Black Mountain: Highest of the Lake George 12ster Challenge

Black Mountain

What up Road Trip Warriors!? Usually not in the Lake George area, but decided to hit a mountain that is part of the Lake George 12ster challenge. Black Mountain sits on the East side of Lake George, about halfway up it. It is a fun hike that offers pretty views and is nice for both new and experienced hikers. There is a radio station on the summit with a tower and wind-mill. You are also rewarded with a great vantage point of Lake George itself. Anyway, see the summary and information on the hike below!

Summary of Black Mountain

• Summary: Easy
• Length: Roughly 7 miles (trailhead says 2.5 miles to the summit, but its a lie)
• Elevation: 2,665′
• Hiking Time: This hike can be done in 2 hours. It took us 4 hours since we took our time and spent awhile on the summit taking photos.
• Photo Opportunities: This hike’s best photo opportunities are on the summit itself. There are a couple lookouts around the summit where you get some picturesque scenes of Lake George. There is an an old radio tower on the summit used for search and rescue as well as a windmill that shakes as it spins. It looks sketchy, but seems to hold itself together.

Trailhead

The trailhead is located off of Pike Brook Road near Clemons, New York. The parking lot has a wooden trailhead sign that is labeled “Black Mountain Trailhead.” The parking lot is pretty well maintained (at least when there was snow) and the trailhead sign in register is easily visible from the lot itself. The sign at the trailhead says the summit is a 2.5 mile hike one way, but it seems to be closer to 3.5 miles one way. Other websites on the Internet seem to reach that same conclusion as well.

The Hike to the Summit

You will be following red trail markers throughout the entirety of the hike. The hike begins as an easy trek through the woods for the first mile to mile-and-a-half. It was relatively flat, but becomes a gradual climb. There is a wooden sign that you will see below when you have 1.8 miles left to the summit. The last mile is where the hike got steeper and it took a bit of time to get up the snow and ice. If you do this hike in the summer it should be relatively easy-going to get up to the summit.

Black Mountain Summit

The summit of Black Mountain has a radio tower and a wind-turbine that sounds like it is going to fall apart at any moment. If you walk past the wind turbine and take a right turn, you get commanding views of Lake George. It was quite the winter scene up there. I highly recommend checking it out in the snow if you have the right attire.

Back to the Trailhead

This hike from the Pike Brook Road trailhead can be done as an out-and-back hike which is how we approached it. Just hike out the same way you hiked in and pay attention to the red trail markers along the way.

Dog-Friendly

This hike in the Lake George region is dog-friendly. As far as hiking in the winter with your pet, I suggest having them wear booties or know your dog’s capabilities. In general, I think this is a great hike to bring your dog on as there is no technical climbing. Just make sure to have extra water/dog food with you!

Fam-friendly

This hike is super family friendly. It is definitely manageable for all age groups and is fun for both experienced hikers and those new to the craft. Hiking Black Mountain would be a great way to spend time with the family and get some exercise in while you are at it.

Clothes/Gear Worn

• Beanie
• LL Bean outer shell jacket
• Underarmour long sleeve
• Athletic T shirt
• Athletic quarter zip
• Long johns
• Athletic shorts
• Adidas joggers
• Wind/snow pants
• Vasque Winter Boots
• Kahtoola Ice Microspikes (when needed)

Equipment/Food brought

• 1.5L of water
• Peanut butter granola bars, trail mix
• Extra EMS hiking socks
• Bandana
• Extra clothes
• Emergency tent and blankets
• Knife
• Headlamp
• Paracord and carabiner (non-climbing carabiners)
• Water-proof matches
• LifeStraw (water filtration straw, costs about $20)
• Trekking poles
• First-aid kit
• Garmin InReach (satellite device that has a GPS, can send texts, send SOS, topographic map, and many other helpful features.)

RTW Note

Thank you for taking the time to check out this post on Black Mountain in the Lake George region! It is definitely a hike I recommend to anyone looking to spend the day outside. If you liked this post, found it helpful, or just came for the pictures then HIT the like button and subscribe to the website! Sharing the post also is helpful for getting the website out there! Stay safe and keep on trekking!

-Ant