Outbound Collective logo

Hike to Owls Head Mountain Fire Tower in Sargent Ponds Wild Forest

Long Lake, New York

5.0/5
based on 1 reviews

Details

Distance

6.2 miles

Elevation Gain

1500 ft

Route Type

Out-and-Back

Description

Added by Janet Thomas

This is a great half day hike with beautiful views from the summit and fire tower of Owls Head Mountain! There are a few mountains in the Adirondack's known as "Owls Head". This hike is to the Owls Head Fire Tower Mountain in the Sargent Ponds Wild Forest, near Long Lake, NY.

Owls Head Mountain is an Adirondack Fire Tower Mountain with an elevation of 2,812 feet. It is located in Long Lake in the Sargent Ponds Wild Forest and is a 6.2 mile out and back round trip hike. The trail head is located on Endion Ln, 2 miles north of the hamlet of Long Lake heading towards Tupper Lake off from Route 30. Once you turn onto Endion Ln (left), look for the trail head and register which is located on the right side of the road, just over 1.5 miles down the road. There is a decent size parking area with room for several cars.

From the trail head, the trail (red tail) starts out climbing moderately as you gain in elevation for the first 0.5 miles before it levels out, and becomes pretty wet and muddy in sections for the next half mile. There are some areas of boardwalks throughout this section. After 1.0 miles, you will come to an intersection for Owls Head Mountain and Lake Eaton Campsite. Take a left here to continue towards Owls Head Mountain. The trail (red trail) walks through a nice wooded forest right after the jct. for a short time before becoming steep as you climb towards the summit over large rocks and eroded roots. You will see some old telephone poles that go up to the old Rangers cabin along the trail. At about 0.25 miles from the summit the trail levels out again as you come to the site of the old Observers Cabin. The are some remains of the foundation, and an old pot here. From this point, it’s a short and steep 200 foot ascent to the summit. The fire tower and summit are on the right, at 3.1 miles. It can be hard to see until you are right on top of it due to the trees that surround it.

The summit is partially open with nice views. There is a nice clearing below the fire tower, looking south. From the 30 foot tall fire tower, there are beautiful 360 degree views of the central Adirondacks and the high peak's major lakes and mountains. You can see Lake Placid, Whiteface Mountain and the high peaks in the distance on a clear day, along with Blue Mountain and Long Lake. During spring through fall it is not uncommon for the the Seaplanes to fly overhead as they come and go from Long Lake. From the summit, your return will descend the same route, 3.1 miles back to the parking area at the trail head on Endion Ln.

If you're looking for more to do in Long Lake, Helms Aero Service at Long Lake offers scenic seaplane rides from Long Lake. If the weather is good, you will probably have seen the planes from the summit of Owls Head. Tom Helms was our pilot and gave a great tour with incredible views of the central Adirondacks and high peaks regions! Helms is located right across the street from the Adirondack Hotel, which, is a great place to grab something to eat after the hike. You mustn't leave Long Lake though, without making a stop at Hoss’s Country Corner, on the corner of Route 30 & 28. This Adirondack Landmark has everything from books, maps, gifts and clothes to camping supplies and fresh local maple syrup and handmade crafts!

Read More

Download the Outbound mobile app

Find adventures and camping on the go, share photos, use GPX tracks, and download maps for offline use.

Get the app

Features

Hiking
Dog Friendly
Easy Parking
Family Friendly
Forest
Scenic
Wildlife

Hike to Owls Head Mountain Fire Tower in Sargent Ponds Wild Forest Reviews

Great hike. Challenging enough but anyone can do it. Great views on top.

Leave No Trace

Always practice Leave No Trace ethics on your adventures and follow local regulations. Please explore responsibly!

Nearby

Canoe from Long Lake to Tupper Lake in the Adirondacks

Camp along Section 2 of the Northern Forest Canoe Trail

Buttermilk Falls

Paddle the Essex Chain of Lakes

Hike Goodnow Mountain

Hike to Shallow Lake in the Pigeon Lake Wilderness