Tupper Lake Triad Ultra: The Best Beginner Hiking Challenge for Dogs

Lake views from the fire tower atop Mt. Arab on an October morning.

After finishing the Northeast 115, I wasn’t drawn to any particular hiking challenge. Once leaves began to change, so did my feelings toward a new goal. I set my sights on a trio of trails that I could do with my favorite hiking partner, Poppy. Poppy spent the summer hitting the trails with me and seemed ready for a bigger day.

Despite her love for the trails, she hasn’t hiked any 4,000-footers. Yet. She earned her trail legs last month in October when we headed up to Tupper Lake in New York to take on the Tupper Lake Triad—a list of three summits in the scenic town of Tupper Lake comprised of: Mt. Arab, Goodman Mountain, and Coney Mountain. A trip to Tupper Lake could include one of these alone and it would be a wonderful time spent outside. However, I wanted to tackle all three in a day to complete the Tupper Lake Triad Ultra – something Poppy and I could do together. In a day, these three hikes total 7.4 miles and 1,975 feet of climbing. If you subtract the short drives in-between, it almost feels like a 4,000 footer. Great practice for my trail buddy!

Everything you need to know for a Tupper Lake Triad Ultra:

1.    Mt. Arab (2,525 feet)

Location: Mt Arab Rd, Tupper Lake, NY 12986 (Mt. Arab Trailhead & Parking)

Distance and elevation: 2.1 miles out-and-back, 768 ft gain

Parking: Plenty of parking with multiple spots opening up both when we arrived and when we left at the Mount Arab Trailhead Parking.

Trail: Take the Mount Arab trail up to the summit, and back down.

Mt. Arab was my favorite of the three mountains mostly because I’m a sucker for a fire tower. I love seeing expansive views, and it’s almost a guarantee when it comes to an Adirondack fire tower (weather permitting, of course).

2. Goodman Mountain (2,190 feet)

Location: Adirondack Park Preserve, Tupper Lake, NY 12986 (Goodman Mountain Trailhead)

Distance and elevation: 3.1 miles out-and-back, 607 ft gain

Parking: Plenty of parking at the Goodman Mountain Trailhead, and with the hike being so short, multiple spots opened up in the time we arrived and departed.

Trail: Take the Goodman Mountain trail up to the summit, and back down.

Excellent views from the summit of Goodman Mountain.

3. Coney Mountain (2,264 feet)

Location: NY-30, Tupper Lake, NY 12986 (Coney Mountain Trailhead)

Distance and elevation: 2.2 miles out-and-back, 600 ft gain

Parking: There are only one or two spots at the Coney Mountain parking area. Parking is available on the very busy road, but the spots are endless.

Trail: Take the Coney Mountain trail up to the summit, and back down.

Receiving your Completion Patch

Once you complete all three (in a day or over multiple days), submit your registration to the Regional Office of Sustainable Tourism with $5 for a patch for you and your pup. The Tupper Lake Triad challenge offers online registration. My patch arrived in my mailbox within a week!

Preparing Your Pup

I trained Poppy on local trails prior to tackling the high elevation gain of all three hikes in one day. A big advantage of the Tupper Lake Triad is that although the elevation gain mirrors an Adirondack 46er, the trails are very well-maintained and accessible. Driving from trailhead to trailhead gave her a chance to recover before the next hike.

Affordable Lodging Near Tupper Lake, NY

Since Tupper Lake is roughly a four-hour drive away from home, I opted to camp at a nearby state campground—Fish Creek Pond. This campground has plenty of sites, bathrooms, and views.

I wanted to test out an air mattress in the back of my SUV, so we car camped at Fish Creek. Definitely worth it!

Where to Eat in Tupper Lake, NY

In this area of the Adirondacks, I always gravitate to Raquette River Brewing. They truly have it all: a plethora of food trucks, beers, and parking spots.

Is the Tupper Lake Triad (ultra or not) making it onto your hiking list? If you enjoyed learning about this hiking challenge then you’ll love exploring these:

Hike the Vermont 5 4,000 Footers

Lake Placid 9er Hiking Challenge

Twins Zealand Bonds Traverse (part of the NH 48 Challenge)