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North Country Trail Adirondack Park West Canada Lakes Wilderness

NOTE:  This information is based from the information gathered from the DEC plan available at the DEC website.  The info below is for just part of what will be the North Country Trail in the Adirondacks.

The West Canada Lakes Wilderness Area, located in the southwestern Adirondack Park, represents about 168,920 acres of State Forest Preserve lands in the towns of Arietta, Indian Lake, Lake Pleasant and Morehouse in Hamilton County and the Town of Ohio in Herkimer County.  This wilderness has some of the most remote lands and waters in all of Adirondack Park.

The DEC plan is to utilize herd paths bringing the North Country Trail into West Canada Lakes Wilderness on the southern slopes of Ice Cave Mountain and to bring the NCT to the Indian River Trail about one mile north of Horn Lake.  From there the NCT will follow the Indian River Trail all the way to Indian River Road.  There is a fording of the Indian River about 3.3 miles from Indian River Road.

The North Country Trail uses Indian River Road as a temporary connector and follows the road for 4.2 miles.  As you follow this dirt road, you are walking along the boundary with the 50,000+ acre Moose River Plains Wild Forest. 

The Moose River Plains Wild Forest is bounded on the north by the Pigeon Lakes Wilderness Area, Raquette Lake and the Blue Ridge Wilderness, on the east and the south by the West Canada Lakes Wilderness and the private lands of the Adirondack League Club, and on the west by the Fulton Chain Lakes and NY 28. It is the largest block of remote lands in the Adirondacks readily accessible by motor vehicle and includes the Red River, the South Branch of the Moose River and the 675 acre Cedar River Flow.

The North Country Trail leaves Indian River Road at the West Canada Lakes Trail trailhead.  Here the NCT turns and follows the West Canada Lakes Trail for 8.3 miles to the junction with the Northville-Placid Trail.  From here the DEC has two alternatives for the NCT.  One of those alternatives includes a 1.5 mile water crossing "ferry" across Indian Lake.  We are going with the other alternative.

The NCT will turn right (south) and follow the Northville-Placid Trail for 0.6 miles until the junction with the Mud Lake to Pillsbury Lake Trail.  From here the NCT turns on the Mud Lake to Pillsbury Lake Trail for 6.5 miles to its junction with the Cedar Lakes Trail.  The trail becomes the Pillsbury Lake Trail as you pass Pillsbury Lake. 

Turn right and follow the Cedar Lakes Trail 1.6 miles to the Pillsbury Mountain Trailhead parking area plus the junction of the Pillsbury Mountain Trail.  The Pillsbury Mountain Trail offers hikers an opportunity for a 3.2 mile side trip (roundtrip mileage) to spectacular views from the fire tower on the summit. 

The Pillsbury Mountain trailhead parking area and the rough road marks the end of the North Country Trail in West Canada Lakes Wilderness.  According to the DEC plan, there will be 29.3 miles of the NCT within this remote wilderness and much of the trail is already available.  There are also seven lean tos along this future section of the trail.

There are will be only two available roads for access to the North Country Trail in West Canada Lakes Wilderness.  Both are seasonal dirt roads.  The first is from Indian River Road, which can be accessed from Moose River Road and the Moose River Plains Wild Forest.  It is a 17+ mile drive along seasonal dirt roads from the main access point of Moose River Road near Limekiln Lake State Campground to the end of Indian River Road. 

The second is a rough dirt road off of Jessup River Road at Sled Harbor.  This is currently the main trailhead for Pillsbury Mountain.  Jessup River Road is off from NY 30 south of Lewey Lake State Campground.  Look below for maps and a detailed description of this rugged section of the future North Country Trail that can be hiked now.