Cook Mountain Ridges Trail

Cook Mountain Ridges Trail is a roughly 2.8-mile out-and-back from the Baldwin Road trailhead to an open Lake George overlook. It starts on a broad, easy approach, then climbs a rocky ridge to the viewpoints. Allow about two to three hours; the short mileage hides a sharp climb. This figure follows the direct lower approach to the Lake George view and back. The pond-side loop and the upper Vermont-view loop are optional and add walking.

The Yellow Trail starts wide and nearly level. About 0.12 mile in, a branch circles the site of a former beaver pond; the direct approach continues gradually uphill on an old dirt road to the Ridges Trail. The pond has drained since beavers disappeared, and grasses and shrubs are slowly reclaiming its open bed. Beaver-chewed stumps and the old railroad bed are reminders that this quiet lower section has had several lives. Choose the pond-side branch if you want the longer, softer start; the mapped route uses the direct approach.

Once you join the red-marked Ridges Trail, the grade changes quickly: it climbs about 680 feet in the first half-mile, then eases as it continues toward Cook Mountain’s 1,213-foot high point. Expect a steep, rocky hogback and slabs near the ridge. The footing can be loose on the way down and slippery after rain; shaded sections can ice in winter. Take the climb at your own pace and keep an eye on the round red markers where paths split.

A short eastern loop near the upper trail opens toward Vermont and Lake Champlain. The main Ridges line continues to the Lake George overlook, where Flat Rock and Anthony’s Nose sit to the left and Rogers’ Rock to the right. This is the trail’s big payoff: a wide look down the lake from above the wooded shoreline. For a photo, leave some of the rock ledge in the foreground so the water and hills don’t lose their sense of height. The upper loop is optional and is not part of the 2.8-mile mapped line.

George Delano bought Cook Mountain in 1876 and farmed its slopes, keeping a maple-syrup sugar bush and two apple orchards; he shipped fruit to New York City. His grandchildren donated the first 176 acres for the preserve in 1990, and another 18 acres were added in 1995. If you want a short side trip near the lower loop, a blue-marked spur reaches a small cemetery dating to the Civil War; it is outside the mapped route.

Start at the Cook Mountain Preserve pull-off and kiosk on Baldwin Road. The off-street parking is limited and the lot is not plowed in winter. The preserve is open from dawn to dusk year-round, and dogs are allowed on leash; stay on marked trails. No drinking water or restroom service is listed at the preserve, so plan for a self-contained hike.