PHARAOH LAKE & MOUNTAIN hiking, camping, skiing, canoeing + review of the 6 lean-tos.
The area is fairly popular in summer, especially on weekends. Youth camps bring larger groups in at times - they are often noisy - late August into fall should be quieter.
Have skied into the lake several times - my 1st wilderness backcountry ski was to Pharaoh Lake - cotton corduroy pants, whiskey at lean-to #5, did not ski well on the way out!
The 1st time I climbed Pharaoh Mountain was when there was an observer in the fire tower - the fire tower was knocked down by vandals in 1992 so my my visit was before then - I must be getting old!
On the way in from Beaver Pond Rd:
Lean-to #1:
Classic site, closest to the water. Great view up the lake to Treadway Mtn. Fairly shaded but gets some sun too. Thunderbox is uphill & not too close - had broken lid. Perhaps my favorite.
Lean-to #2:
A double-wide up & away from the water. Limited view from lean-to but great view of Treadway & Pharaoh Mtns from the rocks at waterside. Thunderbox. Excellent swimming.
Lean-to #3:
High up on ledge, View across the lake to Pharaoh Mtn, Wintergreen Point close by, blueberries in late July, early August. Best cliff diving. Unique site, remote, fairly new. Thunderbox close by. In red pines, lots of huckleberries. Lots of sun in the pm. One of my favorites.
Lean-to #4:
Close to water. View of Pharaoh Mtn from nearby rocks. Remote/shaded. Next Split Rock Bay & interesting rocks. Outhouse.
Lean-to #5:
Probably the most popular because it is next to rocky point with great view but only fair view from actual lean-to. Attracts the worst campers & trash. Sunniest & breeziest. Some of the area is roped off for rehab. Outhouse.
Lean-to #6: Nice area from rocks for swim. Outhouse. Newly rebuilt.
2024 - Pharaoh Lake Wilderness Bridge Removal: The Mill Brook bog bridge is being removed Sept. 3 - Sept. 11 due to its deteriorating condition. The Pharaoh Lake Trail remains open. Users should expect wet conditions when crossing.
Oct. 19-21, 2019 - PHARAOH LAKE & MOUNTAIN. When I was here this summer I thought it would be nice to visit in the fall - a bit late for peak fall colors tho. Already ~15 cars in the parking lot + 4 more by Mill Brook - most were day-hikers. The 1st mile was nasty (it had rained 3" a couple of days earlier) - big puddles & running water in the trail/4wdroad, a bit better from Mill Brook to the lake. Can-Uber left 3 canoes for me by the lake's outlet, I took out a brownish Coleman which leaked so I traded it for my usual reddish one. Lean-tos #1, 5 & 6 were occupied, I took double-wide #2. Frost forecasted but stayed above freezing. Day 2, paddled across the lake & picked up the trail up the mountain which soon started climbing steeply, leveled for a bit then climbed very steeply to the summit area. To get the most views you need to visit 4 or 5 different areas of open rock. Snow in the High Peaks, most noticeable on Mt Marcy; also good views to Lake Champlain & Green Mts. 3.5 miles hiking, gain of 1,410'. Day 3 - paddled around the lake & visited Lean-tos #3 & 4, the remotest + 5 (Watch Rock). Mergansers, pair of small ducks, grouse; no loons. Fairly quiet. Shores are like summer - green pines & hemlocks; some color in hardwoods (mostly yellow/gold/bronze beech) half up the mountains, spruce green up top.
Aug 13, 2019 - Camped at Pharaoh Lake Lean-to #4 (aka Pharo, Split Rock Bay lean-to). Figured I would bushwhack to the top of some low cliffs S of Treadway Mtn to get a view of Pharaoh Lake & Pharaoh Mtn &, if I did well, whack to Devils Washdish. Well, I arrived at some cliffs (~1,600' el) & tried to get around them to the top - the mosquitoes were attacking, the footing was not good, the sole of my boot was pealing off & I slipped down 10' - I could see the lake & mtn thru the trees but gave up. On the way back, after passing a small beaver pond, I discovered my GPS was missing - I went back to the pond but no further - there was no way I could walk the way I had come. Finished with compass only & came back out onto the blue trail just 100 yards from the lean-to! Not the best 3 hours I've ever spent - the rest of the trip was very nice & peaceful. Mosquitoes were not too bad the rest of the time. Met some folks on the trail who had just seen a bear.
July 15, 2019 - PHARAOH MOUNTAIN hike from Oxshoe Pond. Pharaoh Lake Wilderness. 1.5 hours for the 1,400'+ climb, easy at first but keeps getting steeper. Spent over 2 hours on top (nice breeze, no bugs) - there are 5 good lookouts in the summit (2,551') area and you can see in most directions (I could not see the Pharaoh Lake Brook valley). Hoffman Mtn, Marcy Dix Giant stood out in the High Peaks, a piece of Lake Champlain & VT; the only civilization that could be seen was the Schroon Lake area. Blueberries; grouse, 2 deer. 6.5 miles.
July 2, 2019 - PHARAOH LAKE backpacking & canoeing. Decades ago, I wheeled an OT Pack canoe from Mill Brook (knocked the muffler off my sedan driving in on Pharaoh Lake Rd) to the lake & camped - the canoe/wheels combo kept on tipping over on the trail. Many years ago, I carried a Bell Merlin II in from Mill Brook (the high clearance 2WD Ford Ranger did ok) on a day trip - paddled Pharaoh Brook from the bridge upstream thru the vly, carried a bit thru the woods, more flatwater, then carried the final part to the lake.
This time, backpacked Pharaoh Rd the 1.1 miles to Mill Brook then on to the lake, brought a paddle. Trail still wet & muddy in spots. Found 3 canoes not far from the outlet - the first, an aluminum, leaked about a quart a minute. Traded it for an OT Discovery 158 with underside damage to the outer layer of that 3-layer polyethylene - better but still leaked very slowly. Traded that in for a Coleman which did not leak - someone installed a 3rd seat which made soloing easier. Red & white pines along shores. Camped in lean-tos #1 (classic site close to the water in pines & hemlocks, great view to Treadway Mtn which rises 1,100' above the lake, some nice sunrises) & #3 (great view of Pharaoh Mtn which rises 1,400' above the lake, in red pines, sun sets over the mountain)(there are 6 lean-tos on PL, !,2, 5, & 6 are not too far apart; 3 & 4 are in the more remote E side). Lots of coves & other interesting stuff to explore, stopped to take a look at several campsites. Counted 10 canoes & 4 rowboats stashed somewhere around the lake - most probably leak (good idea to bring lots of duct tape if u want to paddle). Rocky shores, good swimming, excellent scenery. Ranger said all lean-tos & campsites were occupied on Sat night but very few folks in Mon-Wed. Lean-to #5, near Watch Rock's panoramic view, seems to attract many bad campers - it was the only lean-to with a fair amount of trash (3 full propane fuel canisters, empty liquor bottles, leftover food & the biggest paperback book I ever saw), unburnables in the fire-pit, etc. - on one night someone who camped there set off a few fireworks, otherwise the area was fairly quiet. Loons, mergansers w/tiny chicks (cute), deer, gb heron, immature eagle, robin, minks, lots of fish; heard thrushes & white-throated sparrows in the woods. Variable mosquito activity, sometimes quite annoying. 50 stable flies (aka "ankle-biters") in the canoe on an evening paddle. Flowering: sheep laurel, blue flag, bunchberry, rose pogonia, bullhead lily, fragrant white water lily. Did a short hike on path (marked with faded yellow paint blazes) from near #1 to Whortleberry Pond. Info: https://www.dec.ny.gov/lands/107648.html
HIKING: PHARAOH MOUNTAIN by Rich Macha.
The 46,283-acre Pharaoh Lake Wilderness Area is located east of Schroon Lake. The wilderness area contains many ponds and small lakes as well as numerous small, rocky-topped mountains, but only two of those mountains have trails to their summits – Pharaoh Mountain (elevation 2,556 feet) and Treadway Mountain (2,208 feet) – both are worth hiking.
Pharaoh Mountain used to have a fire tower on it, but in 1990 it was vandalized and the state removed it in 1992. At the risk of sounding old, my first ascent of the mountain was when there was still an observer up in the tower. Soon after I had arrived at the summit, the observer called down to me and invited me up. He was quite chatty after spending most of his days with little company, but, for me, it was great to have someone point out and name all of the sights.
There are two trails to Pharaoh's summit – one from the north and one from the south – either way, the elevation gain is about 1,600 feet.
Pharaoh Mountain from the north.
This 4.9-mile (one-way) route starts at the end of the maintained portion of Crane Pond Road where you will find a parking area and sign-in kiosk. Some people with high clearance, 4-wheel-drive vehicles continue to drive on the unmaintained road all the way to Crane Pond – motor vehicles are officially not allowed on state lands that are designated as “wilderness” but DEC is being tolerant of their use here. For the hiker, it is an easy 2-mile walk with some interesting sights along the way.
After walking less than a mile, there are some lovely, photogenic waterfalls and cascades on Alder Creek down below to the left. Soon after, the 0.9-mile trail to Goose Pond is reached and there is also a path that runs close to the marshy shore of Alder Pond. Our route continues along the old Crane Pond Road for another half mile and then veers off to the left to avoid a section of the road that is always flooded – the depth of the water is dependent on recent rainfall and how well the beavers have dammed the outlet of Alder Pond, but it is usually about 2-feet-deep. The marked route soon returns to the road and the Long Swing Trail enters from the left. There is then a good view of Pharaoh Mountain across the pond before Crane Pond is reached near its outlet.
To get a good view of Crane Pond, one needs to follow a path along its north shore where there are a couple of popular campsites. If you are backpacking, this unmarked but obvious path eventually reaches 2 more campsites. The route to the mountain, however, crosses the outlet on a bridge and continues toward Glidden Marsh for 0.6 miles. Before reaching the marsh, our route makes a right turn at a junction and soon crosses the outlet of the marsh. The trail is fairly wide here and the grade is easy at first but slowly gets narrower and steeper as woods change from open hardwoods to closed-in areas of spruce and fir.
Finally, the summit area is reached and there are branching paths to several large areas of open rock with excellent views. There is not one spot with all-encompassing views so I recommend that you scout around for all of them. There is also a designated campsite up here but there is no water source so you must bring that with you if you decide to camp. From about mid-July through mid-August, you can gorge on blueberries that grow around the open rocky areas – just don't forget that blueberries are also a favorite food of bears.
Summit views include Lake Champlain and the Green Mountains to the east, Pharaoh Lake to the southeast, Schroon Lake to the west, Mount Marcy and the High Peaks to the northwest and Crane Pond to the north.
Pharaoh Mountain from the south.<
This longer (14-mile round-trip) route is at least as interesting as the northern route and, because of the mileage, makes for a good 3-day backpacking trip. There is a good, well-used parking area on Pharaoh Lake Road about 0.1 miles from Beaver Meadow Road, north of Brant Lake. As on Crane Pond Road, some folks with high clearance vehicles choose to drive the first 1.1 miles to Mill Brook, but the road has become more of a challenge throughout the years.
Unfortunately, the hiker is often met with large puddles on the first mile of this old road but, from Mill Brook on, the trail is much nicer. Beavers have flooded this attractive brook and the trail crosses it on a bridge and a long boardwalk. The trail slowly gains elevation over the next mile and, at 2.3 miles, reaches a bridge over Pharaoh Lake Brook. Just before the bridge, a path to the left soon reaches a piney campsite with a wonderful view across a wetland to the cliffs on Pharaoh Mountain. Across the bridge, the trail passes through lovely hemlock woods with peeks of the wetland area through the trees.
The outlet at the southwest end of Pharaoh Lake is reached at the 3.6-mile mark. Pharaoh Lake, at 441 acres, is the third biggest lake in the Adirondack Park that is totally surrounded by land designated as wilderness. The scenic lake, ringed with white and red pines, is a popular destination in itself. The trail left crosses the outlet and is the route you want if headed up the mountain. The trail to the right runs along the south shoreline and is the best route to reach lean-tos #1, #2 and #3 – there are some great views of Pharaoh and Treadway Mountains along the way.
The trail along the north shore soon passes lean-to #6 and reaches a junction 0,9 miles from the outlet. The route to the mountain takes a left here; if you go straight, you will reach Watch Rock and its double-wide lean-to – the view from Watch Rock is especially nice.
From the junction, we continue north to another junction where we take a left and start some real climbing and the piney shores of the lake give way to hardwoods, mainly beech. At one spot, one has to scramble up a vertical 8-foot wall of rock – I had to use all four limbs to get up. Higher up, the narrow trail twists and turns through spruce woods and finally arrives at the summit area.
Whichever route you decide to take, I don't think you will be disappointed. Find out more about the Pharaoh Lake Wilderness here: https://www.dec.ny.gov/lands/107648.html
Sep. 15 & 16, 2001 - Mill Brook, Pharoah Lake & Mtn. Got out late again Sat. Dirt road access from the SW (from Beaver Pond Rd) is still quite rough (recommend vehicle with high clearance but a motorcycle & a Mazda Protege made it - everything else in parking area was truck-type). Took a short paddle down Mill Brook, over a beaverdam but stopped at the next as the sun was setting. Saw a beaver on the return. Lots of white & red pines near stream (CCC reforestation) but immediate shore is marshy, surrounding hills have more deciduous trees. Owls hooted all evening. Read by my LED minilight (LEDs don't use up batteries anywhere near as fast as conventional bulbs) which is beginning to replace my candle lantern. Just above freezing in the morning & felt colder. Carried the Bell Merlin II a little over a mile & put in above the bridge over Pharoah Lake Brook. Beavers have dammed the brook pretty well & I could paddle up the flow thru lily leaves close to a mile upstream with views of the cliffs on Pharoah Mt. Spooked lots of ducks. Woods to the south of the stream were open hemlock & it was easy to bushwhack carry to the next smaller flow. Water depth much less here & had to manouver around some obstacles trying to avoid sinking in mud. Stream becomes very rocky & steeper. After some scouting, carried uphill SSW thru the woods & soon arrived at the main trail to Pharoah Lake. This whole affair took 2.3 hrs. to go about 2.5 mi. (fun, though!) Paddled across Pharoah Lake with views of Treadway Mt. & its cliffs. Maples beginning to turn red on the hillsides of Pharoah Mt. Opposite biggest island on N side find hiking trail to Pharoah Mt.It is a steep 1,400', 1.55 mi. climb from the lake. Some idiot(s) had had a fire in the trail about 10 min. from the summit & it was still smouldering - NYS rules state that you must camp (& make fires) at least 150' from any trail or water source unless at a designated campsite. Have to move around some on the summit to get the full 360 views - High Peaks, Vermont's mntns. Windy, so pick a nice spot on S with view of Pharoah Lake below. No-one else at the summit for over 30 min. - quiet, & I notice the general lack of air traffic (there was more later.) Back at the lake, I paddle its circumferance (~4 mi.), stopping at a new leanto nestled in red pines at the SE end of the lake, great view of Pharoah Mt. across the lake. Much rocky shoreline, water a very clear green, no loons (surprising), beautiful lake. Carried out 2.5 mi. on the hiking trail which only took about 1 hr. ~13 mi., 9.25 hrs. Good practice for next week's trip.
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