up up up in the Adirondack Mountains 2 trails, the Au Sable river, and a couple of lakes

The full gallery of images is located at the bottom of the post along with location information for trails.

April 25th 2026

We grabbed sandwiches from Plattsburgh and a few snacks with the intentions of a riverside picnic. Once we arrived by a little section of the Ausable river in the Adirondacks it was a bit too cold still. I was literally shivering. We decided to wonder around a bit more to see if we could find a sunny spot, maybe with a picnic table so we wouldn't be on the cold ground. We found the perfect place but it was still a bit cold so we sat in the car, ate our picnic, and enjoyed the view. 

Once our stomachs were full we decided to find a place to burn some energy. 

First trail:

Another weekend, another random car ride through the Adirondacks and another random adventure. It seems random to us but I feel there is a pull from the mountains that lead you where you need to go. The wondering roads seem to funnel you through without you noticing and before long you feel like you ended up exactly where you were meant to all along. 

We stumbled upon a short trail system that all intertwine together to create a decent amount of hiking options that can easily be curated for whatever distance you prefer. This section was mostly all flat, clear of rocks, very defined wide paths, with a map to clearly see where you are headed. They do a very good job in these mountains marking trails from what we have experienced so far.

We struck gold! 

Okay, not in the gold "we are rich now" kind of way but in the ancient forest is showing us it's artistic depth of color way.

Golden birch or yellow birch is a gorgeous tree. It's gold was extremely noticeable on our hike. They thrive in colder climates. Seeing them in the Adirondacks felt magical. It was as if a little fairy went through the forest and painted gold shimmer on the trees and leaves. Even the majority of rocks had specks of glitter shinning in the sun. Those little details added an even deeper touch to the already majestic forest. 

When you see mature yellow birch or hemlock in an area it's a good indicator that space has mostly been undisturbed. It could also be a great place to spot a moose! (Depending where you are) Moose rely on birch during the winter months when food options are limited, they munch on twigs and strip the bark.

Moose aren't the only ones that consume birch. 

Back in the day many people would take a twig of birch and let it sit in their water. Birch has a natural wintergreen flavor That comes from compounds like methyl salicylate, the same general aromatic world people associate with wintergreen oil, historically tied to medicinal use. 

We admired the golden sunshine, the golden leaves, and the golden trees until we stumbled out of the path and into a wide open apple orchard with a view of the mountains. It was the perfect place to have a little family time and let Emerald stretch her legs and get out of the baby carrier.

It was warmer even though a small breeze came through occasionally. The sun felt amazing. No one in sight, no sounds other than nature, no road traffic noise, no town hustle and bustle just the tiny tiny tiny little world of insects crawling through the blades of grass. Their own ecosystem flourishing around us. Emerald on her blanket, we took our shoes off and enjoyed being in the moment talking about what we would do if we lived on that piece of land. 

The Adirondacks are massive,

there are what seems to be endless trails and each one has a whole entire different experience from the other. There are so many paths you can take, as a matter of fact you have over 2,000 miles to choose from. There are well over 1,000 named trails in the Adirondack mountains. There is something for everyone from 5 minute paths that lead to the river, full day hikes, and even multi-day backpacking routes. You could hike every weekend for years and not experience everything these mountains have to offer. 

The Adirondacks aren't something you experience in a one time trip they are -Bigger than Yellowstone National Park

-Bigger than Yosemite National Park

-Bigger than Glacier, Grand Canyon, and Great Smoky Mountains combined! 

Yet you feel like you can conquer the world when you are there and then around another turn you feel so small. 

Our 2nd trail was a 1.1 mile hike up, up, up!

It felt big, the space but going 1.1 miles out of 9,000 miles makes it sound like it would be easier to find a needle in a haystack. 

This trail was short but it wasn’t for the first time hiker either. This thing was steep and all rock. It was a lot of fun and it was perfect for really testing out the baby carrier we bought back in December.

The baby carrier has a surprisingly massive storage area!

Emerald got a little fussy, probably from hearing me (her mom) gasping for air a few times haha. I'm short so some of those rocks were a full on climb for me. We stopped midway up, got her out of the carrier and sat on the trail for a break, to nurse her, and take in the beauty around us. It was quiet up there.

Once you’re midway up the sound of the road below disappears and is replaced with the calming sound of the stream making its way down the mountains. It felt like the world disappeared in the best of ways. 

It is fascinating to me how you can go high up in elevation and find a random lake. There are actually 3 lakes/ponds to pick from out of this little trail system and there are primitive camping spots to hike to as well. Out of the whole entire Adirondack mountains there are over 3,000 lakes or ponds to visit! 

The root system of the trees is what I find even more fascinating.

On the surface these trees are pretty intricate, spreading over a large space, and growing over anything they can stretch onto but beneath the surface is where it really gets intriguing. Those roots are communicating below ground. They have a little network of support from fungi that helps the whole entire tree and plant system thriving. It really is incredible to think about. Each tree seems to have a personality of its own, taking up space wherever it felt necessary but also giving back to the ecosystem. It is a wonderful balance of give and take in the forest. 

Overall it was a fantastic day for a couple of short trail hikes. It gave us an idea of how well Emerald would do, how the carrier felt/worked, and gave us a better idea of what to expect for future longer trips with our daughter.

First trail: 

Heaven Hill Trails

-Adirondack, NY- 

Quick directions

Trailhead is off Bear Cub Road near Lake Placid

(about 3 miles down the road from Old Military Road)

2nd trail: 

~Coordinates:

44.3909, -73.8342

Sentinel Range Wilderness Area

°Route 86 Pull-Off area 

There’s a small dirt/gravel pull-off on Route 86

You park there, cross the road, and the trail entrance is right in the woods across from you. 

The full gallery We came across interesting mushrooms, incredible viws, and all kind of little magical things and wild looking trees!