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Hike to Indian Head in the Adirondacks

Keene Valley, New York

Details

Elevation Gain

2700 ft

Route Type

Out-and-Back

Description

Added by Timothy Behuniak

This is a very scenic day hike in any time of year right off of Rte. 73.

Starting at St. Huberts Parking Area/Trailhead, start hiking along the dirt road which eventually becomes a paved one near the golf course. Turn left next to the tennis courts and you'll reach a gate house and register just before a wonderfully crafted wooden gate. Continue past the gate along the Lake "Road" (large dirt path) until you reach a foot trail. You'll see multiple signs for Indian Head along this road, but continue to the one all the way at the end, near the dam at Lower Ausable Lake (about 5 miles of hiking on the road). From here it's a short hike to the top of Indian Head where you can relax and enjoy the beautiful view in any time of year. It's also a great place to witness the Milky Way and in the winter it provides excellent snowshoeing and cross-country skiing opportunities.

Below is a brief description of my trip and why it's one of my favorites in the Adirondack Park:

It was a rainy, rainy day starting with the soggy 5-mile hike to the trailhead. When my mom and I began to ascend the mountain, we froze in our tracks and contemplated turning back after a summer thunderstorm rolled and rumbled through the valley. After passing time by seeing who could collect more rain in our man-made “puddles,” (made using our hands and panchos), the storm let up and the birds began to sing again. So with that we hiked onward and upward ‘til we came upon this view shortly after. With what I could imagine was recently cloaked in clouds now lay ahead of me as one of the most beautiful sights I’ve ever seen. Before I even thought, or had time, to take my camera out, a rainbow appeared out of the cloud on the right as the sun fought with the clouds above and won. Then just like that, the rainbow disappeared as quickly as it manifested, leaving me with a smile spreading from ear-to-ear. After the free show, the clouds began to part and we were given a sunny, warm and beautiful summer day in the mountains with bluebird skies to keep us company. I will never forget this moment, as it is when I really learned to truly embrace each second given to me on this planet and to fully live in the moment…photography is amazing because I can share these moments like this with others who weren’t there to witness it. But for me, it’s personal stories like this that truly make an image good and leave a lasting impression on a place I visited...

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