Region: Adirondacks (46ers
Level: Difficult
Mileage: ~19 miles for the 3-peak loop
Elevation Gain: 5,226 feet
Three-peak loop starting with Saddleback, then Basin and finishing it off with the amazing Haystack, the third highest peak in NY. This was my second time up Saddleback after having completed it in the winter (pictures included in winter hike below). I completed the trip with a friend and caught the sunset on top of the 3rd peak in Haystack.
Sunset on Haystack overlooking Marcy
The hike starts from the Garden parking lot trailhead. Head towards John’s Brook Lodge from the start of the trailhead at the end of the parking lot. From there, take the Northside trail towards the Johns Brook Lodge and Interior Outpost (roughly 3 miles after the start). There are several ways to do the full loop, many people take a right at the interior outpost to head towards Haystack first but given the timing (sunset hike) and the extremely steep cliff scramble you’ll encounter on Saddleback, we did not want to do this at night. So, if following my route, take a left at that intersection at interior outpost (you’ll see plenty of signs at this point) and that’ll bring you across a drawbridge and eventually you’ll see signs for Saddleback, Range Trail and Gothics. From here, Saddleback is about 3.1 miles on the Ore Bed Brook trail. Follow the trailheads to the Saddleback Summit. Along the way you’ll climb a large set of stairs up the main slide of Saddleback. Keep along the trail markers until you find the summit. At this point, head down the headwall, follow the arrows till you eventually get to a pretty steep climb down a scramble. It’s extremely steep, so be extremely careful. You’ll take the State Range trail a little less than a mile before hitting the Basin Summit. Amazing views from here (see the first lighted pictures below and those of me posing still in the daylight). From the Basin summit, you’ll be on the path towards Haystack. Little Haystack hits first after about 1.4 miles, but you’ll see Haystack summit just over the way. It’s another .3 or so to the Haystack summit but still a challenge. From here, head back to Little Haystack, and at the main intersection with signs, hang a left to the herd path. This is till the State Range Trail but eventually it’ll turn into the Phelps trial at the junction. It’s about a 8 mile trip back. You’ll pass by John’s Brook lodge and will again hit the interior outpost. From their, head back to the garden parking lot for the full 19 mile loop, 5,226 elevation gain loop.
