POTASH MOUNTAIN & HARRIS PRESERVE hike, near Lake Luzerne NY
April 17, 2024 - Short hike to a lookout in the northern section of LUZERNE CAMPGROUND & DAY USE AREA, from Dunkley Rd (dirt). The trails are shown on OpenStreetMap & newer (2020) NatGeo #743 (not my 2004 version). The trail heads N from the road (730' el) on an old road with horse trail markers. At 0.1 miles, the trail turns R & looks more trailish than old road. Moderate climb thru pleasant woods. Reached the summit of the hill (1090' el) at 0.5 miles. The trail then heads E then S, dropping 140' to the lookout. The view to the S over a widening of the brook that runs into Fourth Lake to Bucktail Mtn (1824'). Could see Darling Mtn to the E & the cut thru the low mountains where the Hudson River passes to the SW. Not much civilization in view other than the Painted Pony ranch, but Route 9N traffic can be heard below. Back down to the old woods road & headed N to the edge of state land & beyond - curious whether this led to the Harris Preserve....