The Popular Adirondack Trail Renowned For Its One-Of-A-Kind Breathtaking View Of The Mountains

New York's Adirondacks are the largest American state park outside of Alaska, and with this honor comes one of the largest collections of amazing outdoor attractions in any state park system. Throughout this sublime region of the Appalachian Mountains, you can easily find trails, viewpoints, and other destinations that would rival those in any national park sites. Even better, the Adirondacks region also features plenty of lovely mountain towns, like New York's all-season lakeside vacationland, Speculator. Of course, hikers and fans of the outdoors tend to come to the Adirondacks not for the small-town hospitality but for the scenic hikes. And though the area has no shortage of spectacular viewpoints along top-rated trails, the Adirondacks' outstanding Cobble Lookout Trail consistently ranks among the most breathtaking. 

Compared to other popular Adirondack hikes, the Cobble Lookout Trail is relatively new, having only been constructed in 2014. Yet despite its relative youth, Cobble Lookout has already established itself as one of the park's top bucket list hikes. Located less than an hour's drive from Plattsburgh International Airport, the Cobble Lookout Trail is the perfect combination of (relative) ease and spectacular views, making it ideal for hikers of all types and experience levels. And though its lookout point is not the highest in the Adirondacks, the Cobble Lookout Trail is the perfect destination to witness some of the area's most famous mountains and geological features. 

The Adirondacks have some of the most beautiful scenery on the East Coast. However, most of the park's scenic lookouts sit at the end of difficult trails. For example, the dazzling lake views you'll see on the Adirondacks' Treadway Mountain are rewarding but challenging, requiring steep climbs up more than 2,000 feet. The Cobble Lookout Trail, however, offers exceptional views with more limited technical challenges. Out and back, the entire trail is a mere 2.4 miles, with only around 280 feet of total elevation gain. But don't let these modest statistics fool you — the Cobble Lookout Trail packs a much larger punch when it comes to spectacular scenery. 

The trail is part of a forest preserve within the larger Adirondack Park called the Wilmington Wild Forest. Among the various constituent parts of the Adirondacks, the Wilmington Wild Forest stands out for its prime geography defined by the intersection of the Ausable River with many of the region's most prominent mountains. Though the Cobble Lookout itself only stands at an elevation of around 2,400 feet, the surrounding landscape more than makes up for the relative lack of altitude. 

The most notable landmark visible from Cobble Lookout is the famed Whiteface Mountain. As the fifth-highest mountain in the Adirondacks, Whiteface is one of the area's most picturesque peaks thanks to its frequent snow cover, distinctive shape, and popular skiing amenities. But if Whiteface Mountain's excessive development turns you off, Cobble Lookout also provides you with perfect views of more pristine mountains like Mount Esther and Giant Mountain. On clear days, you can also see Hurricane Mountain and the Jay Range. And all of Cobble Lookout's mountain views sit atop sublime shots of the gorgeous Ausable Valley.

The views of prime Adirondack Mountains and the Ausable River Valley would make the Cobble Lookout worth any amount of effort needed to reach it. But, serendipitously, the Cobble Lookout Trail also happens to be one of the easiest scenic trails in the Adirondacks. The trail's total route can be completed in as little as 58 minutes (though you're probably going to want to pencil in a bit more time to stop and admire the views). Much of the trail's mild ascent takes you through stunning Adirondack forests of beech and maple trees, and that's before you get to the climactic panoramic view at Cobble Lookout itself! Plus, the trailhead is conveniently located near the Whiteface Memorial Highway, with a parking area just off Gillespie Drive. Though the trailhead and parking lot are in a heavily forested area, drivers can follow well-placed road signs to avoid getting lost along the way. 

The Cobble Lookout trailhead is located a little over a mile from the charming mountain town of Wilmington, notable for its proximity to Adirondack attractions like Whiteface Mountain and the Ausable Valley. About 20 minutes away is the much more famous village of Lake Placid. This convenient proximity to major Adirondack communities lets you enjoy modern lodging without sacrificing beautiful scenery during your Cobble Lookout hike. You may, for example, explore the trail's gorgeous mountain views during the day, and then go to sleep in a comfy and vibrant Lake Placid accommodation like the historic (but modern) Grand Adirondack Hotel. If you want to fully indulge the call of the wild, the Wilmington Wild Forest and Lake Placid region have plenty of camping options as well.