Lean-to Suggestion

[Chugach001]

I'm taking my young sons to the park this weekend and am looking for a nice lean-to that fits the following...
- Likely to be open.
- About 2-4 miles in
- Prefer a nearby body of water.
- Great ADK feel.

We will be coming from the Southeast.

Thanks for your help.
Jeff

 

[Tom Rankin]

I'm taking my young sons to the park this weekend and am looking for a nice lean-to that fits the following...
- Likely to be open.
- About 2-4 miles in
- Prefer a nearby body of water.
- Great ADK feel.

They are always open, the question is are they used or not.

The leanto on the trail heading North from Rt. 73 to Dix fits your criteria, (there is a stream but no pond), but you never know if it will be full or not.

I guess the Marcy Dam area fits the bill as well.

 

[Viewseeker]

You could use the lake colden/flowed lands lean-tos from the upper works, right on the lake. i hear they are nice...you'd have a great view of the colors in the background off the lake. IMO wherever you have a great weekend and stay dry

 

[mtnbound]

Pharoah Lake is nice too- I don't have my map with me and don't remember off hand how long the hike in is.

 

[Jay H]

Bushnell Falls is nice, is closer to the 4 mile length than the 2 mile side but it's right by John's Brook and also close to peaks and is nice.

Slant Rock too but that is a bit further than 4 miles I think.

I think TFR is refering to the Round Pond leanto towards Dix if that helps you out.

Jay

 

[Tom Rankin]

Bushnell Falls is nice, is closer to the 4 mile length than the 2 mile side but it's right by John's Brook and also close to peaks and is nice.

Slant Rock too but that is a bit further than 4 miles I think.

I think TFR is refering to the Round Pond leanto towards Dix if that helps you out.

Jay

It's much farther than Round Pond, although there might be one there too. But it's less than 1 mile to the first one.

 

[Orphic Seth]

Maybe a little too far, but Taylor Pond has three nice lean-to's all located in different spots. They're all on the water and relatively easily accessible via the snowmobile path that runs around the lake. Usually quiet, the pond is big one too. The lean-to on the west bank has a stream that runs right by it going right into the pond.

 

[ADKdremn]

As Viewseeker already did, I would recomend the lean-tos at Flowed Lands. There are three of them there, 2 right on the trail and then if you hug the shore of Flowed Lands around to the right there is another one that is just great! Secluded, awesome views of Mt Colden, the Macs and into Avalanche Pass.! Myself and 1ADAM12 had it all to ourselves for 2 nights on a July weekend! He's got some great pics of it/from it that I'm sure he'd be happy to share.
Of course if all these are occupied you could head towards Lake Colden where you would have 2-3 more lean-tos in the area.

 

[bubba]

As Viewseeker already did, I would recomend the lean-tos at Flowed Lands. There are three of them there, 2 right on the trail and then if you hug the shore of Flowed Lands around to the right there is another one that is just great! Secluded, awesome views of Mt Colden, the Macs and into Avalanche Pass.! Myself and 1ADAM12 had it all to ourselves for 2 nights on a July weekend! He's got some great pics of it/from it that I'm sure he'd be happy to share.
Of course if all these are occupied you could head towards Lake Colden where you would have 2-3 more lean-tos in the area.

I'm in agreement with this option. If you are coming in from the SE - you'll shorten your trip heading into Upper Works*. The walk in is fairly flat - so that should work well with the "young" sons. The options for the next day are all right there, but most are significant climbs... make it a positive experience!!

* I suppose this could be disputed - I was comparing it to going in at the loj.

 

[ADKdremn]

The options for the next day are all right there, but most are significant climbs... make it a positive experience!!

Plenty of "flat" options as well! If you want to do peaks well those options are endless, but heres some suggestions for some easier trips from the Flowed Lands area. At the far end of Flowed Lands there is the old dam you could hang out at for a while or you could cross the dam and head down the East River trail to Hanging Spears Falls. You could head over to Lake Colden and do some exploring there and even check out Avalanche Pass, some fun rock scrambles for the kids to check out while heading through the Pass. You could do a loop around Lake Colden. Another option would be to head up the trail along the Opalescent River. That's a sight in itself, if you wanted a destination you could go the Uphill Brook Lean-to for lunch or something. If you're ambitious keep going to Lake Tear of the Clouds!
Whatever you choose I'm sure it will be memorable for the kids! This is a great time of the year to get up there....wish I could!!

 

[1ADAM12]

Yes take a look at my pictures. I love the Flowed Lands Lean-to! It was better about 5 years ago before the trees grew up. Now you have to look around them to get good views but it does block the wind which is a plus.

 

[Viewseeker]

Another option is from coreys rd., just outside saranac to Tupper Lake, blueberry or ward brook, only 2-2.5 hrs walk to lean-tos and you can have a fire since its not in the eastern High Peaks...Fire is good for the soul Also don't forget your BEAR CAN, REGULATION AND A MUST... ENJOY

 

[rdl]

Newcomb Lake would fit the bill as well, nice easy road walk in. Two lean-to's right on the lake -- usually pretty quiet there. Historic great camp to explore.

 

[Orphic Seth]

Wow, flowed lands. Awesome. Nice pictures.

 

[BorealChickadee]

Okay, maybe I'm reading the request differently. You're coming from the southeast so I thought it sounded like you wanted a location in that quadrant of the park. But maybe you want to enter the high peaks from the southeast.

Now the high peaks are wonderful but there's a lot more land out there than the high peaks and many of the lean-tos in the high peaks really are not that much fun for two young children. Kids want water they can explore and woods not too thick to roam.

Of the suggestions in the above posts the one that most fits that is Newcomb Lake but the walk would be about 4.3 miles although most (3.6) is on an easy dirt road so the miles go by quickly. (I've taken a jogging stroller on it). You've got the advantage of the Great Camp for exploring which the kids would love. But I'm guessing here, but probably no fire??

Now if you want to stay lower in the park there are numerous lean-tos in the southwest (Old Forge to Blue Mtn) area but do you want that area? They're all on lakes.

The southeast part of the park I'm not too familiar with for lean-tos. I've been to lovely locations that would be great for kids but not a lean-to.

The Pharoah Lakes area is wonderful but the drive may be too long. You've got a nice selection of lean-tos but the one accessible from the campground fits your criteria of 2 to 4 miles. There's more on Pharaoh Lake itself but it's a long walk in for two small kids.

 

[rhihn]

Let's see:

- Likely to be open.
- About 2-4 miles in
- Prefer a nearby body of water.
- Great ADK feel.

We will be coming from the Southeast.
I read the request differently as well, and thought the poster may have meant the southeast Adirondacks. In any case, I didn't assume High Peaks. I also assume that by "likely to be open" the poster meant "likely to be free". IF they meant southeast Adirondacks, there are several lean-tos in the Black Mountain region on the east side of Lake George. You can walk to Black Mt. Pond, Lapland Pond, and Milman Pond lean-tos all within 2-4 miles, and if you stretch it to five, include Greenland and Fish Brook Pond lean-tos as well (this last one has two lean-tos). All are right on a body of water. I'm not sure what a "Great ADK feel" is, but they're all beautiful short Adirondack hikes to me. Among all of them, Milman Pond is, IMO, the nicest, and probably the least used, in immaculate condition when I was last there, and an outhouse in pristine condition. The pond is small, with a short boardwalk leading out a short way into the pond, with a nice rock to fish from or read on. The other ponds are larger. Greenland is slightly more remote, and the path and leanto not used often (no outhouse here), but the nicest pond of the ones I've mentioned.

Of course, this doesn't even scratch the surface of possibilities.

 

[1ADAM12]

Wow, flowed lands. Awesome. Nice pictures.

Thanks! Have you ever been there? AWESOME PLACE

 

[Jay H]

Let's see:

- Likely to be open.
- About 2-4 miles in
- Prefer a nearby body of water.
- Great ADK feel.

We will be coming from the Southeast.
I read the request differently as well, and thought the poster may have meant the southeast Adirondacks. In any case, I didn't assume High Peaks. I also assume that by "likely to be open" the poster meant "likely to be free". IF they meant southeast Adirondacks, there are several lean-tos in the Black Mountain region on the east side of Lake George. You can walk to Black Mt. Pond, Lapland Pond, and Milman Pond lean-tos all within 2-4 miles, and if you stretch it to five, include Greenland and Fish Brook Pond lean-tos as well (this last one has two lean-tos). All are right on a body of water. I'm not sure what a "Great ADK feel" is, but they're all beautiful short Adirondack hikes to me. Among all of them, Milman Pond is, IMO, the nicest, and probably the least used, in immaculate condition when I was last there, and an outhouse in pristine condition. The pond is small, with a short boardwalk leading out a short way into the pond, with a nice rock to fish from or read on. The other ponds are larger. Greenland is slightly more remote, and the path and leanto not used often (no outhouse here), but the nicest pond of the ones I've mentioned.

Of course, this doesn't even scratch the surface of possibilities.

Echo lake would fit the bill, except it's not in the ADKs...

Jay

 

[ADKdremn]

Oh, you mean there's more to the Adirondacks than the High Peaks?!

 

[Guinness]

So many choices.

You may want to consider parking at the terminus of the Northville-Lake Placid Trail (off Avery Road) and hike down the N-LP trail. About 6+ miles in you come upon Wanika Falls. This is a great place to visit. The falls drops over a series of rock outcroppings hunders of feet.

Beyond that about another 1.5 miles you come upon Moose Pond lean-to. This is a very scenic sight, plenty of room and not much traffic.

The trail in you come upon beaver dams, which has good educational value and is relatively flat. Should you go anothe 3.9 miles, you come upon Duck Hole which is one of the best areas in the ADKs. It is worth seeing before the damn breaks and empties the lake. If you hike in the ADKs this is one trip everyone should make.

You can see some pictures, here.

and a trip repoert, here.

Good luck on your trip.