Home |
| Back Issues |
| Message Boards |
| Calendar of Events |
| Race Results |
| Current Weather |
Advertise |
| Free Issue |
| Subscribe |
| Distributors |
| About Us |
HIKING
Gill Brook, Fish Hawk Cliffs & Indian Head
By Barbara McMartin
 Photo by Barbara McMartin View of Ausable Lakes from Fish Hawk Cliffs. |
In the High Peaks region, the Adirondack Mountain Reserve (AMR), also known as the Ausable Club, offers great late fall and early spring hiking. In the month of November, after the crowds have gone, is an ideal time to enjoy this hike. Just as important, it's all private land so the trails are safe for use during fall deer and bear hunting seasons. But be aware it's a funny time of year, the days are short and depending on the weather, the potential for ice and snow on the trail exists. If there is snow, part of this trip—along the road or along Gill Brook—makes this is a great snowshoeing or cross-country skiing trip.
The main access route to the many trails originating on AMR land is the Lake Road, which begins at the Ausable Club's St. Huberts Inn and ends by the boathouse at the foot of Lower Ausable Lake. The road parallels the East Branch of the Ausable River, but from no point along it is the river visible. For this walk, the Lake Road is the best way to reach the Gill Brook Trail, Fish Hawk Cliffs, and Indian Head.
The public AMR parking area is adjacent to NY Route 73 just east of St. Huberts, which is 7 miles northwest of Adirondack Northway (I-87), Exit 30. Parking is limited so doing this hike as an off-season trip makes good sense.
In planning your trek, note that you have to walk 2.7 miles on the Lake Road to reach the Gill Brook Trail, and 3.45 miles back on the road from the Bypass Trail. One hour is considered good time for walking along the road to the Gill Brook Trail, add another 15 minutes for the return from the Bypass Trail. The described Gill Brook, Fish Hawk and Indian Head trail loop mileage is 3.5 miles, making this a 9.65-mile walk, beyond the capability of some hikers. It's a long trip, but nice walking with plenty of photo opportunities. The days are short this time of the year, so start early.
Make the Gill Brook Trail your first walk on the east side of the Ausable fault, walking either in late fall after the crowds have gone or in early spring when the leaves are just bursting. Choose a day after a rain when the whole world is washed to crystal sparkles and the streams are full to overflowing. The trail is maintained by the Adirondack Trail Improvement Society (ATIS), and their markers are bright red.
You have several options for the return: the Bypass Trail, which does not shorten the mileage but is considerably easier to walk, or a trek over Fish Hawk Cliffs and Indian Head for wonderful views with another choice of descent routes.
Half of your walk is along the Lake Road. From the visitor's parking area walk 0.7 mile to the inn, 0.25 to the gate, and 0.7 to the Henry Goddard Leach Trail turnoff, and another 0.5 to the bridge over Gill Brook. Shortly beyond, at 2.15 miles, there is a right fork—a bypass—leading close to the flume on Gill Brook. This trail rejoins the road in 0.2 mile and you certainly want to make the side trip to view this dark, hemlock-covered flume.
The next intersection, a left turn at 2.7 miles is the beginning of the official Gill Brook Trail. Unless you pause at the flume, the walk so far takes an hour.
Gill Brook Trail, 0 mile, follows the brook quite closely, occasionally winding away briefly, but always returning to let you enjoy the numerous waterfalls. It is a joyous cascade, but the first real falls are in under 0.5 mile, about a fifteen-minute walk (the trail is much slower going than the road). Another falls tumbles below the cedars that overhang the brook.
In twenty minutes you reach a V-shaped falls sheltered in a little gorge where rock walls create a beautiful deep glen. One of these trails was named Artist's Falls, though which one is unclear. Upstream a bit, water chutes down a lovely slide, sparkling the rock surface to make another falls. Above it there are a number of fallen trees, a wild scene of destruction.
The trail pulls away from the brook briefly before returning to yet another falls. Climbing moderately beside the brook you reach a long, narrow chute that pours over square ledges, another picture stop for sure. Upstream a lovely slide, then another falls over square rocks, before the trail pulls away from Gill Brook. Finally, at 1.3 miles, you reach an intersection, which is not very obvious in this direction because the Bypass Trail makes an acute angle back right.
You will spend more than an hour on this part of Gill Brook Trail unless you are walking the trail in summer, when the brook is nearly dry, in which case you'll wonder what all the fuss is about. (The Bypass Trail is one possible return route.) If the trail is not icy and you have time, continue on watching for signs at intersections.
One hundred yards beyond the intersection with the Bypass Trail, you reach a second intersection marked Indian Head either way. (The way right is a second possible return route via Indian Head trail.) For this hike, stay left or straight and immediately cross a tributary of Gill Brook. You are at the AMR boundary, so camping is permitted, and there is a campsite here, though it is too close to water to be legal. The cliffs on Dial Mountain are visible through the trees.
The trail starts steeply through an area with lots of trailwork and stairs and blowdown and climbs to a ridge way above Gill Brook. Fifteen minutes and 0.5 mile later, at 1.8 miles you reach a third intersection and the return route for this hike.
Turn right on this trail leading to Fish Hawk Cliffs and Indian Head. This section features a great overlook of the Ausable Lakes, the Great Range, and the face on Indian Head. From the Gill Brook Trail, climb slightly and cross a small stream in 0.45 mile, ten minutes. You cross the AMR boundary on level land, just before cresting a hill. The trail heads up slightly, to the ledges on top of Fish Hawk Cliffs. Slides make identifying slashes on the peaks of the Range from Sawteeth past Gothics. A lower ledge offers the best view of Indian Head, but be careful near the cliff tops.
Descend slightly, heading north from the top of Fish Hawk Cliffs, 0.25 mile and eight minutes from Indian Head. Traverse in deep woods in a col, not far from a pool known as Wizard's Washbowl. Continue directly uphill, for a steep 160-foot climb to the top of the Indian's Head and the most wonderful views down the Ausable Lakes. Snowy and Vanderwhacker mountains mark the skyline beyond the deep cut of the lakes. The precipitous slopes of Colvin and Sawteeth clasp the Lower Lake. Continue north from Indian Head, descending 100 feet to a four-way intersection. One fork can take you directly down to the foot of the Lower Ausable Lake, but it is a very steep descent.
If you go straight through the intersection, you climb slightly to the top of a ridge and across it on a relatively level walk. From a height-of-land, there is a view of the Wolf Jaws. Shortly beyond a sign points left to a side trail that leads 50 yards to an overlook with views from a rocky promontory to Giant and Rocky Peak Ridge over Noonmark. The trail turns right beyond the intersection with the outlook path and starts steeply down, then moderates to reach the Gill Brook Trail 0.6 mile from Indian Head. Turn left, then left again in 100 yards for the Bypass Trail, which leads 0.65 mile back to the Lake Road. Turn right and follow the road 3.45 miles to the public parking lot.
Barbara McMartin is the author of many guides to the
Adirondacks and several histories. For more information on this trek or
other excursions in this region, consult her Discover the Adirondack
High Peaks guidebook (Lake View Press).
©2000-2003 Adirondack Sports & Fitness. All rights reserved.