Adirondack Eden

My wife, Andrea, poses along the trail.

On the western slopes of the Adirondacks, where the peaks aren’t quite so high, lies a secluded Adirondack paradise. Deep in the woods between Old Forge and Eagle Bay, Cork Mountain rises from the forest, and halfway up the steep little mountain’s slopes rests the tranquil Mountain Pond.

            These are the woods in which my love for hiking grew. It’s where I first smelled the “Adirondack smell;” that intoxicating aroma of fresh air and mud and life that emanates from the deep center of the park.  Ever since then, I’ve never felt more comfortable than deep in the woods. And now I even have a tendency to get cranky if I don’t get under some trees every few weeks. That is why I love hiking, and especially, hiking around Mountain Pond.

            To the best of my knowledge, Cork Mountain, which I just recently learned the name of (we always called it Mountain Pond), is the only mountain with a pond on top. It is also reported to be the former home of the legendary 680-lb black bear, Split Ear who pillaged dumps and dumpsters throughout the early ‘90s.

This is the trail up Cork Mountain. Don't let the steps fool you!

            The privacy of this tranquil spot is emphasized by the limited views. From the pond, you can only see the peak of Cork Mountain, and from the peak of Cork Mountain, you can really only see Mountain Pond, creating a little known paradise in an area dominated by tourists.

            Secluded as it is, this Adirondack Eden is remarkably easy to get to — if you know where to look. Just off of Trail Five, a dirt road running parallel to Route 28, east of Old Forge, a seemingly unknown and hard to spot trail cuts into the forest, much like the trail to Bub and Sis Ponds a little further east. I say unknown because, although I’ve often seen evidence of campfires, I’ve never seen anyone on the trail to the pond or mountain.

            Once found, the trail is easy to follow and well marked by blue trail markers. It meanders slowly through the woods with some moderately steep inclines for little more than a mile. About halfway down, there’s a junction called “the vista trail.” This trail goes up along a ridge to the east and provides an excellent view of Fourth Lake and its islands.

            The main trail brings you right out to the south-east side of the pond, which is home to countless birds, frogs,  dragon flies, Lilly pads, and a sphagnum bog. For those who choose to keep hiking, the path continues westward up to the top of Cork Mountain. This trail is only about half a mile or so, but far steeper. About halfway up, there is a junction where a trail goes back down to the road at the foot of the mountain, creating a nice loop if you wish to lengthen your hike.

A panoramic view of the secluded mountain pond. The only visible peak is Cork Mountain.

            When I first climbed this mountain as a child I could only see a few surrounding mountains and the pond below and each year since this mountain’s peak has become more and more over grown. This year I was just barely able to glimpse the pond by peering through the dense foliage. Next year, there will probably be no view at all, but that doesn’t mean I won’t be climbing to the paradise atop the mountain. Maybe I’ll see you there.

The view from Cork Mountain grows more crowded each year.