WanderfulAdventuring
Sleeping Beauty Mountain, NY
Below is everything you should know before hiking Sleeping Beauty Mountain in the Adirondacks, NY. I’ve also rated my experience with the trail based on a few different categories.
- Length – 4.8-7.6 miles (depending on starting point and if you hike the loop)
- Elevation gain – 1305 feet
- Dog and kid-friendly
Overview
Moderate – Although it is a well-traveled and maintained trail, you should be careful of uneven footing as most of the trail is scattered with rocks and tree roots. Luckily, switch-backs keep the trail from getting too steep. The trail can also be very muddy.
There are a few different look-out points for a beautiful view of Lake George and the southeastern Adirondack mountains. I docked one point for the inability to open your mouth without a bug getting in it– it definitely wasn’t the best summit for a picnic.
There is a relatively long and secluded road that leads to the Hog Town parking lot where you will most likely start your hike. From there, you will need to walk 1.6 miles to the actual trail-head.
There is a small and pot-hole-riddled dirt road that takes you further to Dacy Clearing and the actual start of the trail-head. However, this road is not always open and I would not recommend it for most vehicles. You would also need to be careful of people walking the narrow road, as most hikers choose not to drive it.
Date hiked: 6/2/2020
My Experience
My friends and I started at the Hog Town parking lot and walked the additional 1.6 miles to the trail-head. We started our hike a bit later in the day and were warned by multiple hikers on their way down that the loop that brings you by Bumps Pond was extremely muddy and not worth the trek. We opted to just go up and back instead of making the loop since it had rained lightly earlier. Our path was still pretty muddy, but we were able to avoid it for the most part.
*BEWARE* A few miles from the Hog Town parking lot there is a dog who likes to chase/run along side cars! He gave us a heart-attack when we were leaving.
Fun Fact:
There are a few free campsites along the road to Dacy Clearing! Click here for or more information about these campsites.
If you enjoyed this review, please consider checking out my July 2020 Travel Inspirations post that this review was featured in!
