Hawes Road.
An unpaved woods walk that covers 0.9 miles and 281 feet of climbing in about 35 minutes. The grade stays gentle throughout, making this the trail to pick when you want forest time without the full Adirondack commitment. Good for an afternoon reset or for getting kids onto dirt without the drama.
Seasonal pattern for this trail · tops out ~1,503 ft · live closures appear above
- UnpavedSurface
Read the line before you walk it.
What the trailhead is doing today.
Where the hike begins.
If you’re already out here.
Great Sacandaga Lake.
The corner of the Park this trail calls home — its hamlets, waters, lodging, and the rest of its field record.
Read the Region→
Make a weekend of it.
Closest editorial picks for a meal, a scoop, a pint, a bed, and a sight worth your time.
Eat.
3- Oxbow Inn17.9 mi
Oxbow Inn is a welcoming restaurant and bar in Lake Pleasant offering great pizza, local beef burgers, and a wide selection of 16 draft beers. Enjoy casual dining, live music, and an outdoor deck with fire pits and lake views.
- Alpine Grille23.1 mi
A long-running roadside steak-and-seafood house on the Sacandaga, between Northville and Wells. Generous portions, a lively bar, and the kind of dining room where the staff knows the regulars by name. Reservations recommended on weekends.
- Lanzi's on the Lake23.5 mi
An Italian restaurant and wedding venue on Route 30 in Mayfield on the Great Sacandaga shore, with floor-to-ceiling windows, a large deck, and event capacity up to 200.
— 17.9 mi to the nearest table out here; plan the drive to dinner.
Sip.
1— 24.2 mi to the nearest pour to this spot; pack a thermos.
Sweet.
1— 22.0 mi to the nearest scoop; save it for the ride home.
Drink.
3- Nick Stoner Inn Seafood & Steakhouse10.5 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 Hotel10.9 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.
- Sacandaga Spirits22.0 mi
Located in Mayfield, Sacandaga Spirits offers a selection of handcrafted wines, liquors, and ciders. Visitors are invited to experience their local Adirondack offerings.
Stay.
4- Pine Lake Lodge8.1 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 Balsam Inn & Cafe8.5 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.
- The Bears Den Vacation Rental Resort8.6 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 Inn on Piseco Lake17.9 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.
See.
1— 22.0 mi to the nearest sight on file; fold it into the drive.
Add to the record.
Free, takes thirty seconds. Yours forever.
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Sunrise on the dock, a cairn at the summit, a bend on the trail. Your camera roll, our archive.
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Trail conditions, water level, bug pressure, blowdown. The kind of detail that helps the next person plan.
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Wrong elevation, outdated access notes, a coordinate that's drifted. We'd rather hear it than miss it.
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Frequently asked.
- How long is the Hawes Road?The Hawes Road is approximately 0.89 miles (1.4 kilometers) — a short out-and-back suitable for most fitness levels.
- How long does it take to hike the Hawes Road?Most hikers complete the Hawes Road in about 35 minutes at a steady pace with roughly 281 feet of elevation gain. Allow extra time for rest stops, photos, weather, and trail conditions.
- How difficult is the Hawes Road?Based on its length and elevation gain, the Hawes Road is an easy hike (281 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.