Long Lake Weather Forecast, NY

Hiking in Adirondack Park Goodnow Mountain

A 60 foot fire tower was erected in 1922 that was staffed until 1970. The area was once logged by the Huntington's, and remains of their logging operations can still be seen on the mountain. The 2,690 foot peak is in the 15,000 acre Huntington Wildlife Forest owned by the College of Environmental Science and Forestry at Syracuse University (ESF). The College and the Town of Newcomb restored the tower in 1995. The views from the summit and the fire tower are expansive.

On a nice day, the view from the fire tower on Goodnow mountain is one of the best in the Adirondacks.  The most prominant mountain seen from the summit tower is Santanoni, but many of the other High Peaks are also visible. Views of the great forest preserve stretching out to the south are also available without climbing the tower.

Goodnow Mountain is part of the "ADK Fire Tower Challenge".

THE HIKE: The students at ESF did a real good job on this trail.  Simply follow the well used trail up to the fire tower at the summit.  The trail starts out fairly level, then after the first bench at 0.5 miles, begins to ascend sometimes steeply to the summit.  At 0.8 mile check out the tree growing on top of a boulder.  There are numerous boardwalks along the way and an old horse barn at 1.6 miles.  There is a couple of benches at an open ledge at 1.75 miles, then you actually descend before finally making one last ascent to the summit. 

The elevation gain is 1,040 feet on this hike and it is 1.95 miles from the parking area to the tower (3.9 miles round trip).  There are pictures below.  There is also a video I found on YouTube that shows the view from the tower.

Directions:  NY 28N East from Long Lake.  There is a white ESF Trailhead sign on the right side of the road about 11.6 miles east of Long Lake village.

Pictures from Goodnow Mountain

Trailhead sign On NY 28N, 11.6 miles east of Long Lake.	Stairs Near the start of the Goodnow Mt Trail.	"Tree Rock" A tree growing on top of a large boulder along the trail.	Boardwalk One of the sections of boardwalk along the trail.	Old barn & boardwalk An old horse barn and another boardwalk section along the trail.
Open ledge view The view from a ledge along the trail.	Fire tower The Goodnow Mountain Fire Tower at the summit.	High Peaks View of the "high peaks" from the fire tower.	View Another view from the Goodnow Mountain Fire Tower.	High Peaks Another view from the Goodnow Mountain Fire Tower.
View Another view from the Goodnow Mountain Fire Tower.	View Another view from the Goodnow Mountain Fire Tower.	View Another view from the Goodnow Mountain Fire Tower.	View Another view from the Goodnow Mountain Fire Tower.	View Another view from the Goodnow Mountain Fire Tower.
View Another view from the Goodnow Mountain Fire Tower.	View from Goodnow Mountain fire tower.	View from Goodnow Mountain fire tower.	View from Goodnow Mountain fire tower.	View from Goodnow Mountain fire tower.
View from Goodnow Mountain fire tower.	View from Goodnow Mountain fire tower.	View from Goodnow Mountain fire tower.	View from Goodnow Mountain fire tower.	View from Goodnow Mountain fire tower.