Allen Mountain Trail

Allen Mountain Trail is a long, remote Adirondack High Peaks hike near Newcomb, New York, built around the Allen Mountain climb out of the Upper Works Road area and typically completed as an out-and-back.

The route is mostly flat to gently rolling for the early miles along the East River Trail, with multiple small water crossings; plan on at least one short stream crossing where many hikers use water shoes depending on conditions.

The Allen Mountain Trail segment is where the difficulty concentrates: it becomes an unmarked/less-maintained herd path with a sustained steep grind toward the summit. Expect slippery, muddy rock and mossy footing in the steeper sections, including a notably slick rock slab/landslide area near the top.

For the final ascent, footing and navigation matter. The terrain funnels you only partially, and it’s easy to lose the line if you stop paying attention near the steep rock and the approach to the open slide.

Time and distance add up fast: typical trip reports and route summaries put this at about 19.5 miles round-trip for a full day effort, often in the 9 to 12 hour range depending on pace and conditions.

Seasonally, it’s a High Peaks route where overnight camping in the Eastern High Peaks Wilderness requires bear-resistant canisters between April 1 and November 30. Carry your own bear canister if you plan to camp along the route.

More information: Allen Mountain: New 2018 Route? - ADKHighPeaks, Allen Mountain - 46 Hiking Highs, ADK 46: Allen Mountain - Hannah the hiker