Sleeping Beauty Mountain: A Moderate Family-Friendly Hike

Hey there! Have you heard of Sleeping Beauty Mountain? It’s on the east side of Lake George and offers a fun hiking experience. The trail has some steep parts, but it’s not too tough overall. It’s great for older kids who can handle rocky terrain. People say it’s a nice hike for families.

Length and Trailheads

The length of the hike depends on where you start and how many breaks you take. It can be anywhere from 5 to 7.5 miles round trip. There are two main places to start:

1. Town Trailhead
2. Dacy Clearing Trailhead

To get to the Hog Town Trailhead, you start at Exit 20 from the Adirondack Northway (I-87). Keep going past the outlet malls and turn right onto Route 149. After a while, you’ll hit Buttermilk Falls Road. Hang left there and go 3.2 miles until it turns into a dirt road (Sly Pond Road). Stay on that road until it meets Hog Town Road. Keep going straight onto Shelving Rock Road, and you’ll reach Dacy Clearing Road on your right – that’s where you park for the Hog Town Trailhead.

Sleeping Beauty Mountain

Hey there! Ever heard of Sleeping Beauty Mountain on the east side of Lake George? It’s a pretty chill hike with some steep parts along the way.

Depending on where you start and how many breaks you take, the trek can be anywhere from 5 to 7.5 miles round-trip. It’s an option for slightly older kiddos who can handle the rocky bits, and most folks see it as a good activity.

You’ve got two choices to kick off your adventure: the Hog Town Trailhead or the Dacy Clearing Trailhead. Hog Town comes first, and there’s a dirt road about 1.5 miles long that links up with Dacy Clearing. Cool, right?

Follow these simple steps to get to the Hog Town Trailhead

• Drive off Exit 20 from the Adirondack Northway (I-87) and keep going past the outlet malls.
• Make a right turn onto Route 149 and keep driving till you reach the intersection with Buttermilk Falls Road.
• Take a left onto Buttermilk Falls Road and drive for 3.2 miles until it turns into a dirt road (Sly Pond Road).
• At the point where Sly Pond Road meets Hog Town Road, just keep going straight onto Shelving Rock Road.
• You’ll notice Dacy Clearing Road veering off to the right – that’s where you’ll find the Hog Town Trailhead parking lot.

Hey there! During certain times of the year, especially in the summer and when it’s super dry, the path from the Hog Town Trailhead to Dacy Clearing allows car traffic. It’s a narrow dirt road with lots of bumps and dips, so if your car isn’t up for that kind of ride, just park at the Hog lot. If the road gate is shut, no worries – just park at the Hog Town lot and start your hike from there.

But hey, if the gate opens and your car can handle some rough terrain, you’re good to go! You can drive about 1.5 miles on that bumpy dirt road to Dacy Clearing and kick off your hike right there. Enjoy!

The trail is super easy to follow, and when you reach the fake top, you get amazing views of the lake and Sleeping Beauty Mountain nearby. The real peak is a bit higher up from the false one about half a mile away, but it is all covered in trees and not the best spot to enjoy the scenery.

If you feel like extending your hike with a couple more stops on your way down, starting from the peak, you can track the signs to Bumps Pond. Then, head over from Bumps Pond to Fish Brook Pond. The path goes in a loop and eventually brings you back to where you are. Remember, these bonus stops mean more distance (around an extra mile) and time added to your trek.

How to maintain a dirt road

We gotta take care of 2.5 miles of dirt road just to reach our place. Surrounded by forest service land, we agreed to keep a mile of the road nice. But when we mentioned the other mile and a half needed work, they were like, “Nah, you’re on your own with that; it’s your road now.” So there you have it – “our road.” Maintaining it has been quite the journey, full of surprises we never saw coming.

In our 25 years of tending to this dirt road, we’ve learned a few things. Whether you’re using hand tools or big machines, the goal is simple: control water flow, clear obstacles, and fix those ruts – usually in that order.

Control the flow of water

Hey there! Water, whether it’s snow, ice, sleet, or rain, can mess up a dirt road. To keep your dirt road in tip-top shape, it’s super to handle water flow like a pro. Check out these tips to help you water under control on your road:

Keep an Eye on Water

When it rains, take a good look at your road to see how water moves around. This will help you figure out the best ways to manage the flow and spot where water likes to hang out. If water sticks around too long, it can lead to snow pileups that freeze and melt, making yucky bogs and ruts.

Tilt the Road a Bit

The key to getting rid of excess water is to tilt the road slightly from side to side. You can do this by:

• Hey there! Let’s chat about how to keep roads in tip-top shape. Ever of “crowning”? It’s when the middle of the road is a bit higher than the sides so water can flow off to the edges. Pretty neat, right?
• And then there’s “out slope drainage.” This means sloping the road outward at one-fourth inch per foot. So, for a thirty-foot road, the high side should be 7.5 inches higher than the low side. This ensures that water doesn’t hang around and make ruts on the road.

Creating Ditches

Sometimes sloping isn’t enough, so we need ditches. These ditches should have a slope of at least three inches per foot, be one foot wide and deep. If there’s lots of runoff, a bigger ditch might be needed.

Using Grade Dips

Now, let’s talk grade dips – kind of like speed bumps but for water. A grade dip is a shallow ditch filled with rocks across the road with dirt mounded on one side. This way, water flows off the road like a charm! Cool, right?

1. Hey there! Let’s talk about making sure your dirt road is in tip-top shape. When it comes to dimensions, a good-grade dip should be at least 70 feet wide. The ditch part should be 50 feet wide, and the mound should be 20 feet wide. The mound should rise at least 30 degrees, but even better if it’s at a 45-degree angle. Oh, and if your road is steeper, make sure to widen the grade dip by 5 feet for each 1% of grade rise.
2. Now, when you’re dealing with low areas that tend to puddle water, a simple turnout could do the trick. A turnout is a little notch dug into the side of the road to help water flow away. Sometimes, you might need to line turnouts with rocks to prevent erosion.

Maintenance Tips

1. Don’t forget these maintenance tips! Keep an eye on your road, especially after heavy rains. Make sure ditches, grade dips, and turnouts are free of any debris. And if you spot any erosion or damage, fix it up right away to keep those drainage systems working like a charm.
2. By using these techniques, you’ll have good control over water flow on your dirt road. That means less damage and a road that stays in great shape for longer. Happy road maintenance!

Remove obstacles

Hey there! So, keeping a dirt road in good shape, especially in far-off places, can be quite a challenge due to various obstacles that might come your way, blocking the road. But don’t worry, I have some helpful tips for you to manage these obstacles and keep the road clear for everyone:

Dealing with Debris After Storms:

Whenever there’s a big storm with lots of rain, snow, or wind, it’s super important to make sure the road is safe to drive on. Here’s what you can do:

• Wait for Safe Conditions: Give it some time after heavy snow or rain to melt or dry out before trying to clear anything. This helps avoid accidents.
• Be Prepared: Keep some food and emergency supplies handy just in case you get stuck.
• Clear Carefully: Don’t rush into clearing deep snow or heavy debris – take your time and wait for things to get better.

Handling Rocks and Boulders

Those pesky rocks and boulders on dirt roads can be a real pain. Here are a few ways to deal with them:

• Dig Them Out: Use a pick and shovel to dig around the rock, then pull it out with a chain or cable attached to a vehicle.
• Break Them Apart: For bigger rocks, heat them up with a blow torch or bonfire, then pour cold water on them to make them crack.
• Get Help if Needed: If things get too tough, consider hiring pros to use dynamite safely.

Getting Rid of Fallen Trees and Branches

After storms, fallen trees and branches can block the road. Here’s what you can do:

• Use a Pocket Chain Saw: A small saw like the Short Kutt Pocket Chain Saw is handy for clearing fallen trees.
• Trim Regularly: In the fall, cut back branches that might obstruct vision or hit vehicles during snowy times.
• Prevent Erosion: Stack trimmed branches for erosion control – waste not, right?

Handling Landslides

Landslides are common in areas with steep banks by the road. Here’s how you can manage them:

• Deal Smartly: Leave debris at the base of cuts to create gentler slopes over time.
• Clear Carefully: In narrow spots, widen the road by pulling dirt down from the bank top.
• Plan: Cut banks at less steep angles to prevent landslides.

Remember these friendly tips when maintaining dirt roads

• Safety First: Slow down and stay safe when tackling obstacles.
• Right Tools: Use proper tools in good condition for the job at hand.
• Check Often: Keep an eye out for potential obstacles on the road regularly.
• Emergency Prep: Make sure you’re ready with a plan and supplies just in case.

By following these tips with a smile, you’ll breeze through managing obstacles on dirt roads – making sure they’re safe and clear for everyone using them! 🚗🌳🚜

Fixing Ruts on a Dirt Path

Hey there! So, if you’ve got a dirt road, you know dealing with those annoying ruts is a must. They pop up from people using the road and weather-playing tricks. Here are some pretty neat ways to fill and keep those ruts in check:

Take a Drag to Smooth Things

So, dragging something heavy behind your vehicle is a top-notch way to even out the ruts. Here’s how you can make and use a drag:

Materials Needed: A log, railroad tie, or piece of iron I-beam.

How to Make it:

1. Cut the drag to match your vehicle’s width.
2. Drill a hole on either end about 12 inches from the edge.
3. String a chain through each hole, and secure it with bolts to prevent slipping.
4. Connect the chain to your ride, making one side longer than the other for an angled drag. This angle keeps the road sloped for water drainage.

Using the Drag:

• Best Time: Drag when the dirt isn’t too dry or too wet. It should be crumbly like garden soil.
• Execution: One pass under perfect conditions beats multiple rounds when it’s too dry or wet.
• Filling Stubborn Ruts with Rocks.

For those tough-to-fix ruts, throwing in some rocks works wonders for a lasting solution:

Rock Size: Go for rocks fist-sized for a solid rut base.

How to do it:

1. Round up rocks from fields or wherever and haul them on a trailer.
2. Drop them into the ruts during rainy times so they sink into the roadbed.
3. Cover them with dirt or smaller rocks once they settle in place.

And remember, this method also helps clear out unwanted rocks in fields!

Using a Tractor with a Blade

A small farm tractor with a blade attachment does wonders for keeping your dirt road tip-top:

• Four-wheel drive rocks for better grip in mud or snow.
• • Tire chains on back wheels level up traction on two-wheel drives.
• Keeping New Ruts at Bay, if you want fewer new ruts popping up, stick to driving when the road’s frozen between four and nine in the morning based on your local climate.

Wrapping Up

So yeah, looking after that dirt path of yours needs work but using these tools & tricks makes it all doable! Dragging, filling ruts with rocks, and using tractor blades are key moves here. Plus, timing your drives right can cut down big-time maintenance needs.

Living out there at the end of a dirt road has its challenges, no doubt! But hey, peace makes it all worth it, right? With some TLC here and there, your dirt path will stay good year-round!