Mount Haystack

Elevation: 4960 ft. Elevation change: 3307 ft.
Mount Haystack is in the Great Range of the Adirondack High Peaks, located north of Mount Redfield. The pinnacle of Mount Haystack is a bare dome in the shape of a stack of hay2, thus its name. Following Algonquin Peak and Mount Marcy, it is the third highest peak in the state. It has some amazing views, but it is rather remote from the nearest trailhead and the approach from either direction is steep and challenging. 1

The most frequent approach if Haystack is the main goal is to follow the Johns Brook Trail from the popular Garden parking area in Keene Valley to the Phelps Trail and then use Shorey's Short Cut to get over to the Range Trail. It is possible to combine this with an attempt on Marcy itself, but that makes for a long day and the approach from Panther Gorge is even steeper than that from the north. Some hikers come along the Great Range itself, making the peak their last stop before Marcy itself, or combine it with neighboring Basin and Saddleback. It can also be approached from privately owned Upper Ausable Lake. 1

One of the most famous elements of Haystack is the infamous "Devil's Half Mile". This stretch, which is technically three-quarters mile (1.2 km), is the extremely steep last stretch of the trail. 1

1https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Haystack
2 http://www.lakeplacid.com/do/hiking/mount-haystack

Family with Young Kids: Not Recommended
Experienced Hiker: Over 8 hours round trip, possibly overnight
Out of Shape Hiker: Not Recommended