Hiking

Goodman Mountain is located behind what locals call Lumberjack Spring and was once referred to as Litchfield Hill and on some older maps can still be found as such, while I don’t believe it was ever an official name. A new trail has been recently developed by the DEC to mimic the one developed over time by users; it now clearly accesses the summit of Goodman.

Trailhead: From the intersection of Route 3 and Route 30 in the Village of Tupper Lake locate Route 30 toward Long Lake. Follow here for just under 10-miles to Lumber Jack Spring on the left. Lumberjack Spring is not marked, but a trailhead post is located there, sign soon to follow.

This 1.7 mile, one way, hike is over easy to moderate terrain. From the parking area locate the old road at the back. This old road used to be Highway 10 between Long Lake and Tupper Lake, back in the day; the old tarmac can still be seen in many areas. Just outside of the parking area there is a kiosk and a new bridge over Cold Brook. A short distance in you will be to the right of an eskar that you will follow along the road. The road is in decent shape and a neat way to hike to this peak.

The road soon climbs steadily to a height-of-land where the new trail leaves the old road on your left. This is roughly 1-mile in from the car. Goodman’s summit is only 0.25 miles away but the trail swings around the steep slopes to avoid unnecessary erosion and making the hike much more accessible and achievable for almost anyone. Once on the trail you will enjoy a wonderful open hardwood forest, where deep greens of the leaves and ferns are the primary backdrop. The trail will swing gently around the base of the mountain and slowly ascend before it makes a sudden turn toward the peak and climb a bit steeper to the shoulder. The trail then follows the ridgeline before it finally ascends to the summit.

Outstanding views of Coney, Tupper Lake, and the Horseshoe Lake Wild Forest are there to await you.  

Elevation: 2,178 feet

Elevation Gain: 570 feet 

Family with Young Kids: 1 hour to the summit

Experienced Hiker: 30 minutes to the summit

Snowshoeing

Winter Overview and Trail Conditions:

This old road used to be Highway 10 between Long Lake and Tupper Lake; it has now been turned into a wonderful trail that leads to Goodman Mountain. The DEC during the summer of 2014 created a trail to the summit of Goodman Mountain, so don’t be surprised that it still has that “new trail” smell.

At the backside of the parking area there is a kiosk and trail register and directly after is a new bridge over Cold Brook. Proceeding up the trail a short distance in you will be immediately welcomed by a very wide trail through the forest. The beginning as mentioned is the old road, about one-lane wide; during non-snow conditions the tarmac can still be seen in areas. The steep slopes of Goodman will be to your left, set back in the woods. Soon you will begin to gently climb to a height-of-land where the trail leaves the old road on your left. This is roughly 1-mile in from the trailhead.

Goodman’s summit is only 0.25 miles away but the trail swings around the steep slopes to avoid unnecessary erosion and making the approach much more accessible and achievable for almost everyone. Once on the trail you will continue to enjoy a wonderful open hardwood forest, the snow glistens as you can see deep into the forest. The trail will swing gently around the base of the mountain and slowly ascend before it makes a sudden turn toward the peak and climb a bit steeper to the shoulder. The trail then follows the ridgeline before it finally ascends to the partially open summit.

Expect the trail to have moderate use with frequently packed trails. After a heavy snowstorm it may take a while to get packed out again. Being a new trail, it popularity will gain slowly as the word gets out about its creation.

Elevation: 2,178 feet

Ascent: 570 Feet

Distance: 1.6 miles

Trailhead: From the intersection of Route 3 and Route 30 in the Village of Tupper Lake locate Route 30 toward Long Lake. Follow here for just under 10-miles to Lumber Jack Spring on the left. Lumberjack Spring is not marked, but a trailhead post is located there, sign soon to follow.

Goodman is excellent for a beginner snowshoe trip and a perfect example for gaining winter mountain experience. Additional Important Information: There is another excellent viewing, in the other direction just below the summit off the trail. This is located a couple hundred feet along an old herdpath with blazes on the trees. Goodman Mountain on some older maps is named Litchfield Hill.