The Town of Long Lake in the Adirondacks opened a 1.2-mile trail to the Buck Mountain Fire Tower in September, giving hikers access to 360-degree views that include the vast tract of the Whitney Wilderness and Little Tupper Lake. From the fire tower, views include Bog Stream, Round Pond and Cat Mountain in Long Lake, Blue Mountain, the Santanoni Range, Mt. Morris, and Coney Mountain. 

The Center provided funding for the trailhead kiosk through the Adirondack Community Recreation Alliance, as did the Generous Acts at Adirondack Foundation. 

 “This project is a great demonstration of the kinds of partnerships that help get community-based recreation done in the Adirondacks,” said Julia Goren, deputy director of the Adirondack Mountain Club and a member of the Adirondack Community Recreation Alliance.  

 “As a grassroots partnership between a private landowner and a town and county, the Buck Mountain trail is exactly the kind of innovative thinking that the Alliance funding exists to support,” said Goren. “It’s a beautiful trail to a beautiful spot that’s sure to add value for the community.”  

 The Town of Long Lake is a year-round Adirondack family destination, with activities and outdoor opportunities for all ages. The town encompasses Long Lake and Raquette Lake and numerous trails and waterways. The town provides community members and tourists with a quintessential Adirondack experience and is spearheading an effort to expand recreational opportunities available within the region.  

 The town worked with the Hamilton County Soil and Water Department, the ADK Mountain Club, and landowner Cedar Heights Timber LLC – which provided an easement across a scenic portion of its land to the fire tower – to create a sustainable hiking trail to the historic Buck Mountain Fire Tower. 

Hamilton County Soil and Water built the lower section of trail with help from the Town of Long Lake and volunteers who assisted in building bog and span bridges.  

 Builders from the ADK Mountain Club provided guidance and work crews to ensure the trail was properly and safely constructed and met all environmental construction standards for long-term environmental sustainability. The ADK crews also constructed a series of hand-built rock steps and wooden staircases to navigate the steepest section of the trail.  

 The trail leads to a 60-foot-tall Aeromoter Fire Tower installed in 1933. In the final phase of the project, the Excelsior Fire Tower Group rehabilitated the tower with a new sheet metal roof, treads, galvanized steps and fencing.  

Other project partners included the NYS Chapter of the Forest Fire Lookout Association, Hamilton County Highway Department, and the Hamilton County Board Supervisors.