New York · Hiking · Near South Burlington

Observer's Trail

Observer's TrailPhoto: andyarthur, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)
2.1 mi
round trip
2,552 ft
climb
1,964 ft
high point
Out and back
route

Observer's Trail is a hard hike in New York's Taylor Pond Wild Forest, managed by the State Department of Conservation. The route is an out-and-back that climbs from a low of about 756 feet to a high of 1,964 feet, with a total elevation gain of 2,552 feet over a round trip of about 4.1 miles. The steepest stretch comes early, around 0.5 miles in, with a grade of about 24 percent. 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, while winter highs stay in the 20s. The hike takes about 2.5 hours. The trail sits close to several climbing areas, including Poke-O Slab about half a mile away and Poke-O-Moonshine Main Face and Poke-O-Moonshine Second Tier, each about 0.7 miles off. For more hiking, Sugarloaf Trail lies about 2.9 miles away.

Around this trail

Add any of these when you start a trip
  • Sleep close

    Poke-O-Moonshine Campground

    Campground

    Campground · 0.4 mi from the trail
  • If it rainsStorylanding, CC0 · Wikimedia Commons

    Shelburne Museum

    Museum

    On your way back · 14 mi

Places © OpenStreetMap contributors · Photos: Storylanding, CC0 (commons)

More in South Burlington

Local outfitters

Not on Roamze yet. Their page has how to reach them.

  • Best time to go

    Best time to visit Observer's 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.

    1. Jan

      23° / 6°

      18 wet

    2. Feb

      27° / 8°

      14 wet

    3. Mar

      36° / 16°

      14 wet

    4. Apr

      49° / 29°

      14 wet

    5. May

      62° / 40°

      15 wet

    6. Jun

      70° / 49°

      14 wet

    7. Jul

      74° / 54°

      14 wet

    8. Aug

      73° / 52°

      13 wet

    9. Sep

      66° / 45°

      13 wet

    10. Oct

      52° / 35°

      15 wet

    11. Nov

      40° / 25°

      16 wet

    12. Dec

      28° / 14°

      18 wet

    Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Lake Placid 2 S, NY, 24.2 mi away at 1,888 ft. This station doesn't record snowfall. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.

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Map and trail data © OpenStreetMap contributors