Hiking Haystack, Basin, and Saddleback (HaBaSa) – All You Need to Know

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HaBaSa is a commonly used acronym for the Upper Great Range in the High Peaks Wilderness in New York. It consists of three of the 46 4,000+ footers in the Adirondacks: Mount Haystack, Basin Mountain, and Saddleback Mountain (HaBaSa). These are some of the taller mountains on the 46er list as Haystack, Basin, and Saddleback rank 3rd (4,960ft), 9th (4,827ft) and 17th (4,515ft), respectively. 

You can tackle HaBaSa by hiking one, two, or three of the peaks in one go. No matter how you hike it you are in for a long day. When I tackled these peaks with a group we set out to do the entire HaBaSa trio in one day.

If you are looking for other difficult hikes to try that hit multiple peaks, check out my posts on the Santanoni Range and Seward Range.

We chose to do the HaBaSa loop counterclockwise so that we would hit Haystack first, then Basin, and finish on Saddleback before heading home. This route allowed us to climb up the infamous Saddleback cliffs rather than hike down them. I was very happy to go up the cliffs, but on a dry day I think it would still be doable for average hikers to descend them as well.

Read on to learn what to expect from the HaBaSa trail! Though the HaBaSa hike is long, the views on every mountain are well worth the trek!

• What to Know Before you Hike
• Parking
• Starting the Trail
• Hiking to Mount Haystack
• Trekking to Basin Mountain
• Heading to Saddleback Mountain
• Back to the Garden
• Suggestions

What to Know Before you Hike HaBaSa

Attempting to hike all three peaks of the HaBaSa trio- Mount Haystack, Basin Mountain, and Saddleback Mountain makes for a very long day. Know the route you are trying to take beforehand to avoid getting lost and know what the bailout points are in case you or the group is unable to complete the entire hike. No one should be too stubborn to avoid bailing on a hike as safety should always be everyone’s number one concern.

It is very important to recognize where you are when you reach each junction and what the signs are actually leading you towards. There are a lot of chances on the HaBaSa hike to take a wrong turn. Have your map (I own a National Geographic trail map) and know how to use it.

You can go clockwise or counterclockwise to complete the HaBaSa loop- both are very doable in my opinion. The most intimidating points during HaBaSa are the open rock faces that you have to climb up or down. There is a variant of these rock faces on each of the three peaks, all a little different, but the most infamous is what is known as the Saddleback Cliffs.

Bring lots of water (I always have two 32 ounce Nalgenes with me on a hike) and a filter if you have one. I have been using the Sawyer Products Mini Water Filtration System and I love how compact it is to carry and how simple it is to use. There are great fill up spots at the beginning of the HaBaSa route near Johns Brook Lodge and a couple more spots at the end, but not a lot as you are actually crossing from peak to peak. 

Likely you will be starting or ending in the dark so have a headlamp (such as Black Diamond’s Storm 400 Headlamp which I love) or flashlight and either a backup or extra batteries. And of course bring food to fuel your body. Most of us do not eat enough while hiking and I know personally I have to remind myself to eat throughout the day to ensure I have the energy to push me through the end of the trail.

Parking for HaBaSa

The best parking lot to complete the HaBaSa loop is The Garden Lot in Keene Valley, NY. To park at The Garden it is $10 per car per day and there are about two dozen or so spots in the lot. This lot is also nice because there is an attendant at certain times during the day and a Porta Potty in the parking area.

One issue with The Garden is how quickly it can fill up on busy summer weekends. Sometimes there are only a few spots left by 5:30am. Be sure to plan ahead if you are going to this lot.

One way I ensure I can get to The Garden early is to drive to the area the night before and take advantage of some of the free camping spots throughout the Adirondacks. I always use FreeCampsites.net to find places to stay the night. Two of my favorites are the ones by Chapel Pond and Moose Pond Club Road.

While The Garden can be busy, luckily Roostercomb Trailhead is at the end of the road leading to The Garden and it is free parking any time of day. My HaBaSa hiking group (4 ladies total) met up at the Roostercomb Trailhead and then took one car to The Garden so we only had to pay the $10 once and we could leave room for other cars to come in and park.

Another option is to park at Marcy Field and take the hiker shuttle to The Garden. It is $10 to park at the field and the shuttle runs from 7am-7pm on Saturday and Sunday during the summer and fall months. This can be a great option if you can’t get to The Garden early enough in the day. For more information about the lots and hiker shuttle read the pages on the Town of Keene site here.

One final option for the HaBaSa hike, or any trail from The Garden, is to come into The Garden at the end of the day, hoping other hikers have finished and left for the day already. You can pay for two nights, park, and hike in and camp for the first night. This way you will have gotten a few miles out of the way and can complete the HaBaSa trio the next day bright and early.

Starting the HaBaSa Trail

The initial stretch of the trail is 3.5 miles from The Garden to Johns Brook Lodge. Hiking in with my group we couldn’t recognize much because we started in the dark at about 5:30am and it was actually pouring rain! Considering all the trails I have been on in the High Peaks region, this trail is very flat with only a couple gradual ascents as you get to Johns Brook Lodge.

Mostly dirt and some roots, the trail is not terribly rocky or difficult. There are lots of places where volunteers have placed rocks or logs to help you cross on wet or muddy days. It’s a great warm up for the legs before you tackle the more difficult parts of the HaBaSa loop.

That initial trudge was so dark and wet and though it went quick, it was great to see Johns Brook Lodge pop up in front of us. Johns Brook Lodge is an amazing spot for a quick rest and HaBaSa is a long hike so I would take time to appreciate this spot before rushing off. You can sit in chairs on the deck for a moment and fuel up with a snack and some water.

Hiking to Mount Haystack (Part 1 of HaBaSa)

Which Route to Take from Johns Brook Lodge

Taking the Slant Rock Cutoff

The trail slopes gradually upward and goes along a river for a while so there are many water refill spots at this point in the hike. Eventually you will reach a sign that says you can go straight to Mount Marcy or take a left. We took the left to go to Slant Rock but if we were to follow our original plan we would have gone straight.

Turning left cut across the HaBaSa loop we intended to do and added about 0.3 miles to the hike (making it 1.7 miles to the junction before Little Haystack instead of 1.4 miles). The cutoff itself was 1.1 miles and it was very steep up for most of it and then steep down to the junction between Basin Mountain and Mount Haystack. This was a difficult section of the hike but if you remembered to turn around every now and then, the views made it worth it as you could see how much elevation you were gaining.

Little Haystack

After taking this Slant Rock cutoff and reaching the junction between Basin and Haystack, we turned right to head up to Mount Haystack. From the junction it is 0.1 miles to another intersection that you keep straight at (don’t turn left) and then about 0.5 miles to the final junction where, due to the direction we were going, we veered left to get to Little Haystack. You have to go over Little Haystack to get to Mount Haystack and this section of the hike is 0.6 miles out from the main HaBaSa loop. 

There are big rock scrambles going up and down Little Haystack and then up Mount Haystack as well but they are doable. The up to Little Haystack feels suspiciously long and once at the top you see you have to go up even more to reach Mount Haystack. I found the open rock very fun though and the terrain was so pretty on this cloudy morning with the grass swaying in the wind.

Mount Haystack

Coming down from Mount Haystack and headed back to Little Haystack, the clouds lifted a bit and finally provided us with some views! They didn’t completely dissipate, so the tops of the peaks surrounding us were still covered but it made for a very cool view nonetheless. This also made us very hopeful that we’d be seeing those views later in our HaBaSa loop as the rain passed and the clouds had the chance to rise.

Trekking to Basin Mountain (Part 2 of HaBaSa)

To get to Basin Mountain and hit peak two of our HaBaSa loop, we first had to leave Mount Haystack, do the 1.2 miles back to the junction and descend 1,000 feet. Then climbing up to Basin it was another 0.7 miles and about 900 feet elevation gain! Talk about a steep hike!

The trek felt a little relentless but I wouldn’t say it was too difficult. There were a few spots that required a little thought for how to get up (especially for us shorter folks) but as a 5’ 3” woman I was able to make it up all the rocks by myself. It did help to have group members below me though pointing out where I could put a knee, hand, or foot.

There was one spot where I definitely had to hoist myself up a rock and then I just laid face down for a second waiting to pick myself up, haha. Along with that there were a couple smooth incline rock faces but with the rocks dry my boots had enough traction that I could walk right up them. 

This almost two mile stretch between Mount Haystack and Basin Mountain felt like a long time! But I had great company and beautiful weather at this point in the day so I was truly enjoying myself. 

The summit of Basin Mountain is a big open rock and there are absolutely amazing views looking back towards Mount Haystack.  On our second stop of our HaBaSa loop we could clearly see the bump that was Little Haystack on the way to Mount Haystack and the steep decline we’d done to get back to the junction to come up Basin. It’s always unbelievable seeing where you just hiked from!

The mountains were so impressive as always. In the distance we could see the blues of far away peaks but up close Haystack was stark greens, browns and whites from the rock. At that point the clouds had risen and we could see for miles, the sun lighting up each and every peak.

Heading to Saddleback Mountain (Part 3 of HaBaSa)

The Saddleback Cliffs

The hike from Basin Mountain to Saddleback Mountain was the shortest stretch in terms of mileage for the HaBaSa loop. Between these two peaks is only 1 mile. Most of that time is spent descending (about 700ft), but then you have to go up the infamous Saddleback Cliffs about 350ft to reach the summit.

My group was dreading this portion of the hike all day but I was trying to remain a positive voice for us. I will say it is a little nerve-wracking to be approaching a well-known difficult section of the HaBaSa trail after you’ve already hit two big peaks that day. Turns out upper body strength and confidence did help in the end.

I do not believe the Saddleback Cliffs were scary in the sense that there were sheer drop-offs or loose rock, but they were certainly technically difficult. As I mentioned earlier, I am 5’ 3”. I was able to do everything by myself but a lot of that involved me finding a grip on the rock and pulling myself up using minor rock climbing skills.

If I was possibly 5’ 8” or so (just a suggestion!) I think I would have had a much easier time. Once past each of the two or three climbing sections I felt safe, but man it was hard to lift my leg high enough or reach far enough to find a place to push or pull myself up.

This section of the trail only took a long time because it took a lot of trial and error for each of the group members to figure out what worked best for them. As always it is important to take your time to calm your nerves and stay safe.

There were definitely a couple spots on the Saddleback Cliffs I wouldn’t want to descend, but with dry rock I think it is all doable. I would not be interested in approaching this hike if the rocks were wet. This was a major concern for the group earlier in the day as we started our hike in the pouring rain, but by the time we reached Saddleback Mountain after hiking the rest of HaBaSa, the rocks were perfectly dry.

Beautiful Summit Views

We spent the least amount of time on this summit since we were all antsy to get to the cars before dark and start heading home. My feet were pretty damp from earlier in the day and I really wish I had changed them for the long trek out to finish HaBaSa. Fresh cushion from a dry pair of Darn Tough socks might have saved me some pain and prevented uncomfortable blisters later on. 

Back to the Garden – Finishing the HaBaSa Trio

From the summit of Saddleback Mountain, we had about 6.5 miles back to the car to finish our HaBaSa loop. This consisted of 3 miles back to Johns Brook Lodge and then 3.5 miles from Johns Brook Lodge to The Garden lot. In those 6.5 miles we had to descend about 3,000ft.

The hike out was just down, down, down. While it is a very long time to be hiking down, this was definitely not as painful on the knees as some other trails I have done in the high peaks. It certainly feels like forever though and I’m not going to pretend like it was easy.

I can’t speak for my group but I know I was feeling drained at the end of this hike. This is one of those times I wish I had had better fuel for my body. I needed to replenish salts and sugars and I just didn’t have enough.

After half a mile of coming down Saddleback Mountain there’s a sign that says 2.8 miles back to Johns Brook Lodge and I swear this is either incorrect or it is the longest 2.8 miles of your entire life, haha. There were so many times we turned a corner and I simply could not believe the Lodge was not in front of us yet. It was such a relief once we crossed the little bridge and Johns Brook Lodge finally came into view but we had to recognize we still had 3.5 miles to the car at that point until HaBaSa was officially checked off our list!

Pushing Through

On one hand I’m always down to push through the end of a hike and make it back to the car to eventually get to my bed. On the other, I always gaze longingly at the campsites, just wanting to kick my feet up in my hammock and sleep. 

As lots of hikers will tell you, the hike out after a long day always feels dreadfully longer than the hike in, so we knew that the 3.5 miles would be rough. It is such an easy trail, with so few roots or rocks, but we were all tired and had aching feet. Also nothing was recognizable since we had started in the dark and rain so many hours earlier!

I didn’t think we’d get out before dark but it was more important to stick together and stay safe. Luckily I had a great group and while we were pretty quiet by the end, I understood we were all struggling with something different. My feet were hurting so unbelievably bad and the only other time they hurt that much was when I was finishing the Dix Range and walking the two miles back on the road due to the closure of the lot at the trailhead.

One winding turn after another we did. I ended up jogging a bit at the end to relieve my feet, something I do a lot and I recommend trying once if you haven’t yet! Just as it was about to be dusk we saw the cars parked at The Garden and yelped with joy. 

We were so excited, so happy, so proud, and so tired. HaBaSa was killer but it was such an amazing experience. I could not believe how amazing the views were on each peak and I was grateful to experience a little bit of everything this day.

Whether you knock Mount Haystack, Basin Mountain, and Saddleback Mountain off one, two, or three at a time, I can definitely say I recommend hiking the HaBaSa trio and experiencing them for yourself!

Suggestions After Hiking HaBaSa

HaBaSa is a long, tough day no matter which mountain(s) you choose to do. It is important to have the right gear and mindset to tackle all of these peaks. Below are some takeaways, suggestions, and thoughts after successfully finishing HaBaSa.

Fuel

• Take a few minutes to fuel up at Johns Brook Lodge before continuing on. You’ve warmed up your legs and have a difficult day ahead of you. I recommend having a quick snack and drinking a lot of water.
• I would have drank a lot more water at the beginning of the hike and stopped to refill my water bottles past Johns Brook Lodge. Once we got near the summits there were no longer good options to refill water bottles and I lost a little energy by trying to save my water through the end of the hike.

Route

• If you read my Hiking to Mount Haystack section, ‘Taking the Slant Rock Cutoff’, I mentioned my group accidentally took this cutoff rather than following our original route all the way around the loop. If I were to repeat HaBaSa, I would continue around the loop rather than take this cutoff. This would have saved us 0.3 miles and a lot of elevation change on an already long day.

Comfort

• My feet hurt for days after this hike. The most my feet have ever hurt during a hike is a tough call between HaBaSa and the Dix Range but this was easily the longest my feet hurt after. They’d gotten damp from the rain and mud early in the day and I wish I’d taken the time to switch into fresh socks after reaching Saddleback for the hike out.
• Staying the night in the area after the hike would be a great option. After being outside hiking all day all you want to do is kick your feet up and relax. However, I am always a fan of waking up in my bed too, so I yet again made the 4.5 hour drive home to New Hampshire.
• My last piece of advice is to keep it light at the end, whether you’re hiking with yourself or a group. The trudge out lasts forever and the silence only makes it feel longer. Play a game or find new things to talk about (maybe 20 questions?) but distracting each other will help the miles go by faster and keep everyone in more positive spirits.

Thank you for reading about hiking HaBaSa! I hope you found everything you need. Any further comments or questions please don’t hesitate to comment below or reach out by email! You can read more about hikes I’ve done by clicking here.