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Mount Colden Trail

A connector within the High Peaks backcountry, this route spans roughly 2.2 kilometers under state management and is marked by red disks along its length. The trail is understood to link key approaches to Mount Colden itself, threading through terrain that ranges from forested valley floor to the steeper ground below the summit ridges. Though short in measured distance, the route serves as an essential segment for those attempting the peak from the south, and conditions along its length—particularly where it crosses drainage channels or exposed bedrock—can vary considerably with season and weather.

§ Overview

Mount Colden Trail runs 1.4 miles (2.2 km) with about 1,831 feet of elevation gain — a demanding hike, with a steep, sustained climb, about 1 h 30 min on the trail. NYSDEC maintains the route.

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Length
1.4 mi
Elevation gain
1,831 ft
Difficulty · est.
Demanding
Book time
1 h 36 m
§ Before you go
  • NYSDECOperator
  • lwnNetwork
From OpenStreetMap. Surface + access tags vary by trail.
Loading map…
Elevation profile
Max 4,593 ftMin 2,762 ftNet gain 1,831 ft
4,593 ft2,762 ft0 mi0.3 mi0.7 mi1.0 mi1.4 mi
§ Nearby parking

32 parking areas

Closest parking lots within range, ranked by walking distance. Accessibility flags come from Google verified-data; surface and capacity from OpenStreetMap. Confirm hours and seasonal closures before you go.

+24 more on the map above

§ On this trail

What you’ll find along the route

Lake
Lake Colden
0.11 mi off
§ Closest essentials

Nearest, each within 25 miles

Coffee
Old Mountain Coffee Company
10.1 mi away
Restaurant
Noon Mark Diner
10.1 mi away
General store
The Adirondack Popcorn Company
11.4 mi away
Shelter
Cedar Point Lean-to
0.6 mi away
§ Nearby Points of Interest
Peaks (12)
Lakes & ponds (39)
Trails (24)
Shelters (1)
  • Johns Brook Lodge5.8 mi
Lean-tos (104)
  • Cedar Point Lean-to0.6 mi
  • Beaver Point #20.7 mi
  • Beaver Point #10.7 mi
  • Beaver Point Lean-to #10.7 mi
  • McMartin Lean-to0.8 mi
  • Walker Brook Lean-To0.8 mi
  • Flowed Lands #2 Lean-To0.8 mi
  • Opalescent Lean-to0.8 mi
Primitive campsites (175)
  • Unnamed campsite0.4 mi
  • Lake Colden East Shore Campsite0.4 mi
  • Cedar Point0.6 mi
  • Unnamed campsite0.6 mi
  • Cold Brook Campsite0.7 mi
  • Beaver Point 20.7 mi
  • Lake Colden 20.7 mi
  • Beaver Point 10.7 mi
§ The Field Notes

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Field notes and corrections are reviewed before they appear publicly. Photos and Logbook entries post immediately.§ Maintain or steward this trail? Get in touch →
§ Stay near this trail
Van Hoevenberg Cabins — hero image
8.0 miLake Placid

Van Hoevenberg Cabins

River Road Loj - Lake Placid log cabin rental — hero image
11 miLake Placid

River Road Loj - Lake Placid log cabin rental

Keene Valley Lodge — hero image
11 miKeene

Keene Valley Lodge

§ From the field guides
All field guides →
§ Frequently asked