How long is the Mount Marcy and Algonquin loop?

My loop from the Adirondak Loj was 18.3 miles on my GPS, with about 5,760 ft of climbing, over two days in October 2020: up the Van Hoevenberg Trail to Mount Marcy, down past Lake Tear of the Clouds to a lean-to at Lake Colden, then over Algonquin Peak back to the Loj. I called it the 22-mile loop in my film.

Do you need a permit to hike Mount Marcy?

No permit or reservation was needed for the High Peaks Wilderness in 2026, but you sign the trail register. A 2026 state study recommends a daily limit at the Adirondak Loj from summer 2027, possibly with permits, so check DEC before a 2027 trip. Overnight campers in the Eastern High Peaks must carry a hard bear canister from April 1 to November 30, and campfires are banned.

Where do you park for Mount Marcy?

At the Adirondack Mountain Club's lot at the Adirondak Loj, at the end of Adirondack Loj Road near Lake Placid. In 2026 it cost non-members $25 a day or $120 for a multi-day or full-week stay, and it often fills before 6 a.m. on summer weekends.

Can you camp at Lake Colden?

Yes. Lake Colden has lean-tos and designated tent sites, first come, first served, and lean-tos are shared until full, normally 8 people. I slept in the Opalescent Lean-to. You can't camp above 4,000 ft, and between 3,500 and 4,000 ft only at designated sites.

Can I bring my dog to the Adirondack High Peaks?

Yes, on a leash: dogs must be leashed at all times in the Eastern High Peaks, and you must carry proof of a current rabies vaccination. I hiked the loop with my parents' yellow lab in October 2020. Dogs are not allowed on the Adirondack Mountain Reserve (Ausable Club) land, which this loop doesn't use.

When is the best time to hike Mount Marcy?

I went the first week of October 2020, in the fall color, and in early September 2019, when it rained a lot. In 2026 I LOVE NY reported peak color at Lake Placid from September 30 to October 6. October is also hunting season, so wear orange.

The Adirondack High Peaks film: High Peaks Wilderness, New York

High Peaks Wilderness, New York · 2 days · 18 miles

Adirondack High Peaks Hiking Guide

Mount Marcy and Algonquin in 2 days, plus my 3-day traverse.

Watch the film · 381K views

381K YouTube views
Instant PDF + GPX
30-day refund
Free updates

Look inside

Real pages from the guide. Tap one to see it big.

A day page
A day map and elevation profile
At a glance
Permits and rules

Swipe for more pages

Get Day 1 free

The route

My GPS recording of 2 days on a relief map. The numbers are where each day starts; the red dot is the finish. The full GPX files and the day maps come with the guide.

Relief map of the Adirondack High Peaks route: 2 days drawn in red with numbered day starts, labelled Adirondak Loj, Mount Marcy and Lake Colden. — Map data: Terrain: Mapzen Terrain Tiles (USGS 3DEP, SRTM) on AWS · Rivers & lakes © OpenStreetMap contributors

At a glance

Days: 2 days
Distance: 18 miles
Climbing: About 5,760 ft (1,755 m) up
Permit: None, but sign the trail register
Start and end: The Adirondak Loj trailhead at Heart Lake

What's inside

Both days of the loop. Stats, the time I took, my notes, the trail, where to get off, a map with an elevation profile, and links to that day in my film.
My GPX files. My own recordings of the loop and the 2019 traverse, with waypoints for Marcy Dam, Indian Falls, both summits, Four Corners, Lake Tear of the Clouds, Feldspar and Lake Colden, ready for AllTrails, Gaia GPS, Garmin or Organic Maps.
My 2019 traverse. Keene Valley over Mount Marcy and Mount Marshall to Heart Lake and Lake Placid, with its own map, day notes and what has changed on that route since.
Permits and rules. No permit in 2026 and what a state study proposes for 2027, the hard bear canister rule, group sizes, where you can camp, lean-tos, the campfire ban and dogs, checked in October 2026.
Getting there. Parking at the Adirondak Loj and what it costs, renting a bear canister, and the train, bus and air options without a car.
Hiking with a dog. What the rules say and what I learned hiking the loop with Shia.
Before you go and a trip sheet. One page of year-to-year checks and a printable one-page summary of the loop.

About this trip

In early October 2020 I hiked a loop over Mount Marcy and Algonquin Peak, the two highest mountains in New York, with my parents' yellow lab: two days from the Adirondak Loj at Heart Lake, up the Van Hoevenberg Trail to Marcy, down past Lake Tear of the Clouds to a lean-to at Lake Colden, then over Algonquin and back. It's the trip from my film Hiking the Mount Marcy Loop in the Adirondacks. This guide has my GPS files, maps and notes for both days, plus my 2019 traverse from Keene Valley over Marcy and Mount Marshall to Lake Placid, the 2026 High Peaks rules (hard bear canisters, camping, lean-tos, dogs), parking at the Loj and getting there without a car, fall timing, and what I paid.

Watch the film on YouTube (381K views).

Gear for this route

Paid links: I earn a commission if you buy through these links, at no extra cost to you. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

I carried everything for two days and a night at Lake Colden in October 2020, with my parents' dog. Here's what I carried, what I'd take now, and what I filmed with.

What I carried in 2020

From my 2020 film's gear list.

PackHyperlite Mountain Gear Southwest 2400 Hyperlite
TentNEMO Hornet 1P NEMO now the Hornet OSMOI slept in the lean-to.
QuiltUGQ Bandit quilt UGQSimilar: Hyperlite Mountain Gear 20° Quilt Hyperlite
LinerOutdoor Vitals Sleeping Bag Liner Amazon
Sleeping pada Therm-a-Rest mat
PillowKlymit Pillow X Amazon
StoveJetboil MicroMo AmazonNo campfires in the Eastern High Peaks.
SporkSea to Summit Alpha Light long spoon Amazon
FoodMountain House meals AmazonAll of it in the canister.
Bear canistera rented hard bear canisterRented in Lake Placid for less than $20.
WaterKatadyn BeFree AC · 1L Amazon
HeadlampSLONIK rechargeable headlamp Amazon
Bear sprayCounter Assault bear spray Amazon
Satellite messengerGarmin inReach Mini Amazon
ShirtAmazon Essentials Quick-Dry Tech Hoodie Amazon
SweatshirtAmazon Essentials crewneck fleece sweatshirt Amazon
PuffyPatagonia Nano Puff JacketSimilar: Arc’teryx Cerium Hoody Arc’teryx
Rain shellThe North Face Dryzzle jacketSimilar: Arc’teryx Beta AR Jacket Arc’teryx
PantsPatagonia Terrebonne JoggersSimilar: PATH Projects Killam PX Pant PATH Projects
Shortsquick-dry hiking shorts
Winter hatMuji boucle watch capSimilar: PATH Projects Hoyt Merino Beanie PATH Projects
CapZOWYA running cap Amazon
SunglassesWarby Parker Barkley sunglassesSimilar: Goodr OG Sunglasses Amazon
SocksPeople Socks merino crew socks Amazon
ShoesBrooks Cascadia 13 Amazon now the Cascadia 20
In 2019a hammock, a clear plastic bear canister (the wrong kind: see Permits and rules) and a rain jacket that wasn't really waterproof. I wore my white hat and a light gray sun hoodie: very lightweight, and it dries quickly.

What I'd take now

What I'd add for this route from my current kit.

Sleeping padTherm-a-Rest NeoAir XLite NXT Amazon
Sleeping bagHyperlite Mountain Gear 20° Mummy Bag HyperliteIt's cold on top in October.
Rain shellArc’teryx Beta AR Jacket Arc’teryxCold and windy on top in October.
PolesBlack Diamond Alpine Carbon Z Poles AmazonFor mud and wet rock.
MicrospikesYatta Life Ice Spikes AmazonLate in the fall.
NavigationAllTrails+ AllTrails · 30% offLoad my GPX files and download offline maps before you leave Lake Placid. Offline maps need the paid plan.

Filming kit

What I filmed this trip with in 2020. My setup is much smaller now (below). No drones in the wilderness: see Permits and rules.

CameraSony a6600 Amazon
LensSony E 10-18mm f/4 OSS Amazon
MicRode VideoMic NTG AmazonWith a dead cat for the wind.
Tripoda tripod
Tripod headJoby ball head Amazon
BatteriesSony NP-FZ100 batteries AmazonTwo of them.
Wrist strapPeak Design Cuff Wrist Strap Amazon
Phonean iPhone 11 Pro
DroneDJI Mavic Air 2Flown only outside the wilderness.Similar: DJI Mini 5 Pro Amazon

What I film with now

Since September 2026 I film with a smaller setup: the Pocket 4 and the Mic 3 on the trail, and the Mini 5 Pro in the air.

CameraDJI Osmo Pocket 4 Amazon
MicDJI Mic 3 · 1 TX + 1 RX AmazonIt pairs with the Pocket 4.
DroneDJI Mini 5 Pro Amazon
TripodSmallRig Carbon Fiber Tripod Amazon

Everything I carry now: my gear page.

The Day 1, Adirondak Loj over Mount Marcy to Lake Colden page from the Adirondack High Peaks Hiking Guide

Free sample + packing list

Try Day 1 free, plus my packing list

Adirondak Loj over Mount Marcy to Lake Colden

The whole day page from the guide as a PDF, plus my camping packing list: the 42 things I carry, with a note on each. The PDF opens right away and both come by email. You'll also get my emails about new guides and trips, a few a year.

The details

Format: A 49-page PDF sized for a phone (A5, prints fine too) and a folder of GPX files, in one zip download.
Edition: 2027 season edition, updated October 2026.
Delivery: Instant. After you pay you get a private download link. Bookmark it to download again on any device.
Payment: Secure checkout through Stripe, in your own currency. Tax is included in the price, except in the US and Canada, where any sales tax is added at checkout.
Refunds: Not useful? Email me within 30 days for a refund: kraig@kraigadams.com.
Questions: Email kraig@kraigadams.com.

Questions

How long is the Mount Marcy and Algonquin loop?: My loop from the Adirondak Loj was 18.3 miles on my GPS, with about 5,760 ft of climbing, over two days in October 2020: up the Van Hoevenberg Trail to Mount Marcy, down past Lake Tear of the Clouds to a lean-to at Lake Colden, then over Algonquin Peak back to the Loj. I called it the 22-mile loop in my film.
Do you need a permit to hike Mount Marcy?: No permit or reservation was needed for the High Peaks Wilderness in 2026, but you sign the trail register. A 2026 state study recommends a daily limit at the Adirondak Loj from summer 2027, possibly with permits, so check DEC before a 2027 trip. Overnight campers in the Eastern High Peaks must carry a hard bear canister from April 1 to November 30, and campfires are banned.
Where do you park for Mount Marcy?: At the Adirondack Mountain Club's lot at the Adirondak Loj, at the end of Adirondack Loj Road near Lake Placid. In 2026 it cost non-members $25 a day or $120 for a multi-day or full-week stay, and it often fills before 6 a.m. on summer weekends.
Can you camp at Lake Colden?: Yes. Lake Colden has lean-tos and designated tent sites, first come, first served, and lean-tos are shared until full, normally 8 people. I slept in the Opalescent Lean-to. You can't camp above 4,000 ft, and between 3,500 and 4,000 ft only at designated sites.
Can I bring my dog to the Adirondack High Peaks?: Yes, on a leash: dogs must be leashed at all times in the Eastern High Peaks, and you must carry proof of a current rabies vaccination. I hiked the loop with my parents' yellow lab in October 2020. Dogs are not allowed on the Adirondack Mountain Reserve (Ausable Club) land, which this loop doesn't use.
When is the best time to hike Mount Marcy?: I went the first week of October 2020, in the fall color, and in early September 2019, when it rained a lot. In 2026 I LOVE NY reported peak color at Lake Placid from September 30 to October 6. October is also hunting season, so wear orange.

More guides

All guides

Southern California

Trans-Catalina Trail

2 days · 42 miles · Catalina Island

A 2-day hike across Santa Catalina Island, California, on the Trans-Catalina Trail: from Avalon to Little Harbor, then to Two Harbors by way of the Silver Peak Trail and Parsons Landing.

Where things stand
Both days
My GPX files
Permits, campgrounds and rules

See the guide: Trans-Catalina Trail · $19

Arizona

Grand Canyon Tonto Trail

2 days · 26 miles · Grand Canyon

A 2-day hike in the Grand Canyon on the Tonto Trail: down the Hermit Trail from Hermits Rest, east on the Tonto Trail to Havasupai Gardens, and out the Bright Angel Trail.

Where things stand
Both days
My GPX files
Water

See the guide: Grand Canyon Tonto Trail · $19

Central America

Acatenango Volcano

2 days · 10.5 miles · Guatemala

A 2-day hike on Acatenango Volcano in Guatemala: up from La Soledad to the summit, a night at the base camp facing Fuego, and down the next morning.

Where things stand
Both days
My GPX files
Fees, guides and rules

See the guide: Acatenango Volcano · $19