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Dix Mountain

Scenic and Destination Hikes Adirondack High Peaks

Trail Head:
Elk Lake Rd.

Length: 12.8 miles roundtrip

Difficulty: Difficult

Activities: hiking



ADKTrailMap.com map of Dix Mountain hiking trail in the Adirondack Mountains ADKTrailMap.com map of Dix Mountain hiking trail in the Adirondack Mountains Static Trail Map
ADKTrailMap.com elevation profile of Dix Mountain hiking trail in the Adirondack Mountains ADKTrailMap.com elevation profile of Dix Mountain hiking trail in the Adirondack Mountains Elevation Profile

Elevation: 4,867 ft. Elevation change: 2548 ft.

Number six in order of magnitude in the Adirondacks High Peaks list, Dix is both the highest mountain in the Dix Mountain Wilderness and the only one with a marked and maintained trail leading to the summit. This area sees few crowds and gives one a good chance to appreciate the silent natural beauty of the Adirondacks. As it is a mostly bald peak, it offers some of the best views in the Adirondacks. One can see the entire Great Range to the northwest and behind them the lesser peaks of the MacIntyre Range. To the northeast is Giant and Rocky Peak Ridge, to the southwest is Elk Lake and the east offers a good view of Lake Champlain and the Green Mountains. 1

There are two main approaching trailheads, from the North off Rt. 73 and from the South from Elk Lake (map and elevation profile shown here from Elk Lake).

While it stands somewhat south of the main High Peaks region and is more difficult to reach and steep and challenging to climb, the mountain stands in great popularity with experienced hikers not only due to it being a required peak for Adirondack Forty-Sixers, but for open views of the region from its summit.2

Dix is also the gateway to four other High Peaks in the Dix Range, all of them, unlike Dix itself, officially trail-less: Hough, Macomb, South Dix and East Dix. One of the most difficult Adirondack peakbagging challenges is to do all five in the same day; while many have, most hikers prefer to break the trips up into separate assaults on Dix and/or one of the others. 2

1 http://www.summitpost.org/dix-mountain/150677
2 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dix_Mountain