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High Peaks Wilderness Area

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predominantly forested with mixed hardwoods and softwoods. The higher elevations at and near most mountain tops have thick stands of stunted balsam with some spruce, white birch and yellow birch. The tops of Mount Marcy and Algonquin are above the timberline and a number of other mountain tops are at or close to timberline. The subalpine and alpine vegetation on the tops of these mountains has been of interest to many people, including students of botany, ecology and zoology, as well as recreationists willing to hike to the mountain tops for superb views of the High Peaks region and close observation of unique plant associations.
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Forest fires near the turn of the century were intense enough in some locations, such as the Cascade Range, to destroy both vegetation and topsoil, leaving bare rock which will require many more years for enough soil to develop to support a forest cover. However, the greater part of this area is
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at all times. As of 2005, the DEC has regulated that all overnight campers must carry a bear canister for their food. Also a permit is required for camping on the shorelines of the Essex Chain of Lakes. Furthermore, no fires are allowed in the Eastern High Peaks region.
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Hikers and mountaineers probably outnumber all other groups. Ski touring and snowshoeing throughout the area, particularly the northeast sector, have been on the increase in recent years. Winter mountaineering and winter camping continue to be highly popular.
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Many streams cascade from the mountain slopes, providing numerous scenic waterfalls, deep pools and brook trout fishing opportunities. Such streams as the
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In addition to hundreds of miles of maintained trails, the area features a number of unmaintained trails, particularly to the summits of
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This wilderness area is the most popular destination in the park. In the summer, the area offers numerous opportunities day
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Road access is possible from all sides of the wilderness area. It is possible to reach the western portion by
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The High Peak Information Center at the end of Adirondack Loj Road in North Elba, Essex County, New York
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The area includes 112 bodies of water on 1,392 acres (5.6 km), 238.4 miles (383.5 km) of
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The topography ranges from small areas of low-lying swampland (e.g., along the Raquette and
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are popular destinations at the edge of the wilderness. It is possible to access the
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The range trail, which traverses a series of mountain summits known as the
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State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry
977:"Adirondack camping destinations for canoe, kayak trip: 8 places to stay" 501: 323:, the old Haybridge Road, which runs from Cold Brook to Averyville, the 1284: 560:
crosses the High Peaks Wilderness Area from its southeastern corner at
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Explorer's Guide Adirondacks (Eighth Edition) (Explorer's Complete)
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at the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation
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and numerous rock slides offer backcountry opportunities for
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Rivers) to the highest point in New York State at the top of
832:"STATE OF NEW YORK: ADIRONDACK PARK STATE LAND MASTER PLAN" 939:
NY DEC High Peaks Wilderness Complex Unit Management Plan
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in the area. Several maintained trails connect with the
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Heavy use at the end of the 20th century led New York's
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New York State Department of Environmental Conservation
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Annie Stoltie, Lisa Bramen French and Niki Kourofsky
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In the winter, the area provides for 374:There is one significant inholding: the 893:"Duck Hole from Upper Works - 10/12/14" 759: 319:It is roughly bounded on the north by 697:by a long carry from Henderson Lake. 472:, often considered the source of the 7: 167: 47:adding citations to reliable sources 1449:Wilderness areas in Adirondack Park 1001:"Adirondack State Land Master Plan" 868:"NPT - Cold River & Duck Hole" 14: 397:. The area contains 42 of the 46 154: 147: 23: 665:, which runs ninety miles from 183: 34:needs additional citations for 789:New York Magazine, 30 May 1977 1: 1013:High Peaks Wilderness Complex 637:Many trails are suitable for 468:are frequently photographed. 554:Dix Mountain Wilderness Area 58:"High Peaks Wilderness Area" 975:Lynch, Mike (7 June 2016). 550:Adirondack Mountain Reserve 1495: 361:Huntington Wildlife Forest 253:High Peaks Wilderness Area 124:High Peaks Wilderness Area 401:, including the tallest, 235:275,460 acres (1,114.7km) 142: 128: 999:Adirondack Park Agency. 811:Adirondack Mountain Club 380:Adirondack Mountain Club 349:Finch, Pruyn and Company 734:from Long Lake and the 558:Northville-Placid Trail 470:Lake Tear of the Clouds 839:Adirondack Park Agency 663:Adirondack Canoe Route 537: 436: 1454:Adirondack High Peaks 535: 431: 399:Adirondack High Peaks 353:National Lead Company 216:44.19028°N 74.02690°W 1065:Northern Adirondacks 1058:Adirondack Mountains 848:on 21 September 2007 639:cross-country skiing 333:Mount Van Hoevenberg 43:improve this article 1347:Santanoni Mountains 1315:MacIntyre Mountains 1176:Northern High Peaks 1086:Eastern Adirondacks 807:"Johns Brook Lodge" 701:Special regulations 240:Governing body 221:44.19028; -74.02690 212: /  538: 437: 1431: 1430: 919:Climbing Magazine 872:www.cnyhiking.com 785:New York Magazine 627:Wallface Mountain 376:Johns Brook Lodge 249: 248: 185:Nearest city 119: 118: 111: 93: 1486: 1444:IUCN Category Ib 1373:Seward Mountains 1042: 1035: 1028: 1019: 992: 991: 989: 987: 972: 966: 965: 963: 962: 953:. Archived from 947: 941: 936: 930: 929: 927: 925: 913:Wechsler, Alan. 910: 904: 903: 901: 899: 889: 883: 882: 880: 878: 864: 858: 857: 855: 853: 847: 841:. Archived from 836: 828: 822: 821: 819: 817: 802: 796: 782: 776: 764: 446:Opalescent River 227: 226: 224: 223: 222: 217: 213: 210: 209: 208: 205: 189:Keene Valley, NY 158: 157: 151: 121: 114: 107: 103: 100: 94: 92: 51: 27: 19: 1494: 1493: 1489: 1488: 1487: 1485: 1484: 1483: 1434: 1433: 1432: 1427: 1399: 1368: 1342: 1309: 1260: 1207: 1171: 1133: 1102: 1081: 1060: 1046: 1010: 1003:, Updated 2001. 996: 995: 985: 983: 974: 973: 969: 960: 958: 949: 948: 944: 937: 933: 923: 921: 912: 911: 907: 897: 895: 891: 890: 886: 876: 874: 866: 865: 861: 851: 849: 845: 834: 830: 829: 825: 815: 813: 805:Ahearn, Molly. 804: 803: 799: 783: 779: 765: 761: 756: 744: 724: 703: 659: 647:telemark skiing 635: 615: 530: 486: 442: 422: 317: 309:Hamilton County 281:Franklin County 273:Adirondack Park 261:Forest Preserve 257:wilderness area 255:is the largest 220: 218: 214: 211: 206: 203: 201: 199: 198: 173:Adirondack Park 164: 163: 162: 161: 160: 159: 138: 135:wilderness area 115: 104: 98: 95: 52: 50: 40: 28: 17: 12: 11: 5: 1492: 1490: 1482: 1481: 1476: 1471: 1466: 1461: 1456: 1451: 1446: 1436: 1435: 1429: 1428: 1426: 1425: 1420: 1415: 1407: 1405: 1401: 1400: 1398: 1397: 1392: 1387: 1382: 1376: 1374: 1370: 1369: 1367: 1366: 1361: 1356: 1350: 1348: 1344: 1343: 1341: 1340: 1335: 1330: 1325: 1319: 1317: 1311: 1310: 1308: 1307: 1302: 1297: 1292: 1287: 1282: 1277: 1271: 1269: 1262: 1261: 1259: 1258: 1253: 1248: 1243: 1238: 1233: 1228: 1223: 1217: 1215: 1209: 1208: 1206: 1205: 1200: 1195: 1190: 1185: 1179: 1177: 1173: 1172: 1170: 1169: 1164: 1159: 1154: 1149: 1143: 1141: 1135: 1134: 1132: 1131: 1126: 1121: 1116: 1110: 1108: 1104: 1103: 1101: 1100: 1095: 1089: 1087: 1083: 1082: 1080: 1079: 1074: 1068: 1066: 1062: 1061: 1047: 1045: 1044: 1037: 1030: 1022: 1009: 1008:External links 1006: 1005: 1004: 994: 993: 981:newyorkupstate 967: 942: 931: 905: 884: 859: 823: 797: 777: 758: 757: 755: 752: 751: 750: 743: 740: 723: 720: 702: 699: 683:Henderson Lake 675:Raquette River 658: 655: 634: 631: 614: 611: 603:Avalanche Pass 529: 526: 518:mountaineering 485: 482: 454:Klondike Brook 441: 438: 421: 418: 369:Raquette River 316: 313: 247: 246: 241: 237: 236: 233: 229: 228: 196: 192: 191: 186: 182: 181: 170: 166: 165: 153: 152: 146: 145: 144: 143: 140: 139: 129: 126: 125: 117: 116: 31: 29: 22: 15: 13: 10: 9: 6: 4: 3: 2: 1491: 1480: 1477: 1475: 1472: 1470: 1467: 1465: 1462: 1460: 1457: 1455: 1452: 1450: 1447: 1445: 1442: 1441: 1439: 1424: 1421: 1419: 1416: 1413: 1409: 1408: 1406: 1402: 1396: 1393: 1391: 1388: 1386: 1383: 1381: 1378: 1377: 1375: 1371: 1365: 1362: 1360: 1357: 1355: 1354:Couchsachraga 1352: 1351: 1349: 1345: 1339: 1336: 1334: 1331: 1329: 1326: 1324: 1321: 1320: 1318: 1316: 1312: 1306: 1305:Upper Wolfjaw 1303: 1301: 1300:Lower Wolfjaw 1298: 1296: 1293: 1291: 1288: 1286: 1283: 1281: 1278: 1276: 1273: 1272: 1270: 1268: 1263: 1257: 1254: 1252: 1249: 1247: 1244: 1242: 1239: 1237: 1234: 1232: 1229: 1227: 1224: 1222: 1219: 1218: 1216: 1214: 1210: 1204: 1201: 1199: 1196: 1194: 1191: 1189: 1186: 1184: 1181: 1180: 1178: 1174: 1168: 1165: 1163: 1160: 1158: 1155: 1153: 1150: 1148: 1145: 1144: 1142: 1140: 1136: 1130: 1127: 1125: 1122: 1120: 1117: 1115: 1112: 1111: 1109: 1105: 1099: 1096: 1094: 1091: 1090: 1088: 1084: 1078: 1075: 1073: 1070: 1069: 1067: 1063: 1059: 1055: 1051: 1043: 1038: 1036: 1031: 1029: 1024: 1023: 1020: 1016: 1014: 1007: 1002: 998: 997: 982: 978: 971: 968: 957:on 2013-05-30 956: 952: 946: 943: 940: 935: 932: 920: 916: 909: 906: 894: 888: 885: 873: 869: 863: 860: 844: 840: 833: 827: 824: 812: 808: 801: 798: 795: 791: 790: 786: 781: 778: 775: 771: 770: 763: 760: 753: 749: 746: 745: 741: 739: 737: 733: 729: 722:Public access 721: 719: 716: 712: 708: 700: 698: 696: 692: 691:Preston Ponds 688: 684: 680: 679:Cascade Lakes 676: 672: 668: 664: 656: 654: 652: 648: 644: 640: 632: 630: 628: 624: 623:Cascade Lakes 620: 619:rock climbing 612: 610: 608: 607:Panther Gorge 604: 600: 596: 592: 588: 584: 582: 578: 574: 569: 567: 563: 559: 555: 551: 547: 543: 534: 527: 525: 521: 519: 515: 511: 507: 503: 499: 498:rock climbing 495: 491: 483: 481: 479: 475: 471: 467: 463: 459: 455: 451: 447: 439: 434: 430: 426: 419: 417: 415: 411: 406: 404: 400: 396: 392: 387: 385: 381: 377: 372: 370: 366: 362: 358: 354: 350: 346: 342: 341:Cascade Lakes 338: 334: 330: 326: 325:Adirondak Loj 322: 314: 312: 310: 306: 302: 298: 294: 290: 286: 282: 278: 274: 270: 266: 262: 258: 254: 245: 242: 238: 234: 230: 225: 197: 193: 190: 187: 180: 177: 174: 171: 150: 141: 136: 132: 131:IUCN category 127: 122: 113: 110: 102: 91: 88: 84: 81: 77: 74: 70: 67: 63: 60: –  59: 55: 54:Find sources: 48: 44: 38: 37: 32:This article 30: 26: 21: 20: 1404:Street Range 1107:Colvin Range 1011: 984:. 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Retrieved 810: 800: 794:Google Books 792:, p. 72, at 787: 780: 774:Google Books 772:, p. 39, at 767: 762: 725: 704: 671:Saranac Lake 660: 651:snowboarding 636: 621:, including 616: 591:Indian Falls 587:Wanika Falls 585: 581:Keene Valley 570: 539: 522: 506:ice climbing 487: 474:Hudson River 443: 423: 407: 388: 384:Keene Valley 373: 345:Ausable Club 327:property at 318: 301:Essex County 293:North Hudson 277:Harrietstown 252: 250: 105: 96: 86: 79: 72: 65: 53: 41:Please help 36:verification 33: 1479:Adirondacks 1412:MacNaughton 1267:Great Range 1213:Marcy Group 711:backpackers 649:as well as 595:Indian Pass 577:Mount Marcy 573:Great Range 566:Lake Placid 514:snowshoeing 494:backpacking 478:Mount Marcy 466:Moose Creek 458:Marcy Brook 450:Johns Brook 433:Mount Marcy 414:Mount Marcy 403:Mount Marcy 391:foot trails 219: / 195:Coordinates 1438:Categories 1290:Saddleback 1152:Grace Peak 1098:Rocky Peak 1050:High Peaks 961:2013-07-30 754:References 736:Cold River 687:Cold River 685:, and the 546:landslides 542:high peaks 484:Recreation 462:Cold River 329:Heart Lake 285:North Elba 265:U.S. state 207:74°01′37″W 204:44°11′25″N 99:March 2020 69:newspapers 1380:Donaldson 1364:Santanoni 1323:Algonquin 1275:Armstrong 1203:Table Top 1183:Big Slide 1157:South Dix 1139:Dix Range 1129:Nippletop 1077:Whiteface 695:Duck Hole 667:Old Forge 599:Duck Hole 562:Long Lake 365:Long Lake 339:near the 335:area and 315:Geography 305:Long Lake 1333:Marshall 1328:Iroquois 1295:Sawteeth 1256:Skylight 1251:Redfield 1241:Haystack 1054:New York 986:14 March 924:14 March 898:14 March 877:14 March 852:3 August 816:14 March 742:See also 657:Canoeing 613:Climbing 502:canoeing 395:lean-tos 367:and the 355:and the 269:New York 176:New York 169:Location 1395:Seymour 1359:Panther 1285:Gothics 1188:Cascade 410:Saranac 297:Newcomb 263:in the 259:of the 83:scholar 1423:Street 1390:Seward 1385:Emmons 1338:Wright 1265:Other 1231:Colden 1198:Porter 1193:Phelps 1167:Macomb 1119:Colvin 1072:Esther 643:alpine 633:Skiing 605:, and 597:, the 528:Hiking 516:, and 510:skiing 496:, and 490:hiking 420:Forest 331:, the 85:  78:  71:  64:  56:  1280:Basin 1246:Marcy 1226:Cliff 1221:Allen 1162:Hough 1114:Blake 1093:Giant 846:(PDF) 835:(PDF) 732:kayak 728:canoe 715:leash 575:from 440:Water 337:NY 73 289:Keene 90:JSTOR 76:books 1236:Gray 1124:Dial 1048:The 988:2020 926:2020 900:2020 879:2020 854:2023 818:2020 693:and 661:The 645:and 552:and 464:and 321:NY 3 303:and 295:and 251:The 232:Area 133:Ib ( 62:news 1418:Nye 1147:Dix 1056:'s 1052:of 730:or 669:to 579:to 564:to 359:'s 307:in 299:in 279:in 267:of 45:by 1440:: 979:. 917:. 870:. 837:. 809:. 738:. 681:, 625:, 601:, 593:, 589:, 568:. 520:. 512:, 508:, 492:, 480:. 460:, 456:, 452:, 448:, 405:. 386:. 371:. 351:, 347:, 311:. 291:, 287:, 283:, 275:: 179:US 1414:) 1410:( 1041:e 1034:t 1027:v 990:. 964:. 928:. 902:. 881:. 856:. 820:. 137:) 112:) 106:( 101:) 97:( 87:· 80:· 73:· 66:· 39:.

Index


verification
improve this article
adding citations to reliable sources
"High Peaks Wilderness Area"
news
newspapers
books
scholar
JSTOR
Learn how and when to remove this message
IUCN category
wilderness area
Map showing the location of High Peaks Wilderness Area
Adirondack Park
New York
US
Keene Valley, NY
44°11′25″N 74°01′37″W / 44.19028°N 74.02690°W / 44.19028; -74.02690
New York State Department of Environmental Conservation
wilderness area
Forest Preserve
U.S. state
New York
Adirondack Park
Harrietstown
Franklin County
North Elba
Keene
North Hudson

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