View Full Version : Long Trail or Northville-Placid Trail?
Imasphere
01-10-2017, 15:21
I'm contemplating a long hike this summer and I'm hesitating between the Long Trail in Vermont and the Northville-Placid Trail in New York 'a Adirondacks. Has anyone done both and if so which did you prefer?
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They're very different, so it's really a matter of whether you want to walk in the mud mostly in the valleys alongside the river, or in the mud along the ridgetops. No preference, really just a choice. The LT is significantly more demanding physically.
Full disclosure - I've hiked all of the LT more than once, have hiked significant portions of NPT.
Hikingjim
01-10-2017, 17:15
I'm contemplating a long hike this summer and I'm hesitating between the Long Trail in Vermont and the Northville-Placid Trail in New York 'a Adirondacks. Has anyone done both and if so which did you prefer?
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These trails are very different. NPT is way easier, a lot shorter.
Long trail is very rocky and often steep in the north, has tons of elevation change. That being said, it's a fantastic trail
Maybe specify how much time you have, if you want a great challenge or a more moderate trail, and what time of year you're going
I have only done about 40% of the NPT, but chat it up with hikers to get an idea when I'm out. Lots of nice lakes on the trail and nice wilderness. It does not go through adirondack high peaks or anything like that (There's other hike for that)
I would personally rather do the LT if I had the choice. If you don't have time for the whole LT, you can do a section, based on the degree of difficulty you want (sections vary a lot in difficulty)
Another Kevin
01-10-2017, 17:34
If you like to swim, fish, watch wildlife, ... on an easy trail, NPT.
If you like to scramble rocks, get 360 degree views, sweat on a difficult trail, LT.
I like both, but I had two weeks available, so the last long hike I did was NPT. Not being in hiking fettle, I planned 8-12 mile days on NPT and was surprised to find that 12-15 was more comfortable. NPT is pretty easy. The hardest part is the remoteness.
I've done bits and pieces of the LT. Both are great trails.
i've done them both entirely. hands down the LT is everything more that more can be: way more challenging, way more beautiful, for two. The NPT trail is a great intro to the Daks, in my opinion, and mostly serves to make the hiker curious about the high peaks off in the distance. that's what it did for me -- made me want to go hike more interesting stuff... disclaimer -- now i have to go back to hike the high peaks!!!
While lazarus is correct that one can see the high peaks off in the distance, some other gems within the adirondacks are less well known, more obscure, and visited only by those willing to take the challenge. I am speaking of the remote lakes, hidden chasms, undisclosed waterfalls, and shrouded remnants of days gone by.
Kerosene
01-10-2017, 19:45
I did the LT in August 1979, but I've only hiked a few parts of the NPT. If I was healthy and in shape, with decent weather, I'd definitely tick off the LT on my bucket list. Great, great medium-distance trail.
Imasphere
01-11-2017, 08:10
LT seems a lot more interesting than the NP. I'll only have about ten days so I'll probably section hike the north part of the LT. Thanks to all for the info.
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Cookerhiker
01-11-2017, 19:35
I've done the Long Trail twice and the southern 70 miles of the NPT twice. As others have said, the trails are quite different, especially when it comes to difficulty. The LT is spectacular with the climbs and views from Glastonbury, Stratton, Killington, Abraham, Camels Hump, Mansfield, Jay Peak et. al. But the NPT in less miles, goes past more lakes and ponds, all of which make for wonderful campsites. In addition, the NPT's fall colors are at least as prolific as the LT.
For a July hike, do the LT. If you have a week in late September, do the NPT.
Cookerhiker
01-12-2017, 22:45
LT seems a lot more interesting than the NP. I'll only have about ten days so I'll probably section hike the north part of the LT. Thanks to all for the info.
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If you decide to hike the NPT, this video from my hike will give you an idea of what it's like in the fall.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d9-ngBt0PPI
What's in a name?... trail acronym? Named trails are often just segments of a larger interconnected trail system.
I've thrued the LT twice and NPT once. If you have the time to do the 273 mile LT you have the time to add a foray into the High Peaks area from Duck Hole on the NPT. That is what I did on the NPT since I found it much easier comparatively but a great water studded but somewhat muddy marshy at time stroll. It makes the NPT a more interesting hike. I did fish most of one LT thru and all of the NPT thru. Enjoyed the experience on both trails fishing. I avoided the High Peaks bear can reg by day hiking from Duck Hole to Mt Marcy, Big/little Haystacks, Gothics, Upper/Lower Wolf Jaws, etc and got a hitch into Keene Valley for resupply. Was planning to head back in to Duck Hole taking a slightly different route from Keene Valley but found someone heading to the Adirondack LOJ. Took the ride and hiked back to Duck Hole over Indian Pass.
BTW, met Cookerhiker on that NPT hike. He too was broadening his experiences with some non hiking activities - museums, float plane or canoe on Long Lake, etc with his wife. Regrettably missed the museum his wife and him took in which is something I was teetering with.
Both the LT and NPT I reserve and rec for fall hikes. As said nice lean tos/campsites on the NPT
Cookerhiker
01-13-2017, 19:00
BTW, met Cookerhiker on that NPT hike. He too was broadening his experiences with some non hiking activities - museums, float plane or canoe on Long Lake, etc with his wife. Regrettably missed the museum his wife and him took in which is something I was teetering with.
I enjoyed meeting you, Dogwood. However, I had no wife and at the time, had broken up with my then-girlfriend. ;) I did get to the Adirondack Museum!
Ok, you were with a guide, uh hem, escort service.;)
Imasphere
01-13-2017, 22:54
NPT looks nice on the video Cookerhiker sent. I have done quite a few of the High Peaks, Marcy, Haystack, Skylight, Wolfjaw , Gothic etc. I haven't done any Vermont trails though so I think I'll go with the LT, northern section. Thanks for the input.
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iAmKrzys
01-13-2017, 23:24
If you decide to hike the NPT, this video from my hike will give you an idea of what it's like in the fall.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d9-ngBt0PPI
70 miles of trail and the only animal pictures you got are of two amphibians ??? :) (Just teasing! Thanks for sharing...)
fudgefoot
01-14-2017, 08:54
Thanks for the video Cooker! Looks like you had some great weather on that trip. I'm planning on hitting the Long Trail this summer but will keep the NPT in the back of my mind for a possible future hike.
Toolshed
01-14-2017, 10:48
Have done the NPT several times and chunks of the LT. I agree about everything that's been said in the above posts.
Cookerhiker
01-14-2017, 16:41
70 miles of trail and the only animal pictures you got are of two amphibians ??? :) (Just teasing! Thanks for sharing...)
Ha, ha - that's true for the 2013 hike, the subject of the video. However I did the same hike a year later in 2014 and captured this:
37879
iAmKrzys
01-15-2017, 01:06
Ha, ha - that's true for the 2013 hike, the subject of the video. However I did the same hike a year later in 2014 and captured this:
37879
Nice. I was actually wondering about birds, as I always see them, even in winter. Since enjoy bird watching, I often take pictures of them just to be able to tell what species I saw.
Thinking of N bound through starting Wednesday.
Thom
On the NPT . Blaze orange I guess would be in order this time of year
ADK Walker
10-15-2018, 13:23
I would definitely bring blaze orange on the NPT now. I usually wear at the least a hat and sometimes a vest which I drape over my pack. Also avoid white clothing such as shirts, buffs, or ball caps. You will have a great time and the colors of the trees should be amazing in the southern section.
LT is much harder, diverse, and scenic. NPT is basically a pancake of low elev more than 1/2 as short. If you dont plan on adding in the AD High Peaks the NPT is a cake walk with plenty of water but not so much else. The NPT does have some solitude though. although everyone has different priorities of what makess something better IMHO the better hike is the LT...hands down.
capt. photon
07-15-2019, 22:30
The LT is a mountain trail, NP is a valley trail; very different from each other. LT is overly maintained, NP, not so much. And looks can be deceiving. The NP is a tough little runt. It climbs one ridge to a height of 3,000' and that's the worst of it. However, it battles you with mud, rocks and roots and all of this is slippery and makes for slow going when wet.
There are only four road crossings on the NP and you will have to walk 2-3 miles into Long Lake and Blue Mt. Lake Villages to re-supply at the PO. The trail goes right past the PO in Piseco. The store is closed in Piseco and the nearest town is Speculator which is about 10 miles away. The are two long sections of 35+ miles between road crossings. Cell coverage is spotty.
The mud in the NP gets deeper than on the LT, in some places you may end up fighting it to pull your boots out. On the LT, mud is mostly just sloppy.
I've done the NP once, and the LT a handful of times, so obviously I have a favorite. However the remoteness Capt. photon mentions, the great chances to swim in lakes, and the more frequent wildlife sightings are all in the plus column for the NP. Miles also come much easier on the NP, if I was in shape to average 15 mile days on the LT, I'd be doing 20s on the NP.