Perhaps no better "bang for your buck" mountain in the Tupper Lake area! Panther Mountain is a short, but steep, hike leading to fabulous views of distant mountains and Panther Pond below.

How to get there

From the intersection of Route 3 and Route 30 in Tupper Lake follow Route 3/30 toward Saranac Lake Lake. Continue to where the two routes split and continue on Route 3 toward Saranac Lake. Drive for an additional 1.6 miles to the trailhead on the left. Parking will be on the right next to Panther Pond. The trailhead is across the road.

By the numbers

• Distance: 0.6 miles, one way
• Elevation gain: 780 feet
• Mountain elevation: 2,236 feet

Hiking

Crossing the road from the parking lot, the trail starts climbing right away with tall pines towering over you. The trail then swings west to reduce the grade a bit and then back to the east to gain a small ridge that brings you to the partially open summit. From the summit area the Seward Range can be seen to the south, and Panther Pond below.