Parking
Use the designated preserve lot at 1142 Pilot Knob Road. If it is full, come back another time; roadside parking is not allowed.
Overview
About Schumann Preserve at Pilot Knob Orange Trail to Gazebo
Why go
- A broad lake-and-ridge view for a short hike.
- A clear destination and turnaround at the gazebo.
Heads up
- The short route packs a 620-foot climb into 0.7 mile.
- Rocky footing can be slick after rain.
Map & elevation
The route
Loading the Lake George map
Full mapElevation381–948 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 Schumann Preserve at Pilot Knob Orange Trail to Gazebo, 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
Schumann Preserve at Pilot Knob0:00 / 0:24
“You're nearing Schumann Preserve at Pilot Knob, where I'd choose the Orange Trail to the gazebo for a wide Lake George view. Allow about an hour for the one point four mile round trip; it's short, but steep and rocky.”
Plays as you drive up to this trailhead in the Parkwolf Lake George Tour Guide.
More stories near here in the app
- Kensett’s Quiet Lake
- A Boat Shaped by Tree Roots
- O’Keeffe’s Lake George Years
- The Squirrel’s Cone Pile
- 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 Schumann Preserve at Pilot Knob Orange Trail to Gazebo
Is this the right short hike?Schumann Preserve’s Orange Trail is a 1.
Schumann Preserve’s Orange Trail is a 1.4-mile out-and-back from the designated lot to the gazebo lookout and back. The climb gains about 620 feet in 0.7 mile; allow about an hour, with extra time if you want to sit at the top. This is a short route with a real uphill effort, not an easy stroll. I’d choose it for the wide Lake George view, especially if you want a rewarding hike that fits into a small part of the day.
The climbFollow the orange markers uphill.
Follow the orange markers uphill. The trail rises steadily, with steep, rocky sections; hikers describe stone steps and switchbacks. Educational signs add context along the way. You return on the same uneven path, so the downhill takes attention too. Rocks can be slippery after rain, and winter ice may call for traction.
The gazebo viewThe Orange Trail ends at a gazebo overlooking southern Lake George and the Adirondack ridges.
The Orange Trail ends at a gazebo overlooking southern Lake George and the Adirondack ridges. The wooded islands stretch across the lake below, giving the view its layers. From the lookout, include those islands and the far ridgeline together for the clearest sense of the landscape. The Blue Trail continues beyond the gazebo toward a seasonal waterfall, but that is a separate walk and is not included in the 1.4-mile distance.
The current Teresa M. and George E. Lawrence Memorial Gazebo was dedicated in 2025. The Lawrence family had been vacationing at Lake George and walking to this viewpoint since the 1960s; they dedicated the earlier gazebo and a bench to George in 2009.
How this preserve was savedThe 223-acre hillside was illegally cleared in the 1980s for a house and a mile-long driveway.
The 223-acre hillside was illegally cleared in the 1980s for a house and a mile-long driveway. After authorities confiscated it, the Zug family cared for the property for more than a decade. The Lake George Land Conservancy bought it in 2000 with help from hundreds of donors, protecting the basin landscape. It was renamed for former executive director Lynn LaMontagne Schumann in 2010.
Access and rulesStart at the designated preserve lot at 1142 Pilot Knob Road.
Start at the designated preserve lot at 1142 Pilot Knob Road. If it is full, come back another time; parking along the road is not allowed. The preserve is free and open dawn to dusk year-round. Dogs are welcome on leash, and you must carry out bagged waste.
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.
