A couple years ago, I emailed the Giant Wilderness DEC Forester and suggested the creation of a trail up Iron Mt. Lo and behold, such a trail appears in the Giant UMP. I'm happy to report a trail has been started. They still have a long way to go, but there is copious blue flagging to the top.
I would rate the trail easy to moderate, gaining 1,800 feet over about 3 miles. Through a mostly deciduous forest, the best views to the east on this east-west trail would be after the leaves are down. Near the top, views open up to the west and include the Roaring Brook drainage with Bald and Rocky peaks, Rocky Peak Ridge, Giant, Green, and, further off, Hurricane. Northwest Bay on Lake Champlain is seen in the east, not to mention, my house.
The trail begins at a small turnout just south of Lobdell Ln on Rt 9, halfway between Elizabethtown and New Russia. It briefly follows an old logging road, passing a small ice climbing rock on the left, whose name eludes me. Blue flagging vears off to the right or you can stay on the logging road to the cut trail which ends after a half mile or so. There is no drama anywhere except for 3 ground bee/hornet nests, two of which are marked by red tape.
After reaching the small summit you could continue on a straightforward bushwhack over to Owls Head Lookout, visible just to the right of
Green Mt., and its beautiful trail down to Rt 9N. My wife pointed out some iron on the rocks which can mess with your compass.
Post hike, I recommend a dip in the pristine waters of the Boquet River and a visit to the newly re-opened Deer's Head Inn and Restaurant in E'town.
I would rate the trail easy to moderate, gaining 1,800 feet over about 3 miles. Through a mostly deciduous forest, the best views to the east on this east-west trail would be after the leaves are down. Near the top, views open up to the west and include the Roaring Brook drainage with Bald and Rocky peaks, Rocky Peak Ridge, Giant, Green, and, further off, Hurricane. Northwest Bay on Lake Champlain is seen in the east, not to mention, my house.
The trail begins at a small turnout just south of Lobdell Ln on Rt 9, halfway between Elizabethtown and New Russia. It briefly follows an old logging road, passing a small ice climbing rock on the left, whose name eludes me. Blue flagging vears off to the right or you can stay on the logging road to the cut trail which ends after a half mile or so. There is no drama anywhere except for 3 ground bee/hornet nests, two of which are marked by red tape.
After reaching the small summit you could continue on a straightforward bushwhack over to Owls Head Lookout, visible just to the right of
Green Mt., and its beautiful trail down to Rt 9N. My wife pointed out some iron on the rocks which can mess with your compass.
Post hike, I recommend a dip in the pristine waters of the Boquet River and a visit to the newly re-opened Deer's Head Inn and Restaurant in E'town.
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