Fourpeaks: Private Hiking Trails & Beauty Spots
Looking for untouched natural beauty, quiet and seclusion? Explore our 20 miles of private hiking trails. The Adirondack Mountains never looked so good!   Historic openings in 700 acres of old woods. Exciting views. A multitude of Beauty Spots to discover! For an Adirondack hiking experience you don't have to drive to--away from the crowds on overused public trails. =A Fourpeaks Beauty Spot. Worth a visit. Spend some time. (Enjoy the sense of place.)
(Compass directions and distances are approximate. Use Trail Map to follow turns.)
Protected from the elements by four mountains nearby, with ample level terrain for crops, Fourpeaks was "home" to seven Adirondack pioneer families (1720-1940). Look for their fields, cellars, planted trees and shrubs at Sugar, Gypsy, Thoreau, Halsey Straight, Bert Williams Farm and more. The roads and skid trails these settlers made to get to their fields and woodlots are still there, making for easy access to Fourpeaks views and beauty spots. A fire on Basset Mountain in the early 60's left a network of fire roads as well. Salvage harvesting after the great Ice Storm in January '98 improved access to the higher elevations. Fourpeaks 4 mountains (Bassett, Wainwright, Rattlesnake and Ebenezer) are friendly 2,000-foot peaks which can provide hours and days of pleasant discovery with history lessons on the way--for both the seasoned hiker and everyday walker--afoot, or on snowshoes or skis!
The Adirondack Mountain Scenery. Fourpeaks is at the center of a scenic triangle with Whiteface Mountain (Wilmington, 6 miles), the Jay Wilderness (Jay Mountain, 4 miles) and the tallest 4,000-foot plus High Peaks (Keene, 10 miles). Spectacular Views! Surrounded by 3,000 acres in other large land holdings and bordered by mountains close by, Fourpeaks is far from development of any kind. On the East Branch of the AuSable River--a NYS Scenic River Corridor.

Rattlesnake Knob. (PHOTO. View South from Rattlesnake Knob: Ebenezer, High Peaks, Whiteface.)   1.5 miles, Moderate. Start at SW corner of Camp Field by Camp Rock, follow (jeep road) generally W 1/10 mile to Three Birches, an old homesite with picnic table. At Perkins Road (Stonehouse Road) take Cowpond Road S into Burt Williams Farm, an old homesite with fields, apple trees and a picnic table by old cellar. Continue generally S passing High Meadows (open meadow with views, picnic table, benches and ancient butternut trees). Continue S 1/2 mile to The Great Rock of the Adirondacks, a spectacular glacial unique, picnic table and Fisher Ridge Trail (opposite on left). Follow Fisher Ridge Trail through woods 1/2 mile generally SE to a "T" at West Path. Follow West Path about 300 feet S to rope pull at Notch Trail between Rattlesnake and Ebenezer. Follow Notch Trail generally East (past junction to Ebenezer Trail), to Rattlesnake Junction. Climb up trail to Rattlesnake Knob.
Return to rope pull on Notch Trail and follow sign W to Hemlock Grove. Turn N into Hemlock Grove and continue N through deep woods 1/8 mile to Smith Road. Follow this pleasant antique road N 3/8 mile to Logging Camp. Look for old kitchen hut on short side trail. This 5-acre Smith Logging Camp was a much-used header (place for collecting logs) and maple sugaring. Many ancient maples, picnic table. Continue N 1/2 mile to end of Smith Road at Oak Hill, Giant Maple and Old Sugar House. Continue 1/4 mile to Sugar Camp and Stonehouse Road. END. (CLICK HERE for Fourpeaks Trail Map.)

Ebenezer Mountain. (PHOTO. View East from Ebenezer Mountain: Jay Range NY, Green Mountains VT.)   1.75 miles, Difficult. Follow directions for Rattlesnake Knob to Notch Trail generally SE 200 feet to Ebenezer junction. Drop down just 10 feet to East Path and turn right SW about 150 feet to Ebenezer Trail. Turn SE up rough skid path to notch between Ebenezer's double peaks. Follow N up 150 foot rock scramble with rope pull. Continue 600 feet generally SE to Ebenezer Summit and ledges looking S to High Peaks and AuSable River. Find hollow between double peaks and ravine generally N 1/2 mile to East Path. Follow East Path N 500 feet to Smith Logging Camp.  Alternate route (maybe easier to find.). Start at Logging Camp, taking East Path N, reversing above directions.   (CLICK HERE for Fourpeaks Trail Map.)

The Lookout. (PHOTO. View South from The Lookout: Clements Mountain, Ebenezer Mountain, Rattlesnake Knob.) 1 mile, Moderate. Start at Three Birches. Follow Perkins Road W about 1/4 mile to sign for Lookout Trail generally NE on exposed ledge, Stone Seat with views to The Lookout with benches, view S, W (Whiteface Mountain) and N (Basset Mountain 100-foot cliffs). Return the same way for Spruce Trail and Two Maples . Or return on jeep road past old broken picnic table, generally E to Ledge View (Camp Gate, Ebenezer, Rattlesnake, trail to Ridge Camp). Continue E, then S on Fire Road past Brown's Notch Trail and Zig-Zag Trail to Camp Barn END.    (CLICK HERE for Fourpeaks Trail Map.)

HELP! When on the trails, help us keep them pretty and functional. 1) Pick up light trail litter as you go. Good exercise! 2) Report trails that are overgrown, need cutting. 3) Report trails where flagging is inadequate. 4) Report trails where signs are illegible or where more signs would be useful. 5) Report downed trees. Thanks.

More Scenic Trails Worth Exploring.
Camp Rock. (PHOTO. View East from Camp Rock: Brown's Notch, Wainwright Mountain, New Camp, Jay Mountain, Clement's Mountain, Camp Gate, Ebenezer Mountain.)   1/8 mile, Easy. At Camp Field climb up Camp Rock by short rope pull or take road W to summit and double back on ridge rock to mountain views, benches.
Brook Trail. 1/2 mile, Easy. From Stonehouse Road near Thoreau House, W along old road 300 feet to The Brook. Follow the brook N for stone walls, till lines and other evidence of early pioneering activity. Come out at Jim Melvin Farm. Option: Continue on to Cedar Swamp.
Cedar Swamp. 1/2 mile, Easy. From Jim Melvin Farm (Gypsy Camp) follow East Path to Cedar Swamp Trail toCedar Swamp. Get there from Sugar Camp as well. Unique cedar swamp. Option: Continue on Cedar Trail S to High Cedar Swamp and East Path. Return by Logging Camp, 1-1/2 miles, Moderate.
High Meadow and Butternut. 1 mile, Easy. From Burt Willams Farm take High Meadow Trail SE, past the Great Desert to High Meadow (views, picnic table) and Butternut (ancient trees, picnic table). Option: Continue S to Smith Logging Camp.
Two Maples and Spruce Trail. 1/2 mile, Easy. From Second Driveway on Perkins Road, S to old fields with picnic table, Bassett view, a quiet spot hidden away from the world and time. Come out on Spruce Trail for dark woods, back to Perkins Road.
Indian Spring and Zig-Zag. 1/2 mile, Easy. At Camp Field path past woodpile to Indian Spring, stone walls, cattle watering hole (pinic table). Take trail N to Zig-Zag Trail or follow stone wall S to Three Birches.
Back Field. 1/2 mile, Easy. At Halsey Straight Farm on Stonehouse Road, walk N into field with old cellar, barn ruins, ancient apple trees. Follow woods road N 200 feet to large open field. Till lines on E side, rock wall at far N side with mountain views. Option: Follow Merritt Dubay Trail N to Wolf's Nest.
More Beauty Spots to explore? Ask Martin about Hamburger Hill and Zero Clearing, two of the many old skid (logging) roads) at Fourpeaks. And Providence Rock and First View, for private meditations.

No guest vehicles. Fourpeaks roads and trails are for walking, hiking and (maybe) bike riding and skiing. Except for short access roads off Stonehouse Road (to Thoreau House, Gypsy Camp, Sugar Camp, New Camp and The Cabin), the use of guest vehicles on Fourpeaks roads and trails is strictly forbidden.  [More about access at Frequently Asked Questions.]

August 2005 Trail Update. For years we focused on the bad results from the Jan. '98 100-year Ice Storm. The ice broke the fragile tops and almost half the pine were lost at Stone House Farm. There were heavy losses in the hardwood stands on the slopes of Ebenezer and Rattlesnake Mountains. Deadfall blocked all the trails and the forest interior was so badly littered that bushwacking in some areas became a difficult chore overnight instead of an easy walk. [CLICK HERE  for the full story of the '98 Ice Storm.]
During the Summer of '98 all the working trails were cleared, some by machine but most by slow hand work with chain saw and muscle. Fields and meadows were similarly cleared of all debris. But there were some good results from the storm. As a result of logging operations to salvage trees destroyed by the storm, old roads and trails were opened up that have not been accessible for years. The Smith road behind Sugar Camp is open to the Logging Camp with giant maples, a beauty rest stop with tables and benches. The new Skid Paths built in '98 (West Path and East Path) provided access to higher elevations on Rattlesnake and Ebenezer by a number of alternate routes. And the old '60's fire road from the Burt Willam's Farm site to Camp Barn is open as a jeep road (Zig-Zag trail).