Hike Cook Mountain All Year for Stunning Lake George Views
Explore a lesser-known Adirondack trail for peace and panoramic vistas.
Winter hikers are rewarded with incredible Lake George views from the summit of Cook Mountain.
The Cook Mountain Preserve is located at the northern end of Lake George in the Adirondacks, near the village of Ticonderoga and is part of the Lake George Land Conservancy. This nonprofit land trust collaborates with willing landowners and other partners to protect the land from inappropriate development, maintain Lake George’s world-renowned water quality, and preserve the natural resources of the Lake George watershed.
Lucky for us, we can hike the Cook Mountain Preserve and its variety of terrain, from easy to challenging, with flat and steep trails. Its three trails (total round trip distance is around 3 miles) offer a variety of experiences for hikers of all ages and abilities.
The trails are well-marked and maintained, but some sections can be steep and rocky, so it's essential to be prepared. At the peak, hikers are rewarded with stunning views of Ticonderoga, Lake George, Lake Champlain, and Vermont’s Green Mountains, making the effort more than worthwhile.
Finding Cook Mountain’s trailhead.
The Cook Mountain trailhead is easy to find on Baldwin Road, accessed by Route 9N, south of the village of Ticonderoga.
Spectacular summer views of Lake George from Cook Mountain’s summit.
Take Northway Exit 28 and go east on Rt. 74 into Ticonderoga.
Turn right (south) onto Rt. 9N. At the monument/traffic circle in Ticonderoga, head straight (south) on Lord Howe St. for 0.75 miles to a “T” intersection with Alexandria Ave.
Turn left and then immediately right onto Baldwin Rd.
Proceed south on Baldwin for 1.5 miles to the preserve pull-off on the right.
A modest sign and kiosk clearly identify the parking area and trailhead.
Hiking Cook Mountain’s trails.
Your journey begins at the parking area and kiosk. The trail follows a wide, flat path into the preserve. After approximately 0.12 miles, the trail's loop begins, offering hikers two options to reach the beginning of Ridges Trail, which leads to the Summit:
Stay straight to follow the trail another 0.4 miles along a gently climbing path to its junction with the Ridges Trail.
Or, instead of going straight, take a right and follow a trail that winds along the shore of what was once an active beaver pond.
At the junction of the Ridges Trail and an old forest road, the trail continues for just over 1 mile. It ascends steeply—680’ over 0.5 miles—and then becomes more gradual for about 0.6 miles.
Views of Vermont and New York from Cook Mountain.
Just before reaching the summit, hikers will see a sign with arrows: "Vermont View" and "Lake View.” Take a short loop to see the eastern view of Vermont. You will then be led back to The Ridges Trail to its end for a spectacular view of Lake George. Flat Rock and Anthony’s Nose are on the left, and Rogers’ Rock is on the right.
One advantage of hiking Cook Mountain in the late fall and winter is the unobstructed views when the trees are not covered with leaves.
Key facts to know before you go.
Elevation 1,213 ft
Open year-round, from dawn to dusk
Off-street parking is available but limited; please use caution when parking and be mindful of traffic
Winter hikers: note that the parking lot does NOT get plowed
No camping, littering or fires
Leashed dogs are permitted; please clean up after your dog
Motorized or non-motorized recreational vehicles are NOT allowed.
The history of Cook Mountain.
George Deland purchased Cook Mountain in 1876 to farm the mountain's slopes. He maintained a sugarbush (a group of sugar maple trees used to produce maple syrup or maple sugar) and two apple orchards, shipping the fruit to New York City. Before moving North, Delano attended business school and ran a diner in Poughkeepsie.
Cook Mountain Summit in the spring.
Over one hundred years later, in 1980, George’s grandchildren, Donald and Marjorie Delano, generously donated 176 acres of the property to the Lake George Land Conservancy, establishing The Cook Mountain Preserve. In 1995, Dr. and Mrs. George Boyle donated an additional 18 acres to expand the preserve.
Cook Mountain Preserve harbors a variety of habitats, from moist wetlands and overgrown farmland to mixed hardwood/coniferous forest and dry rocky-summit grassland.
Foot bridge over wetlands on the Cook Mount Preserve trails.
Beavers once inhabited a portion of the preserve, constructing dams and transforming the stream into lush wetlands and two small ponds. Now that the beavers are gone, this area provides an excellent example of succession, as the wetland slowly changes to a beaver meadow.
As you walk along the old railroad bed that passes through the lower portions of the preserve, be on the lookout for stumps and old beaver chew marks on the trees bordering the ponds.
Visit the Lake George Land Conservancy's website for more information about hiking and visiting the Cook Mountain preserve, including trail maps and current conditions. See you on the trail!
Places to stay, shop, eat, and things to do near northern Lake George and Ticonderoga.
