swede mountain fire tower – a hike near brant lake
What’s going on my Road Trip Warriors!? This post will take you on a short hike to a fire tower located near Brant Lake, New York. Swede Mountain is roughly a 2.5 mile hike round trip with pretty views from the cabin of the fire tower. If fire tower hikes are up your alley then check out everything you need to know below!
Summary of swede mountain hike
- Difficulty: Easy
- Length: 2.1 miles round trip
- Elevation: 1,904′
- Hiking Time: It took about 45 minutes to reach the summit in snow. It took about 20 minutes to get down. This can be quicker or slower depending on pace, but it is a short hike nonetheless.
- Elevation Gain: 238′
- Photo Opportunities: Your best bet for photo opportunities on this hike is from the cabin of the fire tower. The summit of is pretty wooded, so going up the fire tower is the best way to capture the surrounding scenery.
Trailhead
The trailhead is at a highway turnout along Route 8. Trail access is where the large yellow sign is that says “Swede Mountain” on it. It is pretty hard to miss as the parking lot is pretty large. The yellow sign is also large and easy to read. The actual trail also starts at the corner of this parking lot where the yellow Swede Mountain sign is.
the hike up swede mountain
Being that this is a short hike, there is not much to write about. The hike begins by crossing over a small outlet of water released by North Pond. You then will immediately ascend a steep incline which then turns into a gradual ascent the remainder of the hike. After a series of gentle switchbacks and signs that say, “Stay on trail or stay home,” you will reach the summit!
Swede Mountain summit
The summit of Swede Mountain has the remains of a fire observer cabin that you cannot enter and a restored fire tower. The summit is wooded, so you will want to ascend the restored fire tower to see the surrounding landscape. From the cabin Gore and Crane Mountains will be visible as well as Brant Lake. Remember to bring a camera when you go up into the cabin!
Getting Back To The Trailhead
This hike is an out-and-back so just follow the same trail back as the one you took to the summit. It should be relatively easy to get back, and quick as well seeing that this hike is very short.
Dog-Friendly
The Swede Mountain hike is dog-friendly. I do not know if I would recommend bringing your dog up the fire tower, but the hike is fine for your dog to tag along on.
Family-Friendly
This hike is definitely family-friendly. It is short and provides good views for the easy effort. Being only 2.1 miles round trip, I recommend tagging this fire tower mountain if you are in the area.
Clothes/Gear Worn
- Vasque Winter Hiking Boots
- Long johns
- Athletic shorts
- Adidas Joggers
- Wind/Snow Pants
- Underarmour long-sleeve
- Athletic T-shirt
- Athletic Long Sleeve Pullover
- LL Bean Mid Layer Puff Jacket
- Winter Beanie
- Balaclava
- EMS Hiking socks (warmest pair they make)
- Gloves (with hand warmers in them from Stewarts)
Gear/Food Brought
- 2.5L of water
- Peanut butter granola bars
- Extra EMS hiking socks from Eastern Mountain Sports
- Extra Wind-breaker jacket
- Bandana
- Extra shirts and socks
- Emergency tents and blankets
- Knife
- Two carabiners
- Water-proof matches
- LifeStraw (water filtration, costs about $20)
- First-Aid Kit
- Garmin inReach (satellite device that has a GPS, can send texts, send SOS, and has many other helpful features)
Similar Hikes
RTW Note
Thanks for checking out this hike my Road Trip Warriors! It is a short one, but still a lot of fun and provides a good vantage point. I hope you find the information above helpful and please share it with your friends and family that may be interested! Stay safe out there!
