John Brown's Tract to Middle Settlement Lake

Hike Name: John Brown's Tract to Middle Settlement Lake Location: north NY Length: 3.25 Submitted by: Doug Smith Date Submitted: 0/0/00 Rating:	more New York trail reviews New York national parks New York state parks
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Description
An out-and-back hike to middle settlement lake, a beautiful secluded place sitting between 7 small hills.

Start your trip by crossing route 28 from the parking area, just a couple hundred feet down the trail you'll find the DEC register (look for Doug and Melanie, April 2004!).

From the register up is the steepest segment of the trip. Watch your step as this would be pretty slick if wet! At the top of the hill after the trail head, expect to navigate through a series of down trees across the trail. Keep your eyes peeled on the round DEC trail markers.

At .5 miles, you'll hit a signpost, where you'll want to take a left (sign points to Middle Settlement Lake as well)

The trail is pretty flat for the next .8 miles, and at 1.37 miles you'll hit another sign post, where you veer right / north. You'll head down hill until you hit a stream that's feeding from Grass and Cedar ponds from the north-east and north-north-west respectively. As you travel uphill from this stream, you'll get a good view of grass pond (1.73 miles).


At 2.5 miles, after going over another slight hill, you'll hit the last sign post (for this hike!) take a left, following the sign to Middle Settlement Lake.

You'll come into a huge glacial pile of rocks, they're really awe-inspiring, and just past the rocks, you'll get a nice shot south-west directly across middle-settlement lake. If you look hard, you can see the shelter from here.

Somewhere around 2.75 miles, you'll see a small sign for a trail leading to the overlook over middle settlement (admittedly the sign is easier to see on the way out). The trails around the lake are easiest, so if you've got overnight equipment, you might want to drop your packs at a site, and come back here later to explore.

You'll hit the shelter at about 3.15 miles. You can check it out, and sign the log if you wish... There's several other existing campsites around the lake to check out, which if you're like me... you'll definately prefer to the shelter (even though there is a nice view of the lake from there).

I don't know how reliable the water of Middle Settlment lake is, but... I did drink it after purifying it with a Hiker water filter, and it tasted great, and we didn't become ill.

Here's a topograph I scribbled on, the topograph is originally from USAPhotomaps, which takes data from the Microsoft Terraserver.

http://www.weblogimages.com/v.p?uid=doug&pid=123347

Directions to Hike
Trailhead is on Rt 28, approximately 3 miles south of Thendara. If travelling south from Thendara, parking for trailhead is on right, at a large turn-out. Trail is north across 28, with signs that read "State Access". Approximate coordinates for parking are N43 40.531 W075 03.116.

Contact Information
Adirondack Park Contact Info:
Route 30 Box 3000
Paul Smiths, NY 12970
phone: (518) 327-3000

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