Hour Pond

By Bill Ingersoll

Hour Pond is nestled within a secluded basin, and although it is not really remote, the surrounding mountains ensure that it seems that way. There is a lean-to near its east shore and an attractive campsite near the outlet, either of which would be a fine setting for a weekend backpacking trip. Bullhead Mountain serves as a pleasing backdrop, although its position to the west causes the sun to set prematurely in the evening, from the perspective of anyone camping on the east shore. Hour Pond has been known as a recreational destination for several generations, but an explanation for its unique name has not yet been uncovered.

There are two ways to reach the pond, and both of them are very fine trails. This route from Old Farm via Hour Pond Brook is the traditional route, and the one better suited for skiing and snowshoeing… assuming, of course, the occurrence of a traditional winter, which is scarce these days. But if nothing else, this is still a good hike with or without winter equipment.

Getting There

Access to this part of the Siamese Ponds Wilderness – which has much to offer in addition to this hike to Hour Pond – begins on Thirteenth Lake Road. This paved byway starts on NY Route 28 in North River and traces a winding course through Christian Hill and alongside Thirteenth Brook.

Old Farm Road forks right from Thirteenth Lake Road four miles from North River. Plowing ends in a clearing at 0.5-mile – a spot that serves as a winter trailhead most years. At other times of the year, you can follow the remaining road into state land and the official trailhead parking area at 0.7-mile.

The Trail

The wide trail begins with a quick drop that skiers will appreciate, and others will hardly notice. At 0.2-mile you reach the trail register and the northern junction with the Botheration Pond Loop, and at 0.6-mile the trail to Elizabeth Point, forks right. The main trail then enters a large stand of Norway spruce, which were planted here by a prior generation of conservationists as a reforestation effort. As its name suggests, Norway spruce is not a tree species that is native to North America; the ones here may eventually be succeeded by the balsam firs lurking in the understory.

The site of the Thirteenth Lake House, known as Old Farm Clearing, is now a much smaller clearing at the heart of the spruce plantation. A foundation can be seen to the right of the trail, and a spring to the left. This was at one time the trailhead parking area, but it is now a key intersection 1.2 miles from the trailhead. The southern end of the Botheration Pond Loop is on the left; the trail to the East Branch Sacandaga River is straight ahead; and the trail to Puffer and Hour Ponds is on the right 350 feet past the clearing.

Considering the rather sloppy nature of our recent winters, expect unforgivably wet conditions for the first tenth of a mile as you head west out of the spruce plantation. But then the trail passes out of the reforestation area and descends gently into the fault valley that contains Thirteenth Lake and Buck Meadow Flow – albeit without passing within sight of either feature. At 2.2 miles you cross a bridge over a substantial stream flowing from the south.

Moments after crossing the bridge you reach the side of Hour Pond Brook, which is one of the more interesting parts of the hike. There is an attractive set of cascades and small waterfalls to your right where the stream tumbles quickly out of the high country, shaded by a cover of tall hemlock. There are several streamside perches with good views of the watery action below. At 2.5 miles, after climbing 100 feet beside the gorge, you cross a bridge over the brook. The trail turns left on the far side.

The grade moderates, and at 2.7 miles you reach a junction beside the brook. The trail to Puffer Pond continues straight, but without a bridge over the deep brook, that direction is hardly an option in winter.

The trail to Hour leads north. The route is parallel to the brook, but located far enough up a hill that you only have occasional glimpses of the open wetlands to the west. At 3.4 miles, you descend to a log bridge and a trail junction, where the trail to the right leads to Thirteenth Lake.

Turn left, west, following the sign for Hour. The trail leads to a pretty beaver pond at 4.2 miles where you will need to walk along the top of the long dam, which has a flat top and seems well adapted to its dual function as a trail causeway. The trail veers southwest along a wetland, then west beside a dry streambed (an overflow channel) to an open vly, and finally northwest toward Hour Pond. The approach is prolonged because the trail does not lead directly to the water, but instead continues to a former campsite about a third of the way up the shoreline, where it ends 1.6 miles from the Puffer Pond trail, 3.1 miles from Old Farm Clearing, and 4.3 miles from the Old Farm Trailhead. This is an attractive spot with a good view across the pond to Bullhead Mountain.

A lean-to stands 500 feet to the north of this spot, at the end of a marked side trail. This shelter is located on high ground with a substantial setback from the water; it is a decent campsite, but the lack of a view seems to limit its popularity. Winter might be the preferred season to camp at such a sheltered spot, except that there are no good sources of water nearby – when the pond freezes, the only other recourse is to melt snow.

The other camping option is a designated tent site located near the pond’s outlet, under a stand of hemlock trees with a ledge nearby for easy water access.

Hour Pond appears relatively large, but it is remarkably shallow and therefore not very appealing for swimming. It is a brook trout pond, though, and it is subject to the same regulations that are in effect at Thirteenth Lake.

Bill Ingersoll is a co-founder and the vice-chair of Adirondack Wilderness Advocates; you can meet him and the AWA team at the Adirondack Sports Summer Expo in Saratoga Springs on March 16-17. For more information on this area, visit: adirondackwilderness.org/hurricane-mountain-wilderness.