Although the Adirondack Region of upstate New York is known by many to be the place where the first world renowned Adirondack Chair was conceptualized and constructed, this awesome region of the state is home to some of the finest hiking trails in the United States.

As a matter of fact, if you love to hike then you'll want to consider taking your next vacation in the Adirondacks. That's because when you travel to the Adirondacks you will find some of the best camping, hiking, and recreational opportunities that are available in the entire northeastern part of the United States.

The High Peaks in the Adirondacks

The Olympic region of upstate New York is known as the "Home to the High Peaks". In this, the Keene and Keene Valley Region, you can find hundreds of trails that lead to forty six of the highest peaks in the Adirondack Mountain Range.

If you start in the small hamlet of Keene you can take the trail to the summit of the highest mountain in the state, Mt. Marcy. Mt. Marcy soars to a height of 5,344 feet. Nearby Algonquin is 5,114 feet. And there are more than forty peaks that are over four thousand feet tall in the surrounding area.

Mount Marcy - the Highest Peak in the Region

Mount Marcy is right in the middle of the High Peaks Region. There are three major trails that make it possible to hike to the summit in a day. The shortest approach follows in and out of the Hoevenberg Trail, beginning at Heart Lake. It's about 14.75 miles round trip and takes most people about seven hours.

A wonderful way to make the hike even more enjoyable, though, would be to camp overnight in the rustic Marcy Dam camping area. It will take you about one hour to walk from Heart Lake to the campgrounds and will cut the distance to the summit by about four and a half miles.

Algonquin Peak - a Short Hike Can Take You to the Second Highest Peak

The second highest mountain, Algonquin Peak is also one of the three most popular hikes in the area. It will probably take you about three hours to hike up to the summit and under two and a half hours to hike back down to Heart Lake. Round trip, the hike is about 8 miles.

Although the hiking can be a challenge, the views you will see while hiking up to the summits, and the vistas from the summits themselves make it worth the effort.