Parking
Start at Shelving Rock Day-Use Parking Area #4 on Shelving Rock Road. The Pike Brook Road trailhead reaches Black Mountain Point by a separate route.
Overview
About Lake Shore Trail
Why go
- Lakeside walking with several picnic sites
- A quiet shoreline destination at Black Mountain Point
Heads up
- Long return walk with a climb on the Shelving Rock approach
- Shoreline mileage differs between the written distance and mapped track
Map & elevation
The route
Loading the Lake George map
Full mapElevation315–968 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 Lake Shore 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 tourRecorded for this trailhead
Shelving Rock Mountain Trail0:00 / 0:24
“You're coming up on the Shelving Rock Mountain trailhead at parking area four. Choose it for a woodland climb to views over Lake George, with about three point four miles round trip and two to three hours of walking.”
Plays as you drive up to this trailhead in the Parkwolf Lake George Tour Guide.
More stories near here in the app
- Shelving Rock Falls
- Buck Mountain from Shelving Rock Road
- Dacy Clearing and Sleeping Beauty
- The Sagamore Resort and Lakeside Dining
- 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 Lake Shore Trail
The routeA 9-mile out-and-back from Shelving Rock Day-Use Area 4 crosses a wooded approach to Lake…
A 9-mile out-and-back from Shelving Rock Day-Use Area #4 crosses a wooded approach to Lake George’s east shore, then continues to Black Mountain Point. The connected route measures about 4.5 miles each way; allow roughly five hours for the full return walk. Mileage is approximate: the shoreline-only stretch is described as 3.5 miles but maps to about 2.8 miles, so check current trail signs and map before setting out.
Shelving Rock approachFrom Parking Area 4, follow Shelving Rock Mountain Trail, then the Shoreline Connector to Lake…
From Parking Area #4, follow Shelving Rock Mountain Trail, then the Shoreline Connector to Lake Shore Trail. The natural-ground path climbs to roughly 970 feet before dropping toward the lake; it does not go to Shelving Rock Mountain’s summit. The return repeats that climb after the shore walk.
The lake shoreFollow the Lake Shore Trail north to Black Mountain Point and turn back there.
Follow the Lake Shore Trail north to Black Mountain Point and turn back there. Several picnic sites sit along the route, making the shoreline a good place for a longer break. Bring food and enough water for the full distance; no drinking-water source is identified along the route.
Access and safetyUse Shelving Rock Day-Use Parking Area 4 on Shelving Rock Road.
Use Shelving Rock Day-Use Parking Area #4 on Shelving Rock Road. The Pike Brook Road approach to Black Mountain Point is a separate hike. Dogs are allowed; keep them leashed. Hunting is permitted in the surrounding forest, so wear bright orange during hunting seasons.
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.
