Poke-O-Moonshine Hiking & Photography Guide
Click the map to view an interactive version or download a PDF.
Highlights: Spectacular views of the High Peaks to the south, Whiteface Mountain to the west, and Lake Champlain and the Green Mountains to the east.
Round-Trip Distance: 3.5 miles
Ascent: 1,380 feet
Difficulty: Moderate
Directions: Google Maps
Important Notes: A longer (4.8-mile round-trip) but more gradual trail is accessible from a trailhead one mile south on Route 9.
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Hiking Guide
Poke-O-Moonshine is a challenging but short hike located in the eastern Adirondacks south of Plattsburgh and Keeseville. The mountain is best known for its fire tower and fantastic views. There are two trails up the mountain, the steeper and more direct Ranger's Trail and the more gradual Observer's Trail. If you are in good physical shape and are looking to get to the summit quickly to catch the perfect light, the Ranger's Trail is a good option. Be warned, the trail is very steep, and you're legs and lungs will likely be burning by the time you get to the summit.
The trailhead for the Ranger's Trail is at the old NYS DEC Poke-O-Moonshine campground. The trail follows the same route as the old telephone line to the observer's cabin and fire tower. Many trails to fire towers in the Adirondacks are steep direct routes that follow the old phone lines. The steep paths are partly because the fire tower observers had to frequently walk the line to ensure it was in good working order and make repairs. In some cases, a less direct jeep trail went to their observer cabin, which is the case on Poke-O-Moonshine. The Observer's Trail is the old jeep road and meets up with the Ranger Trail just below the summit at the old observer's cabin site.
Poke-O-Moonshine is known for its large rock faces, which are an attraction for rock and ice climbers. The cliffs are also a nesting area for the peregrine falcon, which can be seen flying in the vicinity of the summit area. The Ranger's Trail ascends the mountain on the same side as the prominent cliffs, though you won't be doing any rock climbing along the trail. There are several lookouts along the trail that are enjoyable spots to catch your breath or grab a drink of water. As you ascend, you'll look down at Interstate 87 several hundred feet below you.
Once you are about one-half to two-thirds of the way to the summit, the grade drops off as you approach the old observer's cabin site. Once at the cabin, the trail deviates from the original telephone route, which takes an extremely steep straight-line approach to the summit. The trail ascends steeply to the summit plateau and winds its way over to the summit proper.
The views from Poke-O-Moonshine are spectacular; the High Peaks dominate the skyline to the south, Whiteface stands boldly to the west, and Lake Champlain and the Green Mountains are visible to the east. There are no views to the north from the summit itself, but if you climb the fire tower, you will get 360-degree panoramic views.
As with any hike or outing, plan ahead & prepare, and carry all of the essential gear to keep yourself safe while out in the woods. You'll find the local weather forecast below for convenient trip planning. Interactive and downloadable/printable PDFs maps are available above, or you can get a National Geographic map of the area. If you are interested in hiking the fire towers, I recommend Views from On High: Fire Tower Trails in the Adirondacks and Catskills as a great guidebook.
Photography Guide
Poke-O-Moonshine has a plethora of options and opportunities for landscape photography. The views from the summit are very diverse, ranging from the low expanse of Lake Champlain and its valley to the dramatic High Peaks. The hike to the summit is short but strenuous. It can be a relatively quick hike up and down for those in good hiking shape, giving more options for planning time on the summit during sunset/sunrise or golden hour. I will note, though, that the Ranger's Trail is steep and if you plan on ascending/descending in the dark, make sure you aren't rushing so that you don't get hurt.
Any time of year is good for photographing from the summit of Poke-O-Moonshine. Though, if you are looking to capture sunset or sunrise photos, and you want the sun in the frame, you'll want to plan a late-fall through early-spring trip. During the summer months the sun is located too far to the north during sunrise and sunset to see from the summit.
I recommend bringing both a wide and telephoto lens, no matter the time of day or year you visit. Wide-angle shots are great for capturing the summit area, Lake Champlain, and High Peaks. Many of the interesting landscape features are far away, which lends itself to more intimate landscape photographs taken with a telephoto lens.
A telephoto lens will also come in handy for photographing birds and other wildlife. If you arrive on the summit early in the morning and stay out of plain sight, you might be able to capture peregrine falcons hunting over the forest below. I had the opportunity to work on the summit of Poke-O-Moonshine for two summers while in college and would frequently see the peregrine falcons during the early morning hours before hikers arrived.
