Seward Range Hike: Seymour, Seward, Donaldson, and Emmons
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The Seward Range in the Adirondack High Peaks Wilderness of New York consists of Seymour Mountain, Seward Mountain, Donaldson Mountain, and Mount Emmons. Completing this range in a day is a long, difficult hike coming in at around 21 miles and 6,000 or so feet of elevation gain. Additionally, most of the trails you’ll be hiking are unofficial and unmarked paths through the woods.
Though not quite as long, the Santanoni Range is another Adirondack hike that hits a trio of mountains and largely consists of herd paths.
This hike was a killer for me- my longest mileage in a day for sure just passing the Dix Range! Luckily, the Seward Range is a loop as opposed to an out and back which makes the day feel shorter. The trio of Seward, Donaldson, and Emmons are commonly hiked together while Seymour Mountain is an optional out and back you can add on.
There are lean-tos to break up the hike and a river providing accessible places to filter water on the northern side of the loop. As I will discuss, these are in the perfect spot to potentially split your hike into two day hikes. However, I kind of just had to send it the day I hiked the Seward Range and as other hikers can attest, completing all four mountains is no joke!
Another ADK high peak trio where it may be beneficial to split up your hike consists of Haystack, Basin, and Saddleback. This is another long, hard hike, but you could look into John’s Brook Lodge for a night!
Keep reading this post about the Seward Range to learn what this challenging hike entails:
- Rankings
- Parking and Trailhead
- Hiking Options
- Multiple Day Hikes
- Overnight Camping
- Long Day Hike
- Beginning the Seward Range
- Seymour Out and Back
- Rest and Prep to Finish the Trio
- Seward, Donaldson, and Emmons Loop
- Trek Out
- Fuel and Recovery
Rankings of the Seward Range
The four mountains in the Seward Range are the furthest west high peaks of the Adirondack 46. The rankings and elevation of the four mountains are:
Seward Mountain: 24th, 4,361ft
Donaldson Mountain: 33rd, 4,140ft
Seymour Mountain: 34th, 4,120ft
Mount Emmons: 40th, 4,040ft
While they all fall on the second half of the list in terms of elevation rankings, don’t be fooled! There is some crazy elevation gain up Seymour and a long trek needed to complete the remaining three no matter how you break it down.
Parking and Trailhead for the Seward Range
Getting to the trailhead for the Seward Range feels very isolated, even compared to other high peak trailheads. The range sits in a remote area south of Saranac Lake near Coreys, NY.
Click this link for other posts I’ve written about New York.
To get to the trail from Tupper Lake, NY, head down Tupper Lake Highway (Route 3) and turn south onto Coreys Road. Continue on Coreys Road until it ends and immediately becomes Ampersand Road. After about 3 miles or so down Ampersand Road you will see a lot for the Seward Trailhead on your right.
To read more about reaching this trailhead and logistics of the hike itself, check out the Tupper Lake website.
Ampersand Road is a dirt road wooded on both sides. It is an eerie drive in the dark! There are some small primitive campsites along Ampersand Road that hikers may use to camp overnight at and there is ample space in the trailhead lot itself.
The Seward Range is one of the less popular hikes so unless you are hiking during peak season/time of day, I would not expect this lot to be packed. I was able to get in around 10pm and park overnight on a Thursday night in July with no worries about the lot filling up.
Please note Ampersand Road is closed to cars in the winter! The range itself is extremely difficult in winter as the trails are unmarked so be wary as you are making your plans.
Whether you are driving to the trailhead that morning or park along Ampersand Road overnight, be sure to sign in at the trailhead before heading off for the day!
Hiking Options to Complete the Seward Range
To hike Seward, Donaldson, Emmons, and Seymour, you can choose to hike multiple day hikes or complete the Seward Range as a loop. As I’ve stated, the majority of the trails are unmarked (known as herd paths) so you won’t see all of them labeled on a standard map such as the High Peaks Region map by National Geographic. However, the beginning of the trail is marked on this map as are the distances to the lean-tos.
Option 1- Hiking the Seward Range over Multiple Day Hikes
Since completing all 4 peaks in one day can be daunting, many hikers opt to complete the Seward Range as two separate day hikes. One day you can hike Seymour out-and-back. The next time you visit, tackle Seward, Donaldson, and Emmons as a trio in a loop.
The trail to hike Seymour out-and-back is almost 14 miles total with around 2,800 ft of elevation gain according to AllTrails. I know AllTrails isn’t the most reliable but since these are herd paths and I did not complete Seymour individually, this is my best estimate I can share.
If you wish to hike Seward, Donaldson, and Emmons excluding Seymour, AllTrails suggests the hike is around 16 miles and 4,000ft of elevation gain.
Option 2- Camp Overnight for the most Flexible Hiking of the Seward Range
You will see on the High Peaks map, that there are multiple lean-to’s on the northeastern side of the Seward Range. These lean-to’s and campsites provide a great option for hikers looking to accomplish all 4 peaks in a weekend but not necessarily on the same day.
The first day can be fairly quick with a hike into one of the lean-to’s where you can drop off your sleeping arrangements and bear can. (I have a BareBoxer can that I love- it was the lightest and smallest I could find.) From here, you can summit Seymour with just a day pack and relax at the campsite that afternoon and evening. You can leave the campsite bright and early to hit Seward, Donaldson, and Emmons the next day.
I prefer loops, so I would want to take my pack and hike out towards the parking lot after hitting Emmons. However, you could easily take a day pack again, snag all three peaks, and come back to the lean-to in the same day. From there you could stay another night or pack out and head back to the lot.
Finally, of course you can always complete this option in the reverse. You can start with a full pack hike up Emmons, over to Donaldson, and cross Seward before finding a campsite and resting for the night. Then on your second day you can hike up to Seymour and camp another night or hike out to your car. Figure out what works best for you!
Option 3- Finishing the Seward Range in One Long Day Hike (what my post focuses on!)
The final option to complete the Seward Range is to hike all 4 mountains in the same day and make a long day hike out of it. This is the hike I completed which drives some of my information later in this post. I started very early (~2:30am) and snagged Seymour’s summit (~6:30am) before meeting my friend at the intersection to Seward where we hiked three more mountains before completing the loop back at our cars.
As with any loop the reverse of this could be completed as well. You may choose to leave Seymour for last if you are unsure you will want to hike all 4 in a day. That way you leave yourself the option to camp or hike out and come back a different day to hike Seymour.
To complete all 4 peaks (note I did the range clockwise) is around 21 miles and 6,000ft elevation gain according to my Seward Range AllTrails recording.
Beginning the Seward Range: Marked Trails to the Lean-Tos
Leaving the Seward Range Trailhead, you will hike half a mile on the Blueberry Trail until you reach your first intersection. Keeping to the left, you will hike another 0.7 miles until you see a cut-off to the right. Again, stay to the left (that is, stay straight) to keep on the Blueberry Trail.
If you take the right turn at either of these intersections you could end up on the horse trail or you can choose to hike the range counterclockwise.
The beginning of the Blueberry Trail is very easy to maneuver. There might be a little overgrowth on the path but it was easy to follow with little to no incline. A few areas were open enough where I could actually look around with my headlamp.
There are small, simple stream crossings and the path is largely clear of roots. A pretty nice dirt trail overall. My biggest frustration was the spiderwebs to the face in the dark!
For the next 3.5 miles after that second intersection, you can get a quick start to your day and warm up the legs. The trail continues to have minimal incline, some of it is even on a gravel road. I recommend making sure your water is filled up along this route!
At this point you will have reached the Blueberry Lean-To and soon after it the trail leads right, becoming Ward Brook Trail. Below are some significant distances from where you start on the Ward Brook Trail:
-0.4 miles there is a right turn to head towards Seward Mountain
-0.7 miles you should come across Ward Brook Lean-To
-1.0 mile is the cutoff to the right to begin the Seymour Trail
The lean-to’s are of course great options if you are considering camping and breaking up the hike.
Personal journey
My friend who I was hiking the Seward Range with had already hiked Seymour but I needed to knock it out today. That’s why I started the hike at 2:30am or so. We’d made a plan to meet back at that intersection to Seward Mountain in a 30 minute window from 8:00-8:30.
If the other didn’t show up by 8:30 the partner could continue on their hike. I left her a note when I was passing this intersection on my way to Seymour to let her know what time I came through. With no cell service at the trailhead or on the trail we had no way to know if the other made it and was able to start their hike that day.
Steep Climb up Seymour to Start the Seward Range
If you get a glimpse of the planned elevation gain while hiking Seymour Mountain, then you know the hike is steep. After leaving Ward Brook Trail, the climb to Seymour Mountain’s summit is around 1.5 miles. In this climb you will gain about 2,000ft of elevation.
This hike is physically and mentally demanding. Heading up in the dark, the trail was narrow and there were steep rock steps to navigate. I could see the sky above starting to lighten, but the dense trees kept the trail very dim which made me grateful for my Black Diamond headlamp.
Be Careful on the Trail!
Since Seymour Mountain’s trail is a herd path, the trees are not marked with paint or trail markers. However, due to the popularity of the Adirondacks High Peaks Region, none of the herd paths for any of the 46 are too difficult to follow. Certainly if you are breaking trail in the winter or hiking in early spring you will want to take extra precautions, but generally the trail is easy to follow up the mountain.
There are a lot of roots and rocks while climbing Seymour Mountain. Some places it is useful (or even necessary) to use your hands to steady yourself or help pull yourself up. You will be climbing over branches, stepping around trees, and finding your footing on slick rocks.
On this trail I found it especially important to have my headlamp! The trail up Seymour can be pretty damp and you do not want to misstep on a wet root or rock. Further, if you are hiking all 4 peaks in a day there is a very good chance you are starting your hike in the dark and need the assistance of the headlamp as you begin your climb for the day.
Beautiful Morning Views
2,000 feet in 1.5 miles is no joke so ensure you have the water and fuel for the climb. You will be rewarded with some nice views at the top though the summit is quite small. At almost 7.5 miles into your hike you can reward yourself for reaching your first peak!
This was the first (and maybe only?) of the 46 I caught the tail end of sunrise at the top for. When the sun peeked through the clouds the views were beautiful! Definitely worth the climb and I was happy to enjoy a snack solo at the summit at around 6:30 in the morning.
To descend Seymour Mountain and get back to the Seward intersection, you have to hike around 2.3 miles. I say Seymour is mentally challenging because I truly feel like you have to think about each step as you descend. It is not simply walking down the trail but you have to use your hands to lower yourself down rocks, climb over trunks, and keep an eye on your feet. Of course with the sun out while I was descending it was less nerve-wracking than the ascent in the dark.
Personal journey
I had to move way more quickly than I normally would down this mountain. The ascent took much longer than anticipated and I didn’t want to miss the cut-off time to meet my friend. I knew I had to pick up the pace if I was going to meet her.
Resting at the Intersection to Seward Mountain
Luckily you do eventually reach the Ward Brook Trail again which feels blissfully wide open and simple to walk on. I was actually intermittently jogging down this trail because it was a slightly declined gravel road back to the intersection I needed.
Personal journey
I was jogging of course to make it back to meet my friend. It was quite funny because people coming up the trail asked “Are you Sara?” because I’d signed my note for my friend. When I said yes they would tell me “Oh your friend is waiting for you!” and was like ahhh I have to get there because she doesn’t know I’m on my way!
Long story short, I did meet up with my friend haha. Granted I was already tired at that point so we paused to fill up water, eat a snack, and give me a brief rest. This intersection has a lot of space around it and plenty of water to fill up on so it is a good resting spot!
Completing the Seward Range Loop
To continue to Seward Mountain, you have just over 2 miles of decent climbing. This ascent is only slightly more gradual than going up Seymour. To reach this peak the elevation gain is around 2,300ft.
Luckily that is the most intense climb you will have for the rest of the day! Completing the rest of the Seward Range is fairly easy in comparison.
0.75 miles past the summit of Seward you will reach a junction where you can continue walking straight or take a trail to your right. To complete the Seward Range and hit Donaldson and Emmons, keep going straight. You will return to this junction and turn left after passing Donaldson again to walk back to the parking lot.
Donaldson and Emmons
Donaldson Mountain is only 0.1 miles past this trail turn off. The actual summit is just off the trail to your left so be sure to climb up the rock and enjoy the views! On a clear day you can see beautiful mountain tops for miles.
Since the Seward Range is so remote and the trails aren’t maintained, this hike is also notorious for the amount of mud on it. Our feet got so damp while hiking this day and even with fresh Darn Tough Socks (the best hiking socks!) there wasn’t much we could do. If you like wearing gaiters I’d recommend bringing a pair on this hike.
After Donaldson, Mount Emmons is only one mile away! While generally flat, there is a slight descent and ascent since the peak does have to stand alone being that it is so close to Donaldson. Mount Emmons is a wooded summit so it is not the most exciting, but there are views on the way there and it checks another peak off your list of 46.
With a quick 1.1 miles back to the intersection, you can turn left and make the trek back to the car. The descent is not technically challenging though it certainly will feel long!
Trail stats
Mileage: 21mi
Elevation Gain: ~6,047ft
Date Hiked: July 23, 2021
Moving Time: 14h 10min
Parking:
Ampersand Rd end
or
44.19168, -74.26350
Trek Out from the Seward Range
As you pass by Donaldson again and start walking back to the trailhead, remember each step gets you closer to your car! You will take the Calkins Brook Trail down for just over 2.5 miles before seeing a horse trail connect with it. Stay to the right and walk for another almost 2 miles before veering left to hook up with the Blueberry Trail and excitedly find your car in the parking lot.
As I said, the hike out of the Seward Range isn’t difficult, but the trailhead is still 6 miles from the junction near Donaldson. All to say it is a long trail to finish the day. Nearing the end of long hikes is when you really start to feel drained too.
Your brain isn’t thinking about the next peak or climb anymore but is pushing you to finish the descent or just make it through the long road out. At least that’s how it is for me! I tend to struggle more going down mountains and at the end of the day.
Fuel and Recovery for the Seward Range
It is so important to fuel during your hike for precisely these moments. I’ve been getting better in this area myself. I know I can’t just expect to eat some carbs at the end and rely on a sugar rush to get me out. It’s too late at that point.
You need to be eating and drinking throughout the duration of your long hike to keep energy levels up at the end. More water than you think is always beneficial! When you have the opportunity to fill up on water, take a few minutes to drink your current supply and replenish.
I’ve been using a Sawyer Mini water filtration system for my long hikes so far. This product is so easy to use and I love how light it is in my pack. It also barely takes up any space.
My favorite snacks for fuel lately are:
–Honeystingers (salted caramel is my personal favorite)
–Twizzlers Bites (really any pure sugar source, buuut these are my favorite)
–Cheez-Its (white cheddar for the win)
–Verb Bars (I’ve tried most of their flavors and I always have these in my house!)
I love having something salty and sweet and making sure I have something really filling if I need it (i.e. the Clif bars). And I always bring a sandwich (usually PB&J) to have mid-hike. Thinking ahead to post-hike as well, I always have extra water ready in the car and a snack or two left.
Something like Nuun tablets are helpful to have during a hike or for right after as well. These tablets dissolve in water and the brand has a great variety of products for electrolytes, immunity, energy, and caffeine. Tons of flavors to try too!
Also, a Stewart’s milkshake never hurts haha (if you haven’t tried one you must!). I 100% stopped at Stewart’s with my friend after we hiked the Seward Range to get some pizza and a shake before driving the 5 hours all the way back home to New Hampshire. Leaving the area around 7pm, I did finally roll into my driveway around 2am making for almost a full 24 hour adventure.
The Seward Range is a long but rewarding hike! Whether you choose to complete the range as a long day hike, multiple hikes, or break it up with a day or two of camping, you will be so happy to finish all 4 mountains. Being so far west and almost completely herd paths, the Seward Range has a unique remote feeling compared to many of the other 46 high peak hikes. Make sure you fuel your body, plan ahead, and enjoy the journey.
Thank you for reading my recap of hiking the Seward Range! Please let me know if you have any questions or comments that I may be able to help with!