Henry's Woods

Located near Lake Placid in the Adirondack Park, Henry's Woods is a bit different in that it is privately owned and maintained by the Uihlein Foundation. The trail system is a community preserve. Being privately owned has its advantages. It's one of the few places where dogs are allowed to run off leash. That privilege comes with some rules. First, you aren't supposed to have more than three dogs per person. Second, if your dog is aggressive or poorly-mannered, keep it leashed. Finally, clean up your poop.

The Adirondacks are a part of a massive rock formation called the Canadian Shield and are some of the oldest mountains in the world, dating to about one billion years. At one point these mountains rivaled the Himalaya in height. The last Ice Age hammered these mountains, and glaciers deposited large boulders, called erratics, in unexpected places. The Bridge to Nowhere, part of this trail network, drops you off on top of one of these erratics.

During wet summers, Henry's Woods can be loaded with black flies and mosquitoes. Trail running is a good way to stay a step ahead of them. One of the most striking elements of Henry's Woods is its intoxicating fragrance of eastern hemlock and pine. It's assertive, and you'll love it. 

The trail system consists of five trails: Loop (2 miles, easy), Plateau (0.9 mile, gentle elevation but interesting to run with an amazing view), Switchback (0.25 mile, steep), Connector (0.3 mile, takes you from the trailhead to the system), and Rocky Knob (0.9 mile, aggressive, rocky, and takes you to the summit).

For a 4-mile run that gives you all the vista views, start with the Connector and go right on Loop. About 0.5 mile in, on your right, you'll see a wooden swinging bridge called Bridge to Nowhere. It's a fun mini-jaunt and takes you to the top of a large rock where you can look down on a talkative little stream.

Back on the Loop, keep going until you get to Rocky Knob. Prepare yourself for lots of uphill and switchbacks. In some sections, the trail is all rock. At these points, you're running along the top of buried erratics whose tops have been exposed. The climb up Rocky Knob rewards you with two summit views: one of Lake Placid and another of the High Peaks region. Continue down Rocky Knob until you get to the Loop and turn right. 

The Loop will eventually take you to a junction for Plateau on the left. There are two of these, skip the first and enter Plateau at the second junction. Follow it and soon you'll get treated to another view worth stopping to admire. Continue along Plateau until you get to Switchback. It's a continuous downhill of switchbacks bringing you back to the Loop. Turn right and retrace your steps for about three-quarters of a mile back to the parking lot.