Day 7 - 2020 Northville Placid Trail Thru Hike - Lake Durant/Route 28 to Long Lake
The Northville-Placid Trail is a 139-mile long distance hiking trail that runs through the heart of the Adirondacks - from the village of Northville in the south to the village of Lake Placid in the north. The trail is unique in the Adirondacks that it does not traverse any significant mountain peaks, but instead stays to the valleys and lowlands throughout the Adirondacks. That results in the trail passing many lakes, streams, ponds (and there being plenty of mud along the way).
We thru hiked the NPT between August 9, 2020 and August 18, 2020. We had one zero near Long Lake. We had two cars so we set the hike up with a handful of car shuttles. That gave us a chance to resupply and grab some town food.
On Day 7 of our Northville-Placid Trail Thru Hike we slackpacked northbound from Route 28 to the trailhead parking area on Tarbell Road for a total of 15.5 miles.
As part of the hike, Jeff kept a journal of each day and so, with so we will be using his journal to provide a description of each day’s hike. You can also find the entire NPT thru hike on our YouTube channel here.
Before I committed to going back in the woods for the last section, I wanted to see if my toe could handle it. Keeping off of it and keeping it dry the day before really helped so when we got to Lake Durant and started hiking today, it hurt, but it wasn’t anywhere near the pain before. The section from Lake Durant to Long Lake also has the biggest climb of the trail, so I figured if I could do that, I could do anything.
The hike in from Route 28 towards Tirrell Pond was rather bland, though a few breaks in the woods for wetlands and then you catch glimpses of Tirrell Pond. Didn’t bother going out to the first lean-to, but did stop at second and also took a look at the sand beach near it.
From there the trail wanders a while, including walking on what looks like an atv road for a while, before finally starting to climb the shoulder of Blue Mountain Ridge. The trail takes a rather indirect way up the ridge, with a few shorty, steep sections along the way. The trail eventually levels off on the ridge around 3000’ to no views or much of anything before dropping more steeply down the other side. One you’re down the steeps, the trail meanders again, follows another dirt road for a while and then cuts back into the woods and eventually pops out at the parking lot on 28N. There is a long boardwalk before the parking area that is a pleasant walk. From there it was a short roadwalk to the trailhead parking lot on Tarbell Road.
Toe made it, not with flying colors, but I was able to walk and keep a 2.5 mph pace the entire time.
Headed back to hotel to clean up. After that we took Moe’s car to Placid and left it at the terminus of the NPT. On the way back to hotel we cleaned out Walgreens supply of blister and toe products so I'd be ready for the next three days.
Resources for the Northville-Placid Trail in the Adirondack Park
The best guide to the NPT is the Adirondack Mountain Club's Northville-Placid Trail Guidebook
The best map is the National Geographic Trails Illustrated Map for the Northville-Placid Trail
You can save a few bucks and get both the Guidebook and Map as a bundle
Both proved indispensable for this hike. The NPT isn't currently in an app like Guthook and the AllTrails data is very, very limited. For the NPT definitely go with the old fashioned map and pick up the guidebook so you know what to expect. We carried both with us, but if I did it again, I'd just have the map. The map is waterproof/tearproof so it'll survive the hike.
Interested in hiking the NPT, but want guide services? Hike On Guides can do that - we have special long distance hiking services tailored for the Northville-Placid Trail.
Gear we used on the Northville Placid Trail