mount jo

Great entry level hike for our family. Spectacular view at the top. Pack lots of water and snacks, and your camera!

Mt Joe was a hike our whole family enjoyed. very rewarding at the top with great views of the surrounding areas and the town of Lake Placid. We have a wide range of ages in our family but was doable by all.

I have never hiked before. All I knew were the pictures of that amazing view at the top. $10 for the parking. 2 miles round trip hike. It has the short trail which is steeper than the long one. If u don't mind putting the effort in it, I would suggest going up the short trail and coming down the long trail. Otherwise just do the long trail for both. I would not recommend the short trail on the way down, it is too steep especially with the snow and the ice.The view at the top is mind blowing. It is LITERALLY quiet ! And definitely peaceful. No picture will ever bring you the same feeling as actually being up there.For a first hike, this is was definitely worth it and amazing!

This requires you like climbing on natural trails. Fun, but dress accordingly. $7 to park. You can explore flat trails too in this area.

I'm not a big hiker but my fiance, our pug and I decided to check out Mount Jo while we were in Lake Placid for the weekend. We saw that it was one of the best attractions here, and despite never really hiking, we decided to give it a shot. It was a lot harder than we expected (we took the long route up and the short route down), but it was a lot of fun. It was challenging, our pug was somehow able to do it despite weighing 20 pounds. The view was well worth the hike. Unbelievable views from the Adirondacks. Well recommended!

Great way to spend the day hiking. Trail head is easily accessible. View from the top is beautiful. Doesn't require any technical climbing skills.

We walked up the mountain using the short trail. You really need to be in shape because it is like climbing rock stairs for about a mile. The view on the top was stunning and worth the hike up. We came down the long trail and it was much easier with less climbing. We took the rock garden trail off of the long trail and followed the lake back to the beginning. There was a $10 parking fee. There is a building with a small store and restrooms.

Many label this hike as easy, but it does have it's challenges. If you go the short route, be prepared to be climbing over boulders in a pretty steep ascent. I would recommend trekking poles for the decent, as it is quite steep. You need about 3 hours round trip and parking costs $10.

Well, I have done my share of hiking in my time (Eagle Scout here), but my goodness this was a rocky trail. You can take the short cut (you walk directly up the side of the mountain), or you can take the longer trail (.2 miles extra) and do a couple of cutbacks. All in all, I am glad I did it, but did I mention it was a rocky trail. At the top you have a nice view of Heart Lake and the stunning landscape. It was just as the leaves were changing so it was expecially beautiful. Oh, there is a very mischevious chipmunk that likes to explore backpacks for goodies. Beware and enjoy!

A smaller mountain that opens up to stunning views of the High Peaks. The short trail is challenging if you have any physical issues. Filled with rocks to climb over. The long trail is not as demanding a hike.

The Mt. Jo hike itself is about 2.5 to 3 miles roundtrip. Add another 2 to 2.5 miles if you have to park back by Meadow Drive (Lane?) and walk up the road to the trailhead. Walking along the road is generally flat so it won't exhaust you for the trail hike. Parking right by the trailhead (on the grounds of the Adirondack Loj) costs $10 per car and it fills up fast. There's a small camp store on the grounds which you can walk to free of charge. But, better not to assume they will have water and snacks for your hike. They get very picked over and may not have what you want or need.The fact that the parking lot is full and that there are cars parked all along the road is no indication that your hike is going to be with hundreds of other people. There are a variety of different hikes that are launched from this area, some overnight, so do not despair if it looks crowded. The hike itself is pretty strenuous. I'm not sure why it has such a great reputation for families and kids. The last 1/3 is a pretty serious climb on the long route. I can only imagine how steep it was on the short route. When we got up top about 11am there were maybe 10-15 people on the summit. It's a very large area so you are not all crowded together. The vista from up there is stunning and it is well worth the hike.

If you want to go to Mount Jo be sure not to go on a fall weekend. We thought we would arrive early enough to beat the crowds Saturday morning but were sorely wrong. Hoards were pouring into the area like ants on a hill. All parking was full and rangers were giving tickets to those who parked on the side of the road. We left without braving the crowds as there was nowhere to park.

This is a great hike that is a good challenge and you feel like you've accomplished something and rewards you with lovely views of the High Peaks and Heart Lake. Options to add on to an around the lake hike or to take the short way / long way up or down Mt. Jo. (tip... shorter is also steeper!) There are rocks and roots aplenty so wear decent footwear and take your time to soak up the views at the top.

this trail is short but it's uneasy because is a rocky trail. In other way, it's a half day hike and the view is wonderful!. Down the hill there is a lake were with a small beach and a canoe location.

Great hike. There are some rocky sections so they are can be slippery, especially in the spring. Very nice, well maintained trails. There are two trails, so you can go up one way and down the other. We saw a lot of children and dogs. The views from the top are spectacular.Access from the ADK Loj parking lot. There are bathrooms and a store at the parking lot. There is a fee for the parking.