Since Bob and George Marshall and their guide, Herb Clark, climbed all forty-six of the High Peaks in the 1920s, more than ten thousand hikers have followed in their footsteps.

You can read more about some of the hiking challenges easing pressure on the High Peaks in the latest issue of the Adirondack Explorer.  Subscribe here or download the app.

Here is a list of other hiking challenges in the Adirondack Park. Most have websites or Facebook pages that can be found by googling their names. Unless otherwise indicated, finishers qualify for a patch:

LOCAL CHALLENGES

1. Cranberry Lake 50: 50-mile hike around Cranberry Lake.

2. Tupper Lake Triad: Hike Coney Mountain, Goodman Mountain, and Mount Arab.

3. Saranac Lake Six: Climb six peaks near Saranac Lake, ranging in height from 2,452 feet to 3,861 feet.

4. High Peaks Wilderness Trails: Hike all 268 miles of trail in the Wilderness Area.

5. Moriah Challenge: Four hikes in the Champlain Valley town of Moriah.

6. Lake George Twelve: A dozen peaks near Lake George, ranging from 1,586 feet to 2,665 feet.

7. Round the Lake: Do twenty hikes, walks, and paddles around Lake George.

8. Chester Challenge: Pick six of eight hikes in town of Chester to earn a pin.

9. Waterfall Challenge: Visit a variety of waterfalls in Hamilton County.

10. Indian Lake Challenge: Do ten hikes in central Adirondacks, ranging from easy to difficult.

11. Fulton Chain Trifecta: Bald, Rocky, and Black Bear mountains.

PARKWIDE CHALLENGES

Fire Tower Challenge: Climb at least twenty-three fire-tower peaks in Adirondacks and Catskills.

Kids on the Trail: Complete sixteen short hikes scattered throughout the Park.

Hundred Highest: Climb the hundred highest peaks in the Park. No patch.

Adirondack Twenty-Nine: Shorter peaks with good views in various parts of the Park. No patch.

Trans Adirondack Route: Traverse entire Park on 235-mile north-south route.

Mike Lynch

Mike Lynch is a staff writer and photographer for the nonprofit Adirondack Explorer, the regional bimonthly news magazine with a focus on outdoor recreation and environmental issues.

Mike’s favorite outdoor activities include paddling, hiking, fishing and backcountry skiing. In 2011, he paddled the 740-mile Northern Forest Canoe Trail from Old Forge to Fort Kent, Maine.

From 2007 until 2014, Mike worked as an outdoors writer and photographer for the Adirondack Daily Enterprise in Saranac Lake.

Mike welcomes story ideas and can be reached at [email protected]

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