Pitchoff Mountain Trail
- 4.4 mi
- one way
- 1,910 ft
- climb
- 3,501 ft
- high point
- Point to point
- route
Pitchoff Mountain Trail is a 4.4-mile moderate hike in New York's Sentinel Range Wilderness, managed by the State Department of Conservation. The route rises from about 1,870 feet to a high point of 3,501 feet, with a total elevation gain of 1,910 feet. The climb is front-loaded, and the steepest stretch comes at about 0.9 miles in, where the grade reaches 55 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 temperatures on the summit run cooler than those figures. Winter is harsh, with January highs in the low 20s. The trail is a point-to-point route, and the trip is estimated to take about 2.5 hours. Bikes and horses are not allowed. Owls Head Trail lies less than a mile away, and the Pitchoff Chimney Cliff and Owls Head Mountain climbing areas are each about a mile off. Porter Mountain Trail is roughly 2 miles away.
Local outfitters
- Cloudsplitter Outfitters24 mi away
Not on Roamze yet. Their page has how to reach them.
Best time to go
Best time to visit Pitchoff 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, 8 mi away at 1,888 ft. The station sits about 1,600 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
Porter Mountain Trail
~4 min drive
Quick point-to-point climb to Porter Mountain with scenic views.
Photo: Jonathan Miske, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)Future Cascade Trail (Under construction)
~7 min drive
7.62-mile out-and-back hike in New York with 2,664 ft elevation gain and loss.
Southside Trail - High Water Route
~9 min drive
0.58-mile out-and-back trail in New York with 216 ft gain.
HIKE
Upham Trail
~8 min drive
1.43-mile out-and-back trail in New York with 1,333 ft elevation loss.
Porter Ridge Trail
~4 min drive
4-mile point-to-point trail in New York with 3,371 ft descent.
Hedgehog Trail
~9 min drive
1.38-mile point-to-point trail in New York with 1,076 ft elevation gain.
Photo: runJMrun, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)Mr. Van Ski Trail
~10 min drive
3.4-mile out-and-back ski trail in New York with 651 ft elevation gain
Little Porter Mountain Trail
~7 min drive
Scenic 2.92-mile point-to-point hike with moderate elevation and mountain views.
HIKE
Baxter Mountain from Beede Farm
~8 min drive
0.97-mile out-and-back trail to Baxter Mountain in New York with 853 ft gain.
Southside Trail
~10 min drive
2.51-mile point-to-point trail in New York with 711 ft gain.
Route details
- Distance
- 4.4 mi
- Climbing
- About 1,910 ft
- Summit
- 3,505 ft
- Difficulty
- Moderate
- Time
- About 2.5 hours
Questions about this route
How long is the Pitchoff Mountain Trail on Pitchoff Mountain?
About 4.4 mi.
How much elevation gain is on the Pitchoff Mountain Trail?
About 1,910 ft of climbing round trip.
How hard is the Pitchoff Mountain Trail?
It is rated moderate.
How long does the Pitchoff Mountain Trail take?
About 2.5 hours round trip.
Conditions and forecast on Pitchoff 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