Bog River Trail: A Quiet Alternative To Coney Mountain

If you drive Route 30, between Long Lake and Tupper Lake you know where the Coney Mountain trailhead is located. On many summer days the small parking area fills up and cars will be parked along the road. If it is a weekend, and the weather is nice, there may be dozens of cars. The trail covers just over one mile, and the views from the top are impressive, making Coney Mountain one of the most popular hikes in the Tupper Lake area. What you won't typically find on Coney Mountain is solitude.

A rare moment of solitude on Coney Mountain. All it took was a 7:00 AM start, and a steady rain. Even in the rain the view from Coney is impressive, with open vistas all the way round. This view is looking southeast towards Long Lake. What appears to be a single range of peaks (in the center of the photo) is actually Rock Pond Mountain (left) on the near side of Long Lake and Kempshall Mountain on the far (east) side of the Lake. On a clear day the high peaks are visible in the distance.

A second trailhead, for Goodman Mountain, is located just a mile closer to Tupper Lake. Like Coney Mountain, the hike up Goodman is relatively easy and there are good views from the top. This too is a very popular hike. I previously wrote about the Goodman Mountain trail here.

From Goodman Mountain, with Coney Mountain in the foreground and Blue Mountain in the distance. This was in April of 2016, before the leaf-out.

But, a third hiking option is available nearby, and this trail is very different. This is the unmarked trail leading through the forest west of Route 30 to the confluence of Round Lake Stream and the Bog River. This alternative offers a quiet walk, through an attractive forest, to a nice picnicking spot along the river. This trail best is best enjoyed with a naturalists' eye.

Cardinal Flowers (Lobelia cardinalis) are numerous along the banks of the Bog River. These late summer bloomers are unmistakable, few wildflowers produce coloration of this intensity.

The Bog River trail is short (1.1 miles), and mostly level, but in some ways it is a more challenging endeavor than the heavily traveled mountain trails nearby. For starters, you'll need to poke around a bit to find the unmarked trailhead (scroll to the end for directions). And, while the route is easy to follow, this trail is not as well marked and maintained as its' neighbors. Finally, once the river comes into view you'll need to keep an eye out for a good place to sit and enjoy the solitude. The trail runs parallel to the river for a ways, but it stays above it where it is drier.

The Bog River just below the confluence with Round Lake Stream. 

One good spot for a picnic is located about a mile from the trailhead. Watch for an open area next to the river, where rocks jut out into the water. It's possible to scramble down the slope to the river's edge at any point, but the terrain is rough, so it's worth watching for this opening and locating the faint trail that leads down to it. The opening is about 100 yards downstream from the confluence, where a short side trail leads to the water's edge. If you reach that side trail, you have passed the picnicking spot. Past the confluence the trail continues for an additional two miles to Round Lake. If you plan to go further, expect the trail to get rougher and harder to follow. In summary, from the unmarked trailhead to the river's edge, you'll need to pay attention to your surroundings, and be willing to poke around a bit if the route is unclear.

Other than the river itself, there are no views along this trail, and this might not be a great choice in spring or early summer (unless you bring your bug spray). But, later in the year, and given some time to slow down and look around, this hike offers a totally different experience. One that can be enjoyed for its' own merits.

Looking downstream, towards Tupper Lake, less than two miles away.

This stretch of the river is popular with canoeists who put in at Bog River Falls, just above Tupper Lake. The first couple of miles can be easily paddled up-stream. Above the confluence, rapids and beaver dams make further progress much more difficult. 

Trailhead Directions: From the junction of Rte. 30 and Rte 421, about five miles south of Tupper Lake, look for a grown-in gravel pull-off below the road level about halfway between the road junction and the Goodman Mountain Parking area. The pullout is on the west side of the road. There is room for several cars, but this is obscured by weeds. The trail leaves the right side of the parking (with route 30 at your back) and the path is obscured by weeds for the first 50 yards. Push through the weeds and, as you enter the forest, the trail becomes clear. A short distance in, a ski trail comes in on the right. Stay left at this junction.