Haystack Mountain Trail
- 3.2 mi
- one way
- 1,493 ft
- climb
- 2,873 ft
- high point
- Point to point
- route
Haystack Mountain Trail is a 3.2-mile moderate hike in the Mckenzie Mountain Wilderness of New York, managed by the State Department of Conservation. The trail rises from about 1,700 feet to 2,873 feet, with a total elevation gain of 1,493 feet. The climb is back-loaded, and the steepest stretch comes at about 2.9 miles, where the grade reaches 44%. Summer is the most comfortable time to go. Typical averages from a nearby weather station at Lake Placid show July highs around 74°F with lows near 54°F, and the station sits roughly 1,000 feet below the summit, so temperatures on the mountain run cooler. The trail is a point-to-point route, and neither bikes nor horses are allowed. Mckenzie Mountain Trail lies about 1.3 miles away, and the Adirondack Rail Trail is about 1.7 miles off. Climbers can find Front Boulder about 2.3 miles away, and the West Branch Ausable River offers fishing about 5.3 miles from the trail.
Local outfitters
- Cloudsplitter Outfitters23 mi away
- Great Camp Sagamore46 mi away
Not on Roamze yet. Their page has how to reach them.
Best time to go
Best time to visit Haystack Mountain Trail
No month here meets our mild-weather rule. Best months have typical highs of 55–85 °F, lows of 30 °F or warmer (32 °F where the station doesn't record snow), at most one snowy day and no more than 12 wet days.
Jan
23° / 6°
18 wet
Feb
27° / 8°
14 wet
Mar
36° / 16°
14 wet
Apr
49° / 29°
14 wet
May
62° / 40°
15 wet
Jun
70° / 49°
14 wet
Jul
74° / 54°
14 wet
Aug
73° / 52°
13 wet
Sep
66° / 45°
13 wet
Oct
52° / 35°
15 wet
Nov
40° / 25°
16 wet
Dec
28° / 14°
18 wet
Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Lake Placid 2 S, NY, 3.4 mi away at 1,888 ft. The station sits about 1,000 ft lower than this place, so expect it a little cooler here. This station doesn't record snowfall. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.
Keep exploring — more trails worth the drive
Photo: matt.a, CC BY 3.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)Ridge Trail
~5 min drive
2.04-mile out-and-back Ridge Trail in New York gains 153 ft.
Photo: ke9tv, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)Old Northville-Placid Trail
~10 min drive
2.73-mile out-and-back hike in New York with 415 ft elevation gain.
Photo: delaere, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)Mount Jo Trails
~15 min drive
Short point-to-point Adirondack summit hike with scenic views.
HIKE
Jackrabbit Trail
~4 min drive
10.92-mile out-and-back hike in New York with 2,163 ft elevation gain
Photo: New York Public Library, No restrictions (via Wikimedia Commons)Adirondack Rail Trail
~5 min drive
2.3-mile out-and-back trail in New York with 146 ft elevation gain
Photo: Jonathan Miske, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)Mount Van Hoevenberg Trail
~14 min drive
Point-to-point High Peaks hike with steady elevation gain and alpine views.
Photo: Jonathan Miske, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)Future Cascade Trail (Under construction)
~15 min drive
7.62-mile out-and-back hike in New York with 2,664 ft elevation gain and loss.
Photo: Navin75, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)Bear Cub Loop
~7 min drive
1.28-mile loop trail in New York with 97 ft gain and 105 ft loss.
Photo: delaere, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)Street and Nye Trail
~14 min drive
2.89-mile point-to-point hike in New York with 1,887 ft gain
Photo: Vaibhav Bhosale, CC BY-SA 3.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)Jackrabbit Trail
~8 min drive
2.52-mile out-and-back trail in New York with 381 ft elevation gain
Route details
- Distance
- 3.2 mi
- Climbing
- About 1,493 ft
- Summit
- 2,878 ft
- Difficulty
- Moderate
- Time
- About 2 hours
Other routes up Haystack Mountain
Questions about this route
How long is the Haystack Mountain Trail on Haystack Mountain?
About 3.2 mi.
How much elevation gain is on the Haystack Mountain Trail?
About 1,493 ft of climbing round trip.
How hard is the Haystack Mountain Trail?
It is rated moderate.
How long does the Haystack Mountain Trail take?
About 2 hours round trip.
How many routes go up Haystack Mountain?
2: North Haystack Trail and Haystack Mountain Trail.
Conditions and forecast on Haystack Mountain
Daily highs and lows, wind and the chance of precipitation at the summit and route start for the next 7 days, from the Open-Meteo model.
Map and trail data © OpenStreetMap contributors
