DSettahr
Active member
- Joined
- Apr 23, 2005
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Decided to check out Bellfry Mountain on our way home from the Paul Smiths/the High Peaks area, given that it's quite a short hike. From the exit 30 interchange on the Northway, it was about a 15 minute drive to the trailhead. The summit of the Bellfry is used extensively for communications towers and radio antennas, and the "trail" is really just the access road. At 0.3 miles, with 120 feet elevation gain, this really is a "walk in the park."
That being said, the views from the summit are excellent. Despite all of the radio antennas attached to the old tower, the stairs and the cab are open to the public (hello cancer!
). From the tower, you can see Mansfield and Camel's Hump as well as the rest of the Green Mountains in Vermont, and bits and pieces of Lake Champlain to the east. To the west, the High Peaks dominate, with excellent views of both the Dix Range as well as Giant and Rocky Peak Ridge. You can also see some of the Great Range and Whiteface. To the northwest, Hurricane Mountain and the Jay Range are quire prominent.
While it certainly isn't worthwhile making a 2 hour drive to the Adirondacks solely to visit Bellfry Mountain, it's a hike that could quite easily be added on Sunday afternoon on the way home after a weekend in the High Peaks. And it also counts towards the Fire Tower Challenge!
That being said, the views from the summit are excellent. Despite all of the radio antennas attached to the old tower, the stairs and the cab are open to the public (hello cancer!
). From the tower, you can see Mansfield and Camel's Hump as well as the rest of the Green Mountains in Vermont, and bits and pieces of Lake Champlain to the east. To the west, the High Peaks dominate, with excellent views of both the Dix Range as well as Giant and Rocky Peak Ridge. You can also see some of the Great Range and Whiteface. To the northwest, Hurricane Mountain and the Jay Range are quire prominent.While it certainly isn't worthwhile making a 2 hour drive to the Adirondacks solely to visit Bellfry Mountain, it's a hike that could quite easily be added on Sunday afternoon on the way home after a weekend in the High Peaks. And it also counts towards the Fire Tower Challenge!
