Drive 15 miles, 0.5 hours to Big Crow trailhead
The Five Star Trails hiking guide lists Big Crow and Little Crow as 4 stars scenery and 3 stars difficulty. They show hiking a loop - continuing on to the road, then hiking back to the trailhead on the road. I figure we would just go out to the top of Little Crow and then head back, that would make a short 2 mile hike.
All Trails Description of Big and Little Crow: Enjoy this 3.50 mile, out and back trail near Keene, New York. Generally considered a moderately challenging route, it takes an average of 2 h 37 min to complete. This is a popular trail for hiking and trail running, but you can still enjoy some solitude during quieter times of day. The trail is open year-round, but the best times to visit are March through December.
Hike Big Crow Mountain and Little Crow Mountain
The 1.4-mile trail to Big Crow Mountain and Little Crow Mountain runs across a pair of small peaks on East Hill in the Town of Keene in Essex County. The Crows are located in the Hurricane Mountain Wilderness Area. The 1.2-mile trail is a popular hike because it’s short and provides sweeping views of the High Peaks and Great Range.
The trailhead and parking area are at the end of O’Toole Road, a dirt road at the end of East Hill Road and Hurricane Road. This is the same parking area for the 6-mile Soda Range loop, which is a spectacular hike.
The hike begins through a pleasant young mixed forest lined with a thick understory of bunchberries and other wildflowers. The trail initially winds over some rocks but begins to rise steeply after about 0.2 miles. The route to the summit of Big Crow is only 0.6 miles from the trailhead, however, the climb is steep and rocky, though the trail is generally in good condition. After about 0.4 miles, the trail reaches a junction with the Soda Range Trail, which branches off to the right, providing access for a counterclockwise traverse of the 6-mile loop trail that returns to the parking lot. Big Crow Mountain On the final ascent, the trail passes over sections of exposed bedrock, and the view begins to open up through the trees. Soon, the trail emerges onto Big Crow’s wide summit. Hurricane Mountain rises up to the northeast, marked by its firetower, and Giant Mountain looms even greater in the background. Views of the High Peaks and Great Range are clear to the southeast. To the southwest, Little Crow sits just at the end of the small ridge connecting the two peaks. Little Crow Mountain Continuing on, the route follows a few rock cairns along the bedrock summit before dropping down through the forest and away from the cliffs. There are several herd paths to the scenic vistas along the way, but the main trail follows red trail markers. The path winds down through a dense stand of small conifers before flattening out in an open shallow ravine.
From this spot, the trail rises up slightly one final time for the final climb onto Little Crow’s summit. The area is unmarked and less spacious than Big Crow, but the vantage allows for a more expansive view to the east. Drive 11 miles, 0.3 hrs, from Big Crow to Giant's Nubble and Roaring Brook Falls Trailhead The Five Star Trail hiking book rates Giant Nubble 5 stars for scenery and 4 stars for difficulty. Note that we are going to Giant Nubble and not to Giant Mountain (which has same trailhead). Giant Mountain is one of the 46er summits, it is a 6 mile roundtrip with 3050' of elevation gain! Discover this 3.40 mile, loop trail near Keene Valley, New York. Generally considered a challenging route, it takes an average of 2 h 24 min to complete. This is a popular trail for hiking, trail running, and walking, but you can still enjoy some solitude during quieter times of day. If you like walking through a combination of beautiful forests, rocky outcrops, and the shores of a beautiful little pond, you might like this hike! This trail is an extension of the out and back Nubble Trail. If you choose to do this loop here are a few things to note. There is heavy tree cover for much of the way heading north after getting to the Nubble Summit, so you won't have a ton of expansive views as you do on the way from Giant's Washbowl to the summit. As you head north, the trail descends fairly far down, so you will have to ascend some again to get back up to Giant's Washbowl heading south. This trail might be pretty challenging if you have knee or balance problems, particularly on the descents. Giant Nubble and Roaring Brook Falls. Drive 4.75 hrs, 256 miles, from Giant's Nubble trailhead to the Lakeside Inn in Reading This is the same trailhead used for the Ausable River Loop hike
All Trails description of Giant Nubble
