Mount Marcy via Van Hoevenberg

The Van Hoevenberg Trail to Mount Marcy is the standard route up the highest peak in New York State, a 5,344-foot summit that marks the crown of the Adirondack High Peaks and holds a place of great historical and ecological significance. The trail begins at the Adirondack Loj near Heart Lake and climbs steadily through boreal forest of spruce, fir, and yellow birch before entering the fragile alpine zone near the summit cone. At the summit lies Lake Tear of the Clouds, the highest source of the Hudson River, a small tarn that drains into the great river eventually flowing past New York City nearly 300 miles to the south. The upper mountain is home to rare alpine tundra plants found nowhere else in New York, including Bigelow sedge and diapensia, which have persisted since the last ice age. Summit views encompass the entire High Peaks region, Vermont and the Green Mountains to the east, and on clear days the distant outline of Montreal to the north. The long mileage and significant elevation gain demand proper preparation including navigation skills, layered clothing, and sufficient food and water. Weather changes rapidly above treeline, and the summit is frequently in cloud. Register at the trailhead register and check current conditions with the Adirondack Mountain Club before departure.