5 Great Hikes with Elevation Gain <1,000 Feet

Eric and Maddie share hiking tips on a bench atop Mount Arab

The designation of mountain hikes as being easy, moderate or hard is completely in the eye of the individual hiker.

The experience can vary, even for the same person, depending on weather conditions, fitness level, mental focus, and many other factors. And there are just as many reasons why you might be looking for a hike with less than 1,000 feet of elevation gain. Maybe you’re hiking with kids, dogs, or your parents. Perhaps hiking in winter snow, or during mud season. Maybe you’re a 46er looking for a nice sunset hike with some friends. Or, maybe you’re a novice and not quite ready to tackle the High Peaks. We all have to start somewhere. HYOH (hike your own hike)!

Here’s a list of five nice hikes under 1,000 feet elevation gain. Because at the end of the day, elevation gain — and how steep the climb is — is what matters most. In fact, I’ve listed these in order of elevation gain, from least to most. All are dog-friendly, but Mount Jo does have a short ladder.

Mount Jo: 692 feet of elevation gain; 2.6 miles roundtrip.

As I wrote about in my previous post on the Lake Placid 9er challenge, Mount Jo is a favorite. You can combine this hike with other nearby trails or hang out by Heart Lake. Just remember the parking fee at the ADK Loj. Get there early (or late) for parking and fewer crowds, because it’s almost always busy. The trailhead parking is just 9 miles, less than 20 minutes, from our cottage.

Floodwood Mountain: 764 feet of elevation gain; 3.4 miles roundtrip.

We hiked Floodwood Mountain in the fall, and it was gorgeous. This hike is part of the dog-friendly ADK-9 Challenge, so you’re likely to see some other pups on the trail. But it’s still less busy than many other popular hikes, and we only saw one other hiker and pup when we went. Being right near the Saint Regis Canoe Area, there are plenty of views of the lakes and ponds. The trailhead is about 29 miles away, but down a dirt road means it takes about 50 minutes from Lake Placid. As a very special bonus, you’ll pass right by Donnelly’s soft serve stand. It’s simply the best!

Mount Arab: 764 feet of elevation gain; 2 miles roundtrip.

Mount Arab has a stretch of wooden stairs part way through the woods, beautiful views at the top and a fire tower with 360 degree views. I’d say these special attributes make for an interesting hike for kids who are up for the climb. It’s the same elevation gain as Floodwood Mountain, but covering less mileage it’s a steeper climb. Arab is part of the Tupper Lake Triad and an ADK Fire Tower, so you’ll check off a hike in two different challenges at once. Nothing wrong with that. I also like that it’s conveniently located to Racquette River Brewing, right outside of Tupper Lake. Nothing wrong with a brew when you get done hiking. You’ve already worked off those calories, right? The trailhead is about 38 miles or 50 minutes from our cottage in Lake Placid. You can also combine this hike with a visit to the Wild Center in Tupper Lake.

Baxter Mountain: 790 feet of elevation gain; 2.9 miles roundtrip.

Another of the Lake Placid 9er peaks, Baxter Mountain is a fun hike and good intro to the Adirondacks. It’s down by Keene, so you get drop-dead gorgeous views of the surrounding High Peaks. It’s also a worthwhile excuse to make some shopping stops around Keene, like picking up maple syrup at Black Rooster or Whitney’s, a mix-and-match six pack of local brews at the Craft Beer Center, frozen “take and bake” cabin dinners at Cedar Run Bakery & Market, or checking out the Dartbrook Rustic Goods shops. Lunch or dinner at Forty Six isn’t a bad deal either. The Baxter trailhead is about 20 miles or 30 minutes from our cottage.

Silver Lake Mountain: 928 feet of elevation gain; 2 miles roundtrip.

Silver Lake Mountain is another ADK-9 Challenge hike, and like Floodwood it’s not typically crowded. We had the summit all to ourselves for lunch on this Columbus Day Weekend hike during peak fall foliage season. Sweet! The trailhead is just 25 miles and only about 35 minutes from Lake Placid.