Cook Mountain Preserve
(click here for preserve brochure and trail guide)
192 acres in the Town of Ticonderoga
Cook Mountain was purchased in 1876 by George Delano.
George fought in the Civil War, where he was wounded in the raid at Harper's
Ferry. After attending business school and then running a diner in
Poughkeepsie, George moved to the northern end of Lake George to farm the slopes
of Cook Mountain. He maintained a "sugar bush" for maple syrup and two
apple orchards, shipping the fruit to New York City.
The Cook Mountain Preserve was established in 1990 through
the generation donation of 176 acres by Donald and Marjorie Delano, George's
grandchildren. In 1995, the preserve was expanded by an 18-acre addition
donated by Dr. and Mrs. George Boyle. The preserve harbors a variety of
habitats, from moist wetlands and overgrown farmland to mixed
hardwood/coniferous forest and dry rocky-summit grassland. Remnants of
stone walls run up the mountain's slope, reminders of how different Cook Mountain
and the land surround Lake George looked when cleared for farms at the turn of
the century.
Cook Mountain’s open ridge provides exquisite views of
northern Lake George, the Champlain Valley, and Vermont’s Green Mountains. The one
and one-half mile Summit Trail passes through a variety of habitats from moist wetlands and overgrown farmland to mixed hardwood/coniferous forest and dry rocky-summit grassland. Remnants of a beaver lodge and dams, as well as rare wetland plants, such as Hill’s pondweed, can be spotted on the lower portions of the trail. From the rocky summit, you can enjoy an expansive view of northern Lake George with minimal shoreline development and imagine how the lake’s water quality would be compromised if these forests harbored buildings rather than trees, wildflowers, birds and other important creatures.
Intensity: Moderately difficulty – steep climb to summit
Directions to the Cook Mountain Preserve:
From the I-87 Northway: Take exit 28, and go east on Rt. 74 into Ticonderoga. Turn right (south) onto Rt. 9N. At the monument/traffic circle in Ticonderoga, head straight (south) on Lord Howe St. for 0.75 miles to a “T” intersection with Alexandria St. (County Rt. 5). Turn left and then immediately right onto Baldwin Rd. Proceed south on Baldwin for 1.5 miles to the preserve pull-off on right.
