Hadley Mountain facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Hadley Mountain |
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Fire tower at the summit of Hadley Mountain
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| Highest point | |
| Elevation | 2,651 ft (808 m) |
| Geography | |
 Hadley Mountain
Location in New York Adirondack Park
Hadley Mountain
Location in the United States
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| Parent range | Adirondack Mountains |
| Topo map | USGS Stony Creek Quadrangle (summit), Conklingville Quadrangle (trailhead) |
Hadley Mountain is a cool mountain located in the southern Adirondack Mountains of New York. It's the second tallest peak in Saratoga County, New York, right after Tenant Mountain. Hadley Mountain is also special because it has a historic Fire lookout tower at its top. This tower, called the Hadley Mountain Fire Observation Station, was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2001. It's also the highest of three peaks that make up the West Mountain ridge.
Where is Hadley Mountain?
Hadley Mountain is found in the town of Hadley, New York, within Saratoga County, New York. To start your hike, you'll find the parking area about 1.5 miles (2.4 km) along Tower Road. This road branches off from Hadley Hill Road. The parking lot is big enough for 10 to 15 cars.
Hiking to the Top
Hadley Mountain is a very popular place for hiking. Even though the trail is short, about 1.8 miles (2.9 km) long, it climbs quite a bit! You'll gain about 1,525 feet (465 meters) in elevation. From the top, you get amazing views of the southern Adirondack Mountains and especially the huge Great Sacandaga Lake.
The only trail starts right from the parking area, next to a special historic marker. The path begins climbing right away. You'll reach a hiking register, where you can sign in, just a few steps from the start.
The Trail's Journey
The trail is marked with red signs and goes through a forest. It's mostly made of bedrock, which means you'll be walking on solid rock in many places. You might cross a small creek a few times, but it's often dry in the summer. The path continues to climb steeply past interesting boulders and cliffs.
After about 1 mile (1.6 km), the trail levels out for a short bit. Then, it gets steep again, mostly on bedrock, all the way to the summit. You'll start seeing incredible views from clear spots along the last 0.8 miles (1.3 km) of the trail, and even better views from the very top!
At the summit, there's a Fire lookout tower. If you climb it, you'll get a fantastic 360-degree view! You can see the Great Sacandaga Lake, the surrounding southern Adirondacks, and even the taller High Peaks of the Adirondacks in the distance.
In winter, this trail is a favorite for snowshoeing because it's easy to get to and not too long.
History of the Fire Tower
In the early 1900s, there were many big forest fires. Because of this, the first fire tower was built on Hadley Mountain in 1916. This first tower was made of wood.
A new, stronger steel tower replaced the wooden one a few years later, either in 1917 or 1920. A small cabin was also built for a forest ranger who would live there and watch for fires.
The tower stopped being used for fire spotting in 1990. This was because the forest service started using airplanes to look for fires and also relied on people reporting fires from their homes.
In 1996, volunteers worked hard to restore the tower. Now, during the summer, a friendly steward might be at the tower. They can answer any questions hikers have about the mountain or the tower's history. A special historical marker was added to the site in 1999, telling a short story of the tower.
