The Owls Head Mountain firetower is visible from various places around Long Lake and the climb is a pilgramage for visitors and locals alike. This is a moderately difficult hike with fabulous views from the tower.
| Directions | From Long Lake drive west on Route 30 (towards Tupper Lake) for eight tenths of a miles. Turn left on Endion Road. Follow the Endion Road for 1.5 miles to a parking area on the right. |
| Difficulty | Moderate. This is a seven mile round trip with over 1000 feet of elevation gain. There is a short very steep section just before you reach the tower. |
| Family-Friendly | For older children, yes. A short steep stretch, just below the summit, might be difficult for small children and dogs. |
| Winter | Owls Head is a popular destination for snowshoeing. Micro-spikes may be needed for the steep terrain at the top. |
| One Thing to Know | The 35-foot-tall steel tower on Owls Head was erected in 1935 to replace an earlier wooden platform. This relatively low tower was typical for that time. A nearly identical tower, since removed, was erected on Kempshall Mountain, the prominent peak seen on the east shore of Long Lake when looking to the north. |
| NY DEC Webpage | Sargent Ponds Wild Forest |
| Photo Gallery | Owls Head Mountain Photo Gallery |
Owls Head Mountain Trail Map
As you walk the trail keep an eye out for wooden poles with insulators on them. Back in the day, these poles supported a phone line that the observer used to stay in touch with the local Forest Ranger. It was the Rangers’ job to hire the observer and to maintain the phone line and the tower. The Owls Head tower was decommissioned in the 1970s and only a few of the poles now remain.
Fall colors from Owls Head
The Owls Head trail passes through Forest Preserve lands that are part of the Sargent Ponds Wild Forest. The Wild Forest designation (as opposed to the more restrictive ‘wilderness’ classification) allows for some forms of motorized recreation, and a short stretch of the hiking trail coincides with a popular snowmobile trail that connects Long Lake with Lake Eaton. But most of this land has been owned by New York State for over 100 years and the maturing forest is one of this trail’s attractions. Along the lower stretches of the trail the large trees include: Yellow Birch, Sugar Maple, American Beech (deciduous). Along with Hemlock, White Pine and Red Spruce (conifers). The top of Owls Head just reaches into the sub-alpine zone, where dense stands of Spruce and Balsam Fir hold sway.
Long Lake with Mt. Marcy in the distance
The ledges below the tower provide clear views of the mountains to the east with Mount Sabattis and East Inlet Mountain prominent just across Long Lake. Further south the familiar outline of Blue Mountain stands out, and to the northeast the high peaks dominate the distant skyline. From the tower the view opens up to include the north and west. And be sure to take note of the small pond lying close at hand just to the south. This is Owls Head Pond, a favorite of adventurous fishermen. There is no trail to the pond so getting there requires bushwhacking and advanced route finding skills. Even for those who are comfortable with off-trail hiking this is considered to be a challenging destination.