Cranberry - Mud Lake.
This 1.7-mile route connects Cranberry Lake with Mud Lake, a short out-and-back or connector depending on your itinerary. The trail threads through typical Adirondack lowland forest, likely marshy or wet in sections given both endpoints are lakeshores. With minimal distance, it's manageable for most hikers willing to navigate potentially muddy tread.
- Family-friendlyShort, easy, and gentle enough for young legs
- Good for snowshoeingNon-technical grade that carries a snowshoe track
- Peak foliage window — color starts up high and works down the valleys through mid-October.
Seasonal pattern for this trail · tops out ~2,067 ft · live closures appear above
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What the trailhead is doing today.
Where the hike begins.
If you’re already out here.
Speculator.
The corner of the Park this trail calls home — its hamlets, waters, lodging, and the rest of its field record.
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Make a weekend of it.
Closest editorial picks for a meal, a scoop, a pint, a bed, and a sight worth your time.
Eat.
1— 18.3 mi to the nearest table out here; plan the drive to dinner.
Drink.
2- Nick Stoner Inn Seafood & Steakhouse18.6 mi
Caroga Lake restaurant at 1810 NY-10 doing hand-cut, in-house steaks, fresh seafood, and a tight made-to-order menu. 19 craft beers on tap, NY Finger Lakes wines. Open Thursday through Sunday; Sunday 11–5.
- Vrooman's Hotel19.2 mi
On the shore of West Caroga Lake, this family-owned hotel and tavern has been a beloved community fixture for generations, serving exceptional dishes and warm hospitality daily.
— 18.6 mi to the nearest pint; appoint a driver.
Stay.
4- The Bears Den Vacation Rental Resort14.7 mi
Booked as an exclusive buyout. Sleeps up to 20 across the main log lodge in Caroga Lake. Full kitchen and bar, three fireplaces, hot tub, sand volleyball court, wood-fired pizza oven, and a private sand beach on the West Branch Sacandaga River.
- The Balsam Inn & Cafe14.8 mi
Historic inn at 140 NY-10 in Caroga Lake, with newly renovated boutique rooms on the second floor and the Forever Wild Tavern downstairs. A minute from the West Branch of the Sacandaga and adjacent to state park land.
- Pine Lake Lodge15.9 mi
Pine Lake Lodge is a spacious eight-bedroom vacation rental near Great Sacandaga Lake, offering ample space and amenities for large groups, family reunions, and celebrations.
- The Inn on Piseco Lake17.4 mi
Established in 1892 as the Irondequoit Inn, the historic Inn on Piseco Lake is a 600-acre lakefront retreat in the Hamilton County hamlet of Piseco — nine guest rooms, two-bedroom cabins that sleep six, beachfront and wooded campsites, and a restaurant open to the public. The Northville-Placid Trail crosses nearby. A rare survivor of the late-19th-century Adirondack hotel era.
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Frequently asked.
- How long is the Cranberry - Mud Lake?The Cranberry - Mud Lake is approximately 1.67 miles (2.7 kilometers) — a short out-and-back suitable for most fitness levels.
- How long does it take to hike the Cranberry - Mud Lake?Most hikers complete the Cranberry - Mud Lake in about 55 minutes at a steady pace with roughly 228 feet of elevation gain. Allow extra time for rest stops, photos, weather, and trail conditions.
- How difficult is the Cranberry - Mud Lake?Based on its length and elevation gain, the Cranberry - Mud Lake is an easy hike (228 ft of climbing over the route) — gentle grades suitable for most fitness levels and families. This is an estimate from route data, not an official trail rating — check current DEC advisories before heading out.