Castle Rock – Blue Mountain Lake, NY

The Adirondacks are full of awe-inspiring places that, at first glance, don’t appear to be exceptional but turn out to be extraordinary, such as this destination, Castle Rock. Take a hike to the summit of Castle Rock and you’ll enjoy one of the most incredible views in the Adirondacks.

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The Hike to the Summit of Castle Rock

Know Before You Go:

Bring water (You will definitely need it!)
Wear proper hiking boots or sneakers – This is absolutely not the place for flip-flops or crocs.
Sign in at the trail registry (and remember to sign out.) – If you get lost or injured on the trail, this could save your life.

Castle Rock is a 2430-foot mountain overlooking the shores of Blue Mountain Lake in the Blue Mountain Wild Forest. The trial has some of the most beautiful scenery, not just at the top but along the way in the form of huge boulders and the cliff bottom. There are caves and crevices in this area. This a great place to take a break and explore this scenic area before heading into the steepest part of the hike.

The hike to the summit of Castle Rock is listed as a moderate trail, I would classify this as a little more difficult than moderate due to the steep climb, especially near the top. However, it might get a moderate rating due to its length. The beginning of the trail is a bit deceiving; the private dirt road leads hikers to believe that the hike might be an easy walk to the top.

Once your reach the footbridge, it begins to look like a traditional trail and is fairly easy for the first .5 miles. A trial leading down to the shore of Blue Mountain Lake intersects the trail at about the .7 mile mark. From this point forward, the trail begins to get very steep. It levels off momentarily at the foot of the cliffs; as I mentioned, this is a good spot for a break.

The last stretch of the trail is the most difficult but absolutely worth it. There are huge boulders, tree roots you need to climb over, and a rock passage to squeeze through. Your mind might be laser-focused on getting to the top, but take a minute to appreciate this section, as it is gorgeous.

The view from the summit is truly breathtaking (and feels that way by the time you get there.) Not only do you get an unobscured view of Blue Mountain Lake, but you can see for miles beyond. The top of the mountain has room for numerous visitors, and once you are there, you can catch your breath and bathe in the glory of your accomplishment.

The DEC has the trail to the summit as 1.1 miles. I don’t know how they came to this number, but it is slightly less than 1/2 a mile too short. The actual summit (according to my Apple Watch) was 1.5 miles. That might sound like a trivial distance, but it matters when you are huffing and puffing up the steep trail. The best part of hiking mountains is the view. However, if I’m honest, I’d say the second best part is that all the hard work is in the beginning, and the hike down feels like a piece of cake.

We didn’t take the other half of the Castle Rock Loop because we wanted to backtrack to the Blue Mountain Lake Trail.

Lakeshore Detour

The trail down to the lake is only .2 miles, and it’s really easy. It has a very low gradient, which means the hike back out isn’t hard at all (or at least it felt that way after how steep the other trail was). The open shoreline is only a small area, but it is exquisite. The water felt so refreshing after our hike and was a nice place to rest. This spot was also pretty quiet. Unlike the Castle Rock Trail, we didn’t see another soul at the Lakeshore or on the Blue Mountain Lake Trail.

Out and About with Nova

This is a dog-friendly destination. Be prepared to see numerous dogs on your hike. We visited on a Monday morning in September, and just about every hiker we encountered had a dog with them.

Always leash your dog, and make sure to give the other dogs and hikers plenty of space. Also, this goes without saying, please be respectful of other hikers and clean up after your pets.
Even though this isn’t a long hike, it is a strenuous one, make sure you have water for your four-legged friend. You can purchase a portable dog water bowl from Amazon that is perfect for hiking.
This hike isn’t for every dog (or person, for that matter). The section of the trail near the summit has enormous boulders and large tree roots on a steep incline. Not a challenge for a young and healthy dog, but it can be treacherous for an older dog or one with joint problems.