Blue Mountain Trail to Blue Mountain Fire Tower

Great hike.

this was the first real mountain i climbed, and it was tough! i’m decently in shape and with a couple of little breaks my whole group was able to summit, even with a lot of inexperienced beginner hikers. It wasn’t too tough, but the trail is pretty much a slab of rock towards the top. you can go around it, but be careful on rainy days. it’s a really beautiful view from the top. definitely worth the hike

This is a harder than it would seem hike with pretty steep grades in sheer rock. The views atop the fire tower make it worth it, but this is not a casual hike. We saw a family attempt to take an older dog in it; the dog was not having it and we were concerned for it.

Trail was nice and dry today, almost no mud. Lots of exposed slabs and would have been much tougher if it was wet. Bugs were also not an issue, only a few black flies at the summit and didn't need my head net. Fire tower has been recently refurbished and is in great condition. Fun hike with beautiful views. Get out early so you don't have to hike with the hordes. We were there by 8 and only one person was ahead of us. Lots of people on their way up while we were going down.

Great hike, challenging for younger or inexperienced hikers especially towards the last half. The bugs were the only downside; they were relentless, especially at the top. The fire tower views are incredible but it is a tight squeeze up there.

This was a great hike! The rocks and roots were very slippery on the way down if you’re not paying attention, but not too muddy. This is a dog friendly trail and when we got to the top of the fire tower the view was very foggy, so we’ll have to come back on a clearer day! The last 3/4 mile was difficult and steep and I would not recommend this for novice hikers. Coming back down we were swarmed with black flies that were too strong for even the best bug spray, but still don’t go without and good luck!

We climbed on a clear day. Two 62 year-olds in not the best shape, but determined. Two miles. How hard could it be? First 1.5 miles were moderate to strenuous for us. Couple oldsters passed us on the way down and when we asked if it was worth it, he said they hadn't made it. She was wearing Teva's by the way. OK, so this trail is rocky, and one needs to pick his/her steps with care. There are some parallel trails through the underbrush to skirt some of the toughest areas. The last .5 miles will make an oldie question whether it's worth it. Very steep rock trail, and in our case, swarming blackflies. We had repellent and used it liberally but those things are relentless. After much huffing and puffing, we made it to the plateau. From there, it was easy. At the top we met guys who were working on the fire tower steps, but they welcomed us up to the tower and the view (it was a clear day) was fantastic. What a 360! The breeze at the top was enough to keep the blackflies at bay, but when we finally got back down to the rocky top, they swarmed and drove us back down. Going down was almost as difficult as going up with less huffing and puffing. Picking your footing carefully was the ticket. Slow but steady. In hindsight, the view was worth the work, so persist and be careful and choose a clear day, and there's a great reward at the top.

Great hike, no real views until the top but the view from the fire tower is definitely worth it. Hiked this on Saturday and started around 8am and saw no one going up but saw quite a few people on the way down so get started early if you like a little solitude when you hike. Lots of rocks and muddy spots which causes you to be watching your feet constantly. The incline was not bad at all - very gradual. Bugs were out at the very top when the wind died down.

I completed this hike today as my 13th in the fire tower challenge. The trail has some challenging areas, but challenging in a good way. This is one of my favorites, second to Hurricane. The views are amazing from the tower which has new stairs and fencing. The weather was perfect for hiking today. I definitely would do this one again, especially when the new floor and map are installed in the tower cab.

I completed the trail as the third of the fire tower challenge. The trail is moderate to difficult with many slippery areas, especially the rock towards the top. The first 3/4 of the trail was easier than the last 1/4 of the way up. The views at the top of the mountain were 360 degree views of the beautiful Adirondacks. Highly suggest doing a few smaller hikes prior to attempting this one. Challenging but would highly recommend overall a great hike. Bring bug spray, make sure you are wearing good hiking shoes. Took us approx 4.5 hours in total including 30 mins to enjoy the breath-taking views . The views are amazing at the fire tower and also on the top of the mountain near the radio tower there are great views.

Glad you updated the difficulty level to hard! This is a challenging, fun, rewarding hike. Brought our pup and he loved it.