Whiteway
Photo: andyarthur, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)- 1.8 mi
- round trip
- 366 ft
- climb
- 1,379 ft
- high point
- Out and back
- route
- Jun–Sep
- best months
Whiteway is an easy out-and-back hike in Tug Hill State Forest in New York, managed by the State Department of Conservation. The route is about 3.6 miles long, with a total elevation gain of 94 feet, and it starts at roughly 1,340 feet, rising to a high point of about 1,379 feet. The climb is gentle, with the steepest stretch at about 0.34 miles in, where the grade reaches about 7%. Summer and early fall are the most comfortable times to go. Typical averages from a nearby weather station in Watertown, which sits well below the trail, show July highs around 80°F and September highs near 72°F, with snow days common from December through March. The trail sits close to other routes. Electric Loop and the Home Run mountain biking trail are each about 0.1 mile away, and Oak Rim and Zigzag are within a mile.
Best time to go · Jun–Sep
Best time to visit Whiteway
Best months: June–September. 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
29° / 11°
18 wet · 12 snow
Feb
31° / 12°
15 wet · 10 snow
Mar
40° / 22°
14 wet · 6 snow
Apr
53° / 35°
13 wet · 1 snow
May
67° / 47°
14 wet
Jun
75° / 57°
12 wet
Jul
80° / 62°
11 wet
Aug
79° / 60°
11 wet
Sep
72° / 52°
12 wet
Oct
59° / 41°
16 wet
Nov
46° / 30°
15 wet · 4 snow
Dec
35° / 20°
17 wet · 9 snow
Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Watertown, NY, 10 mi away at 497 ft. The station sits about 900 ft lower than this place, so expect it a little cooler here. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.
Keep exploring — more trails worth the drive
Photo: andyarthur, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)Snowbird
Next door
1.66-mile out-and-back trail in New York with 135 ft elevation gain
Photo: andyarthur, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)Zigzag
~1 min drive
0.73-mile out-and-back trail in New York with 76 ft of elevation gain.
Photo: andyarthur, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)Explorer
Next door
Easy 1.61-mile out-and-back trail perfect for beginners.
HIKE
Black River Trail
~19 min drive
4.24-mile out-and-back hike in New York with 1,041 ft elevation gain.
Photo: andyarthur, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)John Young
Next door
1.79-mile out-and-back trail in New York with 452 ft elevation gain.
HIKE
Commando trail
~27 min drive
5.28-mile out-and-back trail in New York with 414 ft elevation gain
Photo: andyarthur, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)Oak Rim
~1 min drive
2.17-mile out-and-back trail in New York with 695 ft elevation gain.
HIKE
Kevin Orwell Trail
~35 min drive
6.24-mile out-and-back hike in New York with 1,176 ft gain/loss
Photo: andyarthur, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)Home Run
~1 min drive
1.03-mile out-and-back trail in New York with 184 ft elevation gain.
Photo: andyarthur, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)Pole Line Trail
~1 min drive
0.46-mile out-and-back hike in New York with 54 ft of elevation gain.
Map and trail data © OpenStreetMap contributors
