Parking
Use the Ed’s Red Stripe trailhead parking area on Trout Falls Road in Bolton; it is a separate access from the main Padanarum Road lot. The main lot is the only one plowed in winter, so do not assume Trout Falls Road parking is cleared.
Overview
About Ed’s Red Stripe Trail
Why go
- Lake George overlook at the end of a short climb
- A trail dedicated to a longtime local steward
Heads up
- The steady ascent has to be retraced on the way back
- Published and mapped distances disagree
Ed’s Red Stripe Trail is a short, steady out-and-back from Trout Falls Road to a rocky lookout over Lake George. The trail map lists the climb as 0.75 mile each way, about 1.5 miles round trip, with 360 feet of ascent; allow about 1 to 1.5 hours with a stop at the view. It suits a quick, moderate uphill and a lake vista. Amy’s Park also has flatter, pond-centered trails if you want an easier walk.
Parkwolf’s verdictIs this the climb for you?Map & elevation
The route
Loading the Lake George map
Full mapElevation1,079–1,453 ft
Plan your hike
Before you go
Parking
Safety
2 active Lake George alerts
- ClosureFishbrook Pond North Lean-to site closedThe entire Fishbrook Pond North Lean-to site is closed because the lean-to burned down. - No camping or campfires are allowed at the site until further notice.Official details
- CautionNo Parking Zones enforced along River RoadDo not park in the No Parking Zones along River Road in the Hudson River Special Management Area in the Towns of Lake Luzerne and Warrensburg; DEC is enforcing the restriction.Official details
The highest, rockiest slopes around here are a summer buffet for grizzly bears.
Lake George Tour Guide
Your drive to Ed’s Red Stripe Trail, narrated.
Parkwolf is a GPS audio tour guide for Lake George NY. As you drive, it chimes in with what’s ahead: hidden gems, upcoming stops, history, geology, and wildlife, right through your car’s speakers.
See the Lake George audio tourMore stories near here in the app
- Leaves That Wait for Spring
- The Empty Skin Beside the Water
- Clay Meadows and Tongue Mountain
- Pole Hill Pond and Walnut Ridge
- 113 audio storiesacross Lake George’s roads, triggered by GPS as you drive
- Wildlife heatmapsfor White-tailed Deer, Timber Rattlesnake, Osprey, and 13 more
- Works offlinemaps, 67 trails, 64 places, and audio download before you lose signal
- CarPlay readysimple controls built for the drive
“Fantastic app with many points of information… It’s great to just turn on while you’re driving and it gives you an audio tour of the national Park. We love it!!!!”
Trail guide
Hiking Ed’s Red Stripe Trail
Follow the southern red trailStart at the Trout Falls Road access and take Ed’s Red Stripe south to the overlook, then…
Start at the Trout Falls Road access and take Ed’s Red Stripe south to the overlook, then return the same way. The mapped surface is ground trail, and the conservancy describes a steady climb. This is not the separate Red Trail North, which heads around the northern pond and connects to the Blue Trail. Do not follow that longer loop if the lookout is your goal.
Take time at the lake viewThe route ends at a scenic overlook with Lake George in the distance.
The route ends at a scenic overlook with Lake George in the distance. Keep a strip of the bare rock ledge in the foreground and frame the water between the wooded ridges; the lake can disappear into the surrounding hills if you shoot straight across the canopy. The trail was dedicated in 2020 to Ed Sheridan, a Bolton resident and longtime steward of Amy’s Park who led its annual Hike-A-Thon.
Access and preserve rulesAmy’s Park is free and open from dawn to dusk year-round.
Amy’s Park is free and open from dawn to dusk year-round. Use the Ed’s Red Stripe access on Trout Falls Road rather than the separate main Padanarum Road lot. Only the main lot is plowed in winter, so do not count on cleared parking at Trout Falls Road. Dogs are allowed on leash. Hunting is permitted on the preserve with a conservancy permit, so stay alert during hunting season. No toilet, drinking water, or food service is listed at this access.
Is this the climb for you?The distance is the one material wrinkle: a separate map trace reaches the same viewpoint after…
The distance is the one material wrinkle: a separate map trace reaches the same viewpoint after about 0.54 mile. Plan with the longer official figure and check the preserve map at the trailhead.
Wildlife
Wildlife in Lake George
34 sightingsWhite-tailed DeerMost seen around 5 PMSighting map
26 sightingsTimber RattlesnakeMost seen around 6 PMSighting map
22 sightingsOspreyMost seen around 7 AMSighting map
60 sightingsLoonMost seen around 6 AMSighting map
33 sightingsPorcupineMost seen around 7 PMSighting map
84 sightingsGreat Blue HeronMost seen around 6 AMSighting mapSighting maps show where each species has been reported across Lake George. Wildlife moves, so no sighting is guaranteed.
