Hannah and I have come to Old Forge, New York for a mini-reunion of her Moss Lake Camp for Girls, where she was first a camper, then a counselor and water skiing instructor in the early 1960s.

Brooks!
Arriving after an overnight in Ithaca, NY to see our new grandson Brooks and then breakfasting with our daughter Robyn in Syracuse, we arrive early in the afternoon in Old Forge, a summer tourist destination.

Dan, Robyn, and Hannah at Tony’s Diner in Syracuse, NY
With time before our dinner rendez-vous with Karen, Hannah’s former camper and long time friend, we have set our sights on Bald Mountain before the forecasted rain arrives.
Bald Mountain lies above the Fulton Chain of Lakes in the central Adirondack Mountains. Driving a mere four miles north of Old Forge, we turn left on Rondaxe Road for the trailhead parking.
Rooted and shaded at the start of this one mile hike/climb, the trail will rise 500’ in elevation to a summit of 2350’. The shining jewel of this hike is the Rondaxe Fire Tower for viewing the Fulton Chain of Lakes.
When you next visit the Adirondacks consider quelling your fire tower fever by taking the ADK Fire Tower Challenge by climbing to one of the 23 fire towers in the area. Click here for more information.
Through the forest, the trail is well-marked with blue blazes (e.g. painted blue vertical rectangles on trees) just when we need them. Soon we are atop the boulders with Third Lake to our left. On our early August Wednesday afternoon, there are mostly families and thirty-something couples.
The boulders themselves require some balancing and interestingly have a weathered rusted strip from the years of hikers climbing to the top. Rarely, do you ever take what looks like a trail into the nearby forest. The blue blazes lead you along the boulders.
It’s a simple and sweet thirty minutes to the top with expansive views from the Rondaxe Fire Tower to the Fulton Chain of lakes. Check out highlight pictures of our hike below.

Fulton Chain from Bald Mountain

Notice the faded rust color on the rounded top of the boulders that we used as a trail guide

In addition to blue blazes to guide us, we also red trail markers to keep on track
By the way, a little further north on route 28, we learn of two additional modest hikes. Click here for Rocky Mountain six miles from Bald Mountain. Click here for Black Bear Mountain three miles beyond that.