Sunny 46

I will say that parking is a bit weird. If you're coming from the Northway heading West, there are signs to Panther Mountain on Theriot Ave at the junction with Starbuck Hill Rd. However, the trailhead parking has been blocked off and we had  to park on the road. Luckily, my buddy noticed I'd parked next to a fire hydrant which I'd missed somehow. If you're coming to this hike, I recommend coming at it from the West.

The first half of the hike is an easy, mostly flat walk in the woods. There are loads of little, private trails crisscrossing the main trail which could be confusing if those responsible hadn't done an excellent job marking the correct route with markers and blazes.

The kids had an easy time navigating the trail ahead of the parents and the dogs. As usual, Sunny and Asuka got along great.

Quinn has gotten pretty great at messing with me. Several times he would turn the wrong way and look back at me, grinning, "Daaaad this way!"

The last third or so of the hike is the fun part. It is a bit rockier and steeper as it wanders and meanders up the hill. It was super muggy and getting hot and I was glad we brought a bunch of extra water for the kids and dogs despite the hike's brevity.

As promised, the view was a really great payoff for very little work. The kids loved it. The mountain provides an expansive view of not only the local peaks but Crane Mt. in the West and Gore Mt. in the North. The dogs took advantage of the shade, drank some water, and took some bacon snacks. The humans snacked and lounged as well.

We had a great time hiking back down to the car. The fact that we were hiking downhill made the heat and humidity bearable...

...as did the swim in the Schroon River when we got back to the campground. I think this is an amazing hike for families, dogs, and young people. I highly recommend it.