I live in a beautiful region of the United States. We are blessed with so many natural wonders. There is never a shortage of place to go and enjoy some time outside.
One thing we do lack where I live is anything that most people would probably consider a true mountain. There are no particularly high areas of elevation. There isn’t really anyplace where you can hike to the top and get an extended view of the area for miles and miles.
That is why one of my favorite things to do is to take trips to places where I can hike up a mountain.
One of the best places to go hiking in the mountains for me is the Adirondacks in New York. At this point I have been to the Adirondacks several times. And I always try to get in at least a few mountain hikes while I am there.
My favorite mountain hike was a hike of Mount Marcy I took in July of 2018. This was my first and still only hike of Mountain Marcy. I keep wanting to go back but there are so many other places to explore as well.
During this trip I was in the Adirondacks on my own, but you are never really too alone when hiking a high peaks mountain in the Adirondacks. They are popular attractions and for good reason. There is frequently someone else nearby.
I remember there being quite a few people at the summit all enjoying the scenery and soaking in the wonders of nature. That is one of my favorite things. Simply seeing other people enjoying nature. Knowing that there are other people out there who also appreciate what now lies before you.
Another fun thing that happened during my hike. As I was making my way up the mountain, a group of women came running down the mountain. At the time I was just starting to get into trail running so it wasn’t completely shocking to see people running in the woods, but even now as an experience ultra runner the thought of running up and down Mount Marcy seems daunting. Mount Marcy reaches a height of over 5,000 ft. I later learned that the group of women I saw running down the mountain was the women’s Olympic ski team.
The views from the summit of Mount Marcy are memorable. There is a lot of room to walk around on the summit. You can get comfortable and relax, eat a meal, and enjoy the views. There is a 360 degree view from the top. As you look around you will see an array of other mountains that make up the Adirondack Mountain Region.
But, perhaps what I remember most about the hike at Mount Marcy was that it was just a truly enjoyable hike. Despite the fact that you are hiking up to the highest point in New York it doesn’t really feel that way. The trail is relatively long and meandering. It is not a straight shot up the mountain like some hikes.
The hike doesn’t feel quite as hard. At least not most of the way. It can be a much more relaxing journey. I carried my camera with me the whole way and stopped to take many photos. So, that also probably broke up the work into much more manageable chunks. Maybe it would feel differently if I went back and just hiked without stopping.
I highly recommend taking some time to hike this mountain if you are in the area.
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