Mount Independence which is also known as Fort Independence is a wonderful hiking opportunity as well as a pleasant walk for those less eager to tackle the 400 feet of descent and re-ascent to the shore of the lake.
There are some easy trails with great historic signage and a couple of true day-hiking 3-mile long trails. There are also great views of the New York side of Lake Champlain and Fort Ticonderoga.
The top of the mount is where the traditional star-shaped fort, hospital, and some of the living quarters were located. This area is all very accessible by almost completely flat walking after rising about 50 feet, gently, from the back of the museum. It is a well-maintained crushed slate and can be walked in sandals…
Don’t miss the 0.25-mile spur out to the cannon emplacement which has a dramatic view across the lake of Fort Ticonderoga and Mount Defiance as well as a great vantage point to visualize the bridge which once existed across the lake.
We also really enjoyed visualizing the hospital from the well-preserved foundation and reading the historic descriptions of the various points of interest. It is very well done.
The other trails all take you down the mount to the lakeshore and back up. It is a fascinating “easy” hike by hiking standards but it is no longer a crushed slate walkway.
It’s a typical “Long Trail” style path but with the addition of marked points along the way where vistas or artifacts of the fort remain.
One of the best spots is at the end (aren’t they usually?) where the bridge connected across the lake and you can now look “up” and across to Fort Ticonderoga and visualize the way it may have been back in 1776 – 1777.
There are a monument and a very pleasant picnicking area just up from that spot about 100 yards where the first cannon emplacements were once located.
Our “hike” which included the full circle of the walking tour on the top last about 2 ½ hours and was broken up with many minutes of enjoying locations and reading about the object or site that we were viewing.
I would recommend this hike/walk for families since there is so many times that the “next thing” is just a few minutes away and should keep the kids very interested for the 2 – 3 hours.
Also, anyone capable of rising the 50 feet to the circular path on top should not be intimidated by that walk (maybe 45 mins at a leisurely pace) as it is essentially “flat as a pancake” up there.
You are truly hiking into history. Enjoy!
Make sure to check all the posters, that tell the story of Mount Independence, along the paths.
The official website of the Mount Independence State Historic Site.