Kane Mountain Fire Tower

Kane Mountain is located next to Canada Lake, which is just north of Caroga Lake on NY 10. I hiked up there one evening, after spending the day hiking in the South-Central Adirondacks. It is a wonderful, quick hike, perfect after a long day of hiking or outdoor activities as one heads back to the Mohawk Valley or Albany as the case may be.

Firetower After Dark

The trail up Kane takes you up about 500 feet in elevation over a 1/2 mile. It’s an old woods road, and well traveled, so don’t worry about hiking after dark if you have a flash light or even just moonlight.

Trail Up Kane Mountain

Reaching the top of the mountain you reach the Firetower and an old Forest Ranger’s cabin, which sadly has been broken into and vandelized. It still was interesting to walk in and take a look at the cabin, including the tiny little woodstove that once was there. The bunks and other furniture where long gone from it.

Ranger's Cabin on Kane

Remind me again why people have to be such pigs?

Inside Kane Mountain Ranger's Cabin

The Fire Tower has some really interesting views out of it, and it is an interesting place to watch the sun set from in the evening. Here is looking from the windows of the observer station, which have the glass removed.

East Through Tower Window

Looking due South, you can see Canada Lake, Sheely Mountain, and the Mohawk Valley to the South. Once you get South of Sheely Mountain, the area around Caroga Lake is relatively flat until you get to the other side of the Mohawk Valley, with the ridges Schoharie High Lands.

Sheely Mountain

The light flickers over West Lake, which is connected to Canada Lake.

West Lake

Looking at the Southern Adirondacks, heading North along the NY 10 Coridoor. Until recently visiting this portion of the Adirondacks, I always generally viewed these lands as relatively flat, but instead as this picture shows, actually is fairly rugged, with peaks in the 2,000-2,500 elevation range, which is about 500-1,000 above the valleys below. Not flat exactly.

Mountains

Watching the setting sun from the Fire Tower.

Setting Sun

Through the tower windows in the cab as the sun sets.

Gorge

Due to the clouds, it wasn’t a perfect sun set, but just before the sun disappeared into the clouds, here is what I saw.

Good Night from the Tower

After sunset, looking at the fire tower by the last light of the day.

Firetower After Dark

Hiking back there was a full moon.

Moonlight Descending the Mountain

Here is a map of the hike.


View Kane Mountain Firetower in a larger map