The Town of Long Lake opened a 1.2-mile trail to the Buck Mountain Fire Tower in September 2023, giving hikers access to 360-degree views that include the vast tract of the Whitney Wilderness and Little Tupper Lake. The Adirondack Community Recreation Alliance provided funding for the trailhead kiosk, as did the Generous Acts at Adirondack Foundation.
“As a grassroots partnership between a private landowner and a town and county, the Buck Mountain trail is exactly the kind of innovative thinking that the Alliance funding exists to support,” said Julia Goren, deputy director of the Adirondack Mountain Club and a member of the Adirondack Community Recreation Alliance. “It’s a beautiful trail to a beautiful spot that’s sure to add value for the community.”
Builders from the ADK Mountain Club provided guidance and work crews to ensure the trail was properly and safely constructed and met all environmental construction standards for long-term environmental sustainability. The ADK crews also constructed a series of hand-built rock steps and wooden staircases to navigate the steepest section of the trail.
The trail leads to a 60-foot-tall Aeromoter Fire Tower installed in 1933. In the final phase of the project, the Excelsior Fire Tower Group rehabilitated the tower with a new sheet metal roof, treads, galvanized steps and fencing.
