderate
Trailhead Coordinates: 44.359222, -73.858465 
Washroom at Trailhead: Yes
Dogs Allowed: Yes
Open in Winter: Yes
Why This Hike is Awesome: Bear Den Mountain is not a technical hike at all, and is REALLY well marked, so it’s almost impossible to get lost. For a relatively short round trip, you’re treated to 180° views at the summit, where there’s lots of room to sit and rest while you enjoy the view. Bear Den Mountain is also part of the Lake Placid 9er Hiking Challenge!

Baxter Mountain- A 2.4 Mile (3.8 Km.) Hike Near Lake Placid | Adventure Report
Length: 3.8 km roundtrip
Difficulty: Easy
Trailhead Coordinates:  44.220741, -73.749427
Washroom at Trailhead: No
Dogs Allowed: Yes
Open in Winter: Yes
Why This Hike is Awesome: For a short hike, this is another one where you can get a beautiful view. For the most part, the trail isn’t too steep or technical, employing switchbacks to get you up the mountainside in a gentle manner. But there are also a few sections with lots of rocks and steep incline, requiring big steps and getting your heart rate going. So Baxter is the best of both worlds!

Big Crow and Little Crow, a 4 km Hike Near Lake Placid, NY | Adventure Report
Length: 2 km roundtrip, or 4 km roundtrip, if you include Little Crow Mountain. But the trail gets a lot more challenging beyond the summit of Big Crow, and Little Crow has no views anyways so… its skippable.
Difficulty: Easy (if you skip Little Crow)
Trailhead Coordinates: 44.261436, -73.733408
Washroom at Trailhead: No
Dogs Allowed: Yes
Open in Winter: Yes
Why This Hike is Awesome: It’s a short, very steep hike up to the summit of Little Crow. So you get a bit of a challenge, but in a very short distance! The views are lovely, and Big Crow is another Mountain that counts towards the Lake Placid 9er Hiking Challenge.

Balanced Rocks, a 3.45 mile (5.8 km) Hike in the Adirondacks | Adventure Report
Length: 5.8 km roundtrip
Difficulty: Moderate– it’s easy(ish) because of the length, but I did find this hike a bit tough, so proceed with caution! It’s fairly steep, and there are a few spots that require some good footwork.
Trailhead Coordinates: 44.219277, -73.887048
Washroom at Trailhead: Yes
Dogs Allowed: Yes
Open in Winter: Yes
Why This Hike is Awesome: The Balanced Rocks share the trail to Pitchoff Mountain, and are a great option on their own, or if you were aiming for Pitchoff’s summit but got tired on the way. The views are stunning, and the two huge rocks sitting atop the wide open summit make for such a unique sight all on their own.

Cascade Mountain and Porter Mountain- A 6.4 Mile (10.2 km) Hike in the Adirondacks | Adventure Report
Length: 7.6 km (if you hike Cascade Mountain without Porter)
Difficulty: Moderate, due to the longer distance.
Trailhead Coordinates: 44.219123,-73.887520
Washroom at Trailhead: Yes
Dogs Allowed: Yes
Open in Winter: Yes
Why This Hike is Awesome: The summit of Cascade has major wow factor! After hiking just under 4 km, you reach the wide-open rock face of the summit, with its 360° views. It’s honestly phenomenal. Most people hike Cascade and Porter together because they’re both part of the 46 High Peaks Hiking Challenge, but if you’re just looking for some unreal views, Cascade Mountain is the mountain for you!

St. Regis Falls Region

Azure Mountain – A 3 km Hike in the Adirondacks | Adventure Report
Length: 3 km roundtrip
Difficulty: Easy
Trailhead Coordinates: 44.219123,-73.887520
Washroom at Trailhead: Yes
Dogs Allowed: Yes
Open in Winter: Yes
Why This Hike is Awesome: Azure Mountain is way north of many of the hikes in the Adirondacks, so if, like me, you’re coming from Ottawa it’s a fun short one to add in to the middle of your drive! Plus, the fire tower up top means it counts for the Adirondack Fire Tower Challenge, and the VIEWS from the fire tower are amazing.

Happy hiking, and remember to bring everything you need to stay out in the elements longer than you had originally planned! Slips and unexpected injuries can happen to anyone at anytime, and if you need a rescue you’ll want to be as comfortable and safe as possible while you wait.