Dix Mountain Wilderness Area
This area is in the towns of Elizabethtown, Keene and North Hudson, Essex County. It is roughly bounded on the north by Route 73, on the east by the Adirondack Northway, on the south by Blue Ridge Road and on the west by Elk Lake and AuSable Club lands.
The terrain is rough, rocky and mountainous, with several of the mountain tops exceeding 4,000 feet. Twelve small ponds with a total surface area of about 92 acres, lie in the wilderness. Vertical cliffs of considerable height arc common, particularly in the northern and eastern parts.
Most of the mountains do not have any marked, maintained foot trails leading to their summits, even though excellent views are features of this area.
Some of the most severe and extensive forest fires or the Adirondacks occurred in this area during a prolonged drought period in 1903. As a result, the tops and upper slopes of the mountains not only lost their forest cover but the humus was also consumed and the mineral soil eroded down to bare rock.
The present forest cover consists chiefly of pole-sized yellow birch, aspen and stunted balsam at the higher elevations with mixed hardwoods and softwoods on the better soils at lower elevations.
Some of the mountains, such as Dix, South Dix and McComb, have had small landslides in recent years which occur mostly on the near vertical north slopes. This has left a series of prominent, bare rock scars on the upper slopes.
There are four traitress peaks in the area, South Dix, East Dix, Hough and McComb, that are over 4,000 feet in elevation. The use of areas such as this by the public, without marked and maintained foot trails, is high, as indicated by the registers that are located on the peaks.
Hikers and campers probably outnumber all other recreational users in this area, but there is also substantial use by hunters and fishermen. The hunters seem to frequent the eastern and northern portions.
The Adirondack Trail Improvement Society, with headquarters at St. Huberts, maintains a system of foot trails in the northern and northwestern part of the area, with approval of the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation. Their trails extend to such mountain tops as Round Top, Noonmark, Bear Don, Dial, Nippletop, Colvin, Blake and Pinnacle.
The steep, rugged terrain, characteristic of nearly the whole area, has been responsible for the region retaining a wilderness atmosphere. This, together with other accompanying features, lends itself well to the classification into which it has been placed.
The state, in 1978 and 1980, purchased in fee 9,311 acres from the Adirondack Mountain Reserve. Approximately 3,269 acres have become part of the Dix Mountain Wilderness as a result, including the following summits: Noonmark, Bear Den, Dial, Colvin, and Pinnacle. The state was given a conservation casement on the remaining Adirondack Mountain Reserve lands generally below 2,500 feet in elevation, limiting the future development potential of these lands while permitting the public to cross lands still held in fee by the Club, on foot, to reach the peaks. Future land use of these private lands will certainly be compatible with adjacent state lands.
Approximately two miles of rough roads have been closed bringing this area into full compliance with wilderness standards.
Public access to the area is generally easily gained.
Dix Mountain area statistics
- State Lands - 45,208 acres
- Bodies of Water (12) - 92 acres
- Elevation (minimum) - 940 feet
- Elevation (maximum) - 4,857 feet
- Foot Trails - 36.5 miles
- Lean-tos - 3
- Non-conforming Uses - None
If you have questions and/or comments about this UMP, please email us at: mailto:r5ump@gw.dec.state.ny.us?subject=Dix Mountain Wilderness Area
Unit Management Plan (pdf, 366 kb)
Appendices to Unit Management Plan (pdf, 1.06 Mb)
