The Adirondacks are beautiful. They are immense, tall, rugged, and powerful. It had been several years since my last Adirondacks hike, when we decided to hike up to Cascade Mountain, I was thrilled. This provides a short day hike to a summit with a glorious 360 degree view of the Adirondack Mountains.
The Adirondack High Peaks
The Adirondack Mountains are essentially made up of really old mountain roots. For this reason, they are quite rocky. These mountains are actually still being pushed up so they are very slowly getting taller. Cascade Mountain is one of the Adirondack High Peaks. There are 46 Adirondack High Peaks that reach elevations above 4,000 feet above sea level. At the tops of all these mountains is a delicate Alpine environment, so you are asked to stay off the vegetation. The Adirondack 46ers is an organization made up of people who have hiked every high peak in the Adirondacks and is a fun way to help decide where to hike next.
Cascade Mountain
Named after a series of waterfalls located at its base, Cascade Mountain is one of the easier high peaks. With a hike only 4.8 miles round trip, you can add a high peak to your adventure collection. For that reason, this trail is heavily used by people of all ages. I really have never seen so many families with little children as I have seen on this trail. Access to the trail head is found on Route 73. I suggest getting there early to find a place to park.
The Adirondacks are really rocky and this trail is no exception. For the majority of it, you are rock scrambling up the mountain, which at times can be a little hard on the feet. Make sure you are wearing proper shoes. The summit is all rock and provides a wonderful 360 degree view of the Adirondack Mountains. It is one of the best views for the least amount of hiking.
Porter Mountain
Many people hike both Cascade and Porter Mountains together to get two high peaks done in one day. Approximately 0.3 miles from the summit of Cascade, the trail splits into two. You take the left trail for Cascade. For an additional 1.4 miles roundtrip, you can take the right trail for Porter. We were originally planning on doing that, but my one year old had other plans.
Where is it located?
You can find the trailhead for Cascade Mountain along Route 73 in Keene, New York. There are several stretches along the road where you can pull off and park. If one area is full, continue on to the next areas and you should be able to find parking.
