Hiking Suggestions within 2 hrs of Albany during Hunting Season

I'm wondering where it's best to do a 1/2 day or full day hike during hunting season on the weekend within 90-120 minute drive from Albany. I'm wondering if Fire Tower road/trail hikes are better or worse to do during the Hunting Season.

I'll be wearing orange.

Any suggestions?

I was thinking Fire Tower road/trails as you're going to be more visible and less hidden on a wide trail (as wide as a road), so the orange would be more pronounced.

Just curious if any such 1/2 day or full day hikes are avoided by hunters due to being whatever.

This particular Sunday a friend who only has the afternoon to enjoy wants to hike with me, so it's going to be a half day hike then (if it doesn't rain, chances are about 30% it will rain).

Thanks

Roleigh

As long as you're wearing Orange, you should be ok on any trail. The vast majority of hunters really aren't the "shoot at anything that moves" type. I've been mistaken for game in the wild myself, and the hunter was smart enough to wait until he saw me, and never had his gun up and pointed at me. (He did look really disappointed when he saw me though- I was huffing and puffing, moving about 3 miles an hour, and I think he thought he was about to get a big buck! It was pretty funny actually.)

If you want further peace of mind, here's a few things to consider:

Most hunters only hunt a mile or two from the closest road (they don't want to carry a deer any further than that!). So the more remote you get, typically the fewer hunters you'll see.

Also, most hunters tend to avoid popular trails. The more traffic a trail gets, the less likely it is they'll see game near or on that trail. So the more popular a hike you select, the less likely you'll encounter hunters.

With that in mind, here's some good options for popular hikes within 2 hours of Albany that probably won't see many hunters:

Catskills:

Overlook Mountain
Blackhead Range
Eastern Devil's Path

Adirondacks:

Hadley Mountain
Fifth Peak in the Tongue Mountain Range
Pharaoh Mountain
Gore Mountain

Note that even though it's listed in the Fire Tower Guidebook, Spruce Mountain (near Saratoga) is not open to the public without permission, and much of the lands on it are leased to hunting clubs.

Crane Mountain near Gore is a great 1/2 day hike. Very steep and rocky early, so ice may be an issue. Big bang for the buck. No pun intended. I doubt you'd cross any deer hunters.

downstate here in harriman park there is NO HUNTING ALLOWED EVER. however we do see hunters every so often on the woods roads in the southeastern section of the park near 202, and in the southern part of the park south of where the HTS meets the 7hills trail close to the park boundary.

Maybe doesn't meet your two-hour criterion, but how about Snowy Mt., beside Indian Lake? It's also got a fire tower and has tremendous views. It also has a New-England style approach: park, hike; very doable in a day.

Crane was awesome, but had a muddy drive entering the trailhead and a little bit of tricky ladder-scrambling when we were there (and one of the ladder anchors was loose!). It also rises some dramatic amount, like a thousand feet in a half-mile (or some such); could be challenging for little ones. Great stuff, tho, the high elevation pond is a cool feature!

Roleigh,
Actually, I think the only ones on this list I'd be comfortable hiking during the big game season( particularly if we brought Thor or Bookah) would be Overlook Mt and Gore. Overlook simply because there is so much traffic up and down from the Meads trailhead, and Gore because of the ski area.
There is significant hunting traffic near the Blackheads and along parts of the Devil's Path, and Tongue and Pharoah are the same.

Alan


With that in mind, here's some good options for popular hikes within 2 hours of Albany that probably won't see many hunters:
Catskills:
Overlook Mountain
Blackhead Range
Eastern Devil's Path

Adirondacks:
Hadley Mountain
Fifth Peak in the Tongue Mountain Range
Pharaoh Mountain
Gore Mountain