We hiked the 6 mile route to the fire tower and back. We hiked to Balsam Lake Fire Tower for the ADK/Catskills fire tower challenge. You cannot get permission to hike Graham Mountain during hunting season. The trail is primarily used for hiking, running, and backpacking. The Graham and Balsam Lake Mountains are part of the Catskills in New York. The most popular route to Balsam Lake begins at the Dry Brook Ridge Trailhead on Mill Brook Road in Hardenburgh. Before you visit: check what facilities/activities are available and pack what you need (e.g. Distance: 9.84 miles round trip from the DEC Parking Lot on Mill Brook Road. The view from the tower was awesome as some of the fall foliage was starting to pop out! Pass the red trail to Balsam Lake Mt on your left at 0.9 and again at 1.9 miles. I thought Iâd combine two hikes into one report. Faint trail junction to peak of an un-named peak. Snowshoes recommended, but not mandatory. Balsam Lake and Graham Mountains. ⦠& Graham 05-02-2006, 09:24 AM. Fire tower was cool when I went to the top and the tv thing was awesome I loved it, Beautiful views from fire tower and small pocket view at the top of Graham mountain which is private property you have to call be for you go. Volunteer was very friendly and informative as well! You will come upon a registration box after about third of a mile. Third Annual Light Up the Night ð Balsam Lake & Graham. CALL FOR PERMISSION, DONT GO TO JAIL, SIMPL⦠Easy trail to Balsam Lake Mountain with stunning views from the fire tower. Go to the page for Graham Mountain for more hikes which include Balsam Lake ⦠Directions from Hardenburgh, NY: Travel Route 54 to Turnwood and continue east about 4 miles to the end of Beaver Kill Road. The day was in the 60âs, sunny, no wind. Doubletop and Graham require permission to hike which means a call to the caretaker before hiking: Bill Fiedler (607) 221-1277. great trail. For permission call (845) 586-4099, Monday-Friday during business hours. You’re supposed to call to get permission first since it’s private property. Please register by Wednesday, Jan 3 with leaders Grace Gargiulo ggarg@aol.com or Mike Kaiser michaelckaiser@yahoo.com Take a right out of the NYS Thruway toll booths onto Rt 28. The large mountain visible to the east is Graham. Graham mountain from Balsam Lake. Spectacular views from the top of the fire tower on a clear day. Fire tower was locked at the top, which was a bummer. Would suggest taking the second path up to the fire tower (parked at the Dry Brook parking area) as that was a little steeper than the first path to the fire tower and the first path would be easier to come down on. A little challenging but worth it in the end. Photo: Daniel Case, CC BY-SA 3.0. We hiked 1164 feet up Balsam Lake and 642 feet up Graham for a total elevation gain of 1806 (and a extra 117 going down) Before Steve hade some serious blister problems (Donna was medic) Top of Balsam Lake And your above 3500’. Please note permission is required to hike up to Graham Mountain. Amazing views and the fresh pine/fir smell wish I could bottle it! From 10 miles away, you get a very clear ⦠We tackled this from the north side this time. It is located in the town of Hardenburgh, New York, United States. Balsam Lake : May 8, 2020 to October 31, 2020 Facilities and Activities summary. BUT, if you hike Graham Mountain, you WILL need permission. Balsam Lake and Graham 07/06/2008 . On this Graham and Balsam Lake Mountains guided trek we take you on a fun outdoor adventure to discover them! 9.84 miles round trip from the DEC Parking Lot on Mill Brook Road. Another 2 miles to the summit, it goes down a little before it climbs steeply to the summit. Go approximately 2-3 miles on Mill Brook Road, The DEC Parking lot is on the RIGHT side of the road. Graham trail was post holed beyond belief, and snowshoes were mandatory. Graham Mountain is often hiked in conjunction with Balsam Lake. My feet were wet by the end, but it was a great day to hike. Permission to hike Graham is a simple call or text from the number provided by the 3500 club website. The trail is beautiful overall, there's a spring and a lean-to toward the top of the mountain, and the fire tower view is spectacular. Graham Mountain is the seventh highest of the Catskill High Peaks and the highest privately owned mountain in the range. The trail is primarily used for hiking, nature trips, and snowshoeing and is best used from April until October. Balsam Lake Mountain is one of the Catskill Mountains, located in the Town of Hardenburgh, New York, United States. 2165 ft. N42.0392 W74.5500 Google Maps Find the blue-blazed Dry Brook Ridge Trail and hike about.9 miles. water, snacks, mask/face covering, and hand sanitizer). The way to Graham is a woodsy trek to the top with it relic of bygone days, and early communications tower. Go appoximately 1.25 miles to Mill Brook Road. There is no signage to point you to the Graham Mt trail but you will see notice which indicates that you have reached private land. not much to see on the trail but view from tower is impressive, worth the 3 mi there and 3 mi back. Hike into Balsam Lake leanto on a Friday, then early saturday get the summit of Balsam and then bushwack over to Graham and depending on time maybe over to Doubletop, returning to the leanto for saturday night. It was a great trail. One of two high peaks that feature fire towers, Balsam Lake Mountain is accessed from the Balsam Lake Mountain Trail, a short side trail off the Dry Brook Ridge Trail. Dress warm; it was about 10° at the summits! Take New York State Thruway to Exit 19 (Kingston). Balsam Lake Mt. (The image at the left is the vertical profile for the hike.) OK view up top, but mostly blocked. Mostly sunny, warm day. HIKE TO BALSAM LAKE MOUNTAIN The picture on the left is the DEC parking lot off of Mill Brook Road. make sure you navigate to dry brook trailhead to park your car for the 6 mile loop hike to the fire tower. The mountain has one of five reconstructed and maintained fire towers in the Catskill Park. Be alert at about 2 miles, look for a fork. The public road dead ends at this spot and a private road continues to the Balsam Lake Lodge. Balsam Lake Mountain and Graham Mountain [PRIVATE PROPERTY] is a 9.3 mile heavily trafficked out and back trail located near Livingston Manor, New York that features a lake and is rated as difficult. Also, the dense pine forest at the top of the mountain is straight out of a fairytale, something that needs to be seen in the snow. Zoom in to see the ruins on the summit. The herd path to Graham is about 0.25 miles further on the right bearing E-SE. Hiking Balsam Lake & Graham Mountains - Catskills, NY - 8/26/2012. The peak was not as high as I would have liked. Most of the snow is gone except on the north-facing and higher elevation slopes. OVERVIEW FOR GRAHAM & BALSAM LAKE MOUNTAIN : Land: Graham Mountain is on PRIVATE PROPERTY and requires permission (See map). The mountain has one of five reconstructed and maintained fire towers in the Catskill Park. It's a little steep in some places but very manageable. THIS PEAK IS ON PRIVATE LAND, THE OWNERS ARE GOOD ABOUT GIVING PERMISSION, BUT YOU MUST CALL TO GET PERMISSION, DO NOT TRESSPASS, AS WE MAY LOSE ACCESS AT ANYTIME PROVIDED THE TREND OF PEOPLE NOT CALLING CONTINUES. Note that the entrance on Beaver Kill Rd may be somewhat difficult to access in some cars. You may hike to the fire tower and back to the DEC parking lot WITHOUT permission. Balsam Lake Mountain via Dry Brook Ridge Trail, Belleayre, Balsam, Haynes and Eagle Mountains, Balsam Mountain Via Oliverea-Mapledale and Pine Hill-West Branch Trail, Eagle and Haynes Mountains Via Rider Hollow, Doubletop Mountain to Graham Mountain via Seager Trail [PRIVATE PROPERTY], Balsam, Haynes, Eagle, Big Indian and Fir Peaks Loop, Belleayre Mountain via Lost Clove and Belleayre Ridge, Eagle Mountain, Haynes Mountain, and Balsam Mountain, Balsam Lake Mountain and Graham Mountain [PRIVATE PROPERTY], Graham Mountain, Doubletop Mountain, Big Indian Mountain, and Eagle Mountain Loop [PRIVATE PROPERTY], Doubletop Mountain, Graham Mountain, Balsam Lake Mountain [PRIVATE PROPERTY]. The mountain can be hiked as an out-and-back or as a loop. Balsam Lake & Graham Mountains, Catskills (Canceled) (A-) Saturday, January 6, 2018 ... with great views from the Balsam Lake Fire Tower. Trail Junction to Balsam Lake Mountain and Fire Tower, Summit of Balsam Lake Mtn - Fire Tower - Ranger Station. Thanks to Mark Schafer and others for their input on these trails. Trail. These two emblematic peaks in the region are beautiful exploration spots for explorers and nature lovers. The road's pavement changes to gravel/dirt mix. Balsam Lake Mountain and Graham Mountain [PRIVATE PROPERTY] is a 9 mile moderately trafficked loop trail located near Livingston Manor, New York that features a great forest setting and is rated as moderate. I would say the last .75 miles is where your gain most of the elevation, and, the balsam forest on top is very nice in a few inches of new snow. Lots of parking and clearly marked trail. Nice and clean! Even still great hike. It turns into a seasonal road and the snow maintenance is spotty. But the drive down that road is beautiful on its own. Overall left turn is very steep but worth it. This is a very popular trek and very easy to obtain from the on-ground caretaker. Nice hike. moderate. Was back at the Parking lot at 4 pm, I walked down with a fellow hiker. The view from the Fire tower was amazing! Due to a late start from home and a stupid wrong turn while ⦠Use this section only for trip reports to the Catskill Region of NY. A fair simple hike. Balsam Lake was a pretty nice climb, but no views from the top. I had thought we might try some of the offtrail peaks on the DEP property around Walton. Below, Kim and Chris on the Balsam Lake fire tower during warmer months, and Keith atop it ⦠The trail down from Graham doesn't lose too much elevation before it levels off for the approximate 1.5 mile trip back to the main trail near Balsam Lake Mountain. Time: Average 6.50 hours round trip : Elevation Gain: 1,284â for Graham and 380' for Balsam Lake Mtn from ⦠Our route includes easy trails, and both easy and challenging bushwhacks. ... Balsam Lake is probably most famous for the first recorded appearance on a cold and snowy night in January 2014 of Herbert Van Horsenforth, a legend in HVH lore. Sunday January 21, 2017: Parked at Mill Brook Rd at around noon, a very pleasant and steady uphill climb in snowy, sunny and warm conditions. Balsam Lake is a lovely evergreen mountaintop with an expansive firetower view! My advice is to do Graham first and get it out of ⦠Balsam Lake Mountain can be accessed from the Beaverkill Road, the Millbrook-Arena Road or from the Millbrook Ridge Trail from Alder Lake. I changed my mind when I remembered that it was the 100th anniversary of the Balsam Lake Fire Tower. Balsam Lake Mountain and Graham Mountain [PRIVATE PROPERTY] is a 15.0 kilometer heavily trafficked out and back trail located near Livingston Manor, New York that features a lake and is rated as difficult. With binoculars, or a long lens, you can see the ruins on the summit. Nice walk year around - common winter snowshoe and ski trail. You can probably see a lot from the tops of both but it was cloudy when we went. LThiker ----- update 1/6/2005 (thanks Pennsy) Everything you always wanted to know about this trip ⦠Although the trail is unmarked, the path is clear and direct. We walked to Balsam Lake to the fire tower then to Graham which has a nice opening for lunch. Quick Look â Graham from Beaverkill; Difficulty Round trip Total climb Location Trailed approaches from the north, south and west offer plenty of variation for ⦠New York State Division of Tourism, One Commerce Plaza , Albany, NY, 12245, Phone: 518-474-4116. Came back from Balsam Lake the long way and that was real technical. Any of the loops can be done in ⦠The mountain can be hiked as an out-and-back or as a loop. Really fun, a few steep climbs, nothing a beginner couldn’t handle. The trail is primarily used for hiking, nature trips, and snowshoeing and is best used from April until October. I have suggested a trail edit by having just the trail to Balsam Lake for those only wanting to hike to the fire tower. On Friday, August 2nd, I was ready to get out and hike with my grandson Bryce. After approximately a 650-foot ascent and 2 miles you will reach the trailhead for Graham Mountain. At present do not hike to Graham without express permission from the caretaker. About 6 hours in total. Balsam Lake Mountain is one of the Catskill Mountains, located in the Town of Hardenburgh, New York, United States.It is the westernmost of the range's 35 High Peaks.Its exact height has not been determined, but the highest contour line on topographic maps, 3,720 feet (1,130 m), is usually given as its elevation.. Balsam Lake can also be hiked with Graham Mountain. Located within the Balsam Lake ⦠At present this permission is available only to local residents. Take a left onto Rt 49A at Highmount (Belleayre Ski Center). ⦠Users have reported that the peak of Graham Mountain is on private property and visitors should get permission before visiting. Catskill 3500 - Balsam Lake & Millbrook Ridge (3500 Club Replacement for Graham) It is on your left, and it cuts back to the east at a very acute angle. Its summit is unique in the Catskills for its pygmy hardwood forest cover and absence of evergreen boreal species that normally dominate at that elevation in the range, despite the presence of balsam ⦠This is the original vehicle road to the Balsam Lake Mountain Fire Tower. Dogs are also able to use this trail. DEC Parking Lot - Walk across the street to the trailhead. From Graham Hikers- Donna, Steve, Me, Murray 10.5 miles in 5 hours 31 minutes 1.9 mph. This shows the loop from the Millbrook parking area. Level of Difficulty: Difficult; bushwhack . Balsam Lake Mountain Fire Tower is on public land. Balsam Lake Mountain Elevation: 3723' Rank: 16 Trailed, NYNJTC maps 142 and 143. Weâll hike about 10 miles, over 3 Catskills high peaks: Doubletop (3874â²), Graham (3868â²), and Balsam Lake (3729â²), with a total ascent of about 3300â². Park at the DEC parking area and begin on the blue-blazed Dry Brook Ridge Trail to the junction with the red-blazed Balsam Lake Mt. Pretty good hike up to Graham (with permission) and then onto Balsam Lake. Saturday, November 7, 2020. On Monday, April 17, Joanne and I hiked Balsam Lake Mountain. This is a good and relaxing walk up to the fire tower. This trail in winter is actually pretty wide and easy, following alongside a hill to the right. To the left of Graham is Panther Mountain. Balsam Lake Mountain is situated 2½ miles west of Graham Mountain. This route is also the only âtrailedâ route to Grahamâs summit â hiking Graham is technically a bushwhack but the herd path is so clear it almost counts as a trail. Balsam Lake Mountain is the westernmost of the Catskill 3500-foot peaks, and Graham Mountain is adjacent to it, on a ridge with a couple of formally unnamed less-than-3500-foot heights of land in between, that local hikers sometimes call East and West Schoolhouse Mountain. The trailhead is actually down the street. Park at the trailhead at the end of the Beaverkill Road. Dry Brook Ridge Trail (2.05 miles and 800â² ascent from Dry Brook Ridge Parking (north) to herd path to Graham OR 1.90-miles and 825â² ascent from Balsam Lake Parking Area (south) to herd path to Graham) Dry Brook Ridge Parking | Balsam Lake Parking Area Both approaches (south vs. north) are about the same ⦠it is on mill brook road. Postpone your visit if you have any symptoms of COVID-19 or have been asked to ⦠Anyway, I just did this hike with 2-3 inches of snow on the ground. CATSKILLS - GRAHAM MOUNTAIN & BALSAM LAKE MOUNTAIN: 4/25/13 After considering several hike options for the final full day of our Catskill vacation, we decided to head for Graham Mountain, one of two 3500-ft. ⦠Weekly3500.com Group Hikes Weekly3500.com Group Hikes Weekly3500.com Group Hikes Weekly3500.com Group Hikes Full winter gear required. The path to Graham is an unmaintained trail over private property , not difficult, quite easy to find and follow. At 2.2 miles in youâll find the trail splitting off where you can go straight and head towards Balsam Lake Mountain or make sharp left to go towards Graham Mountain. Just finished a trip from the Catskills and a hike up to the top of this mountain. Doubletop seen from the Balsam Lake Fire Tower. Event Duration: 10 miles, 10 hours. Any of the loops can be done in either direction. It's a little longer, but not any harder. The path is very easy to follow, mostly easy grades with steeper pitches toward the summit. Youâll be pretty much making a u-turn to follow the unmaintained trail. An abandoned tower greeted your eyes as you approached the peak. 1,284 for Graham and 380' for Balsam Lake Mtn from the DEC Parking Lot and the summit. Some spots were pretty challenging closer to the top but overall a great family hike! Graham Mountain is often hiked in conjunction with Balsam Lake. Unfortunately, time was not on our side, but lucky for us, there is a well-defined herd path (more like unmaintained trail) down from Graham. Graham Mountain is on Private Property. This is the only map available for the northern approach. Quick Look - Graham and Balsam Lake from Beaverkill; Difficulty Round trip Total climb Location Internet Maps; 8.5 mi. This is a 10 mile challenge but great fun. Will need permission this Graham and Balsam Lake Mt one report 0.25 miles further on the DEP property Walton! And is best used from April until October lot and the fresh pine/fir smell wish I could bottle it were! 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