Upper Works

Adirondack Trailheads: Upper Works

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Upper Works Overview:
Upper Works is one of the principal Adirondack trailheads that access the 46 High Peaks. There are lots of trailheads scattered here and there, all over the Forest Preserve, each identified by its familiar brown and yellow DEC sign pointing to the path, and a dirt parking lot big enough for a half dozen cars. But these five, with the possible addition of Corey's up near Saranac Lake, are the mother lodes.

For some, the term "Upper Works" refers to all three trailheads dispersed along Upper Works Road, a lonely secondary road that makes its way straight north deep into the western High Peaks region. Since that would be confusing to hikers, we distinguish between the three, reserving the name Upper Works only for the trailhead found at the point where Upper Works Road dead ends below Indian Pass.

Go direct to Calamity Brook Trail leading from Upper Works to Flowed Lands.
Go to the real Upper Works. National Lead's Tahawus mining operations have been closed for years, yet the buildings still stand, out of sight to hikers driving north on Lower Works Rd. and Upper Works Rd. When you get there, click on the links labeled "prototype" to see photos of the actual mining buildings. Then, click on links labeled "model view" to view models of the same buildings. The models are as interesting as the real buildings.

Originally, "Upper Works" was the common name for the site of the National Lead Company's now defunct strip mining operations and, more famously, the McIntyre Iron Company, which mined iron ore here along the Upper Hudson from the 1830's to the 1850's. The ancient stone blast furnace of the original McIntyre Iron Company can still be seen no more than 50 feet from Upper Works Rd.

Lower and Upper Works Roads
Since no mining takes place here today, it is mostly hikers who value this place, particularly the two paved roads that, due to the pioneering spirit of the McIntyre Iron Company, lead 10 miles almost straight North from Blue Ridge Rd. into the wilderness, penetrating deep into the High Peaks area unlike any of the other trailheads which lie pretty much along its edges. The first to be encountered is Lower Works Rd. which leads directly to the National Lead Company's operations from Blue Ridge Rd. The second is Upper Works Rd. which starts where Lower Works Rd. leaves off and continues north to its dead-end at a point deep into the High Peaks. Along Upper Works Rd. lie three important trailheads, described here, which lead to numerous lakes and peaks to the West, North, and East. Among these: the Santanoni Range, Adams Mtn, Allen Mtn, Indian Pass, Duck Hole, Flowed Lands/Lake Colden area, and Mts Marshall, Cliff, and Redfield.

Access to the Three Upper Works Trailheads:
From the Northway, Interstate 87, exit at Exit 29 and turn immediately W onto Blue Ridge Road, Rte 28.. Follow this route for 17.4 miles to an intersection marked by several signs including one for National Lead, Inc. Turn right here. There will be a sign at this turn-off that indicates the way to National Lead Industries.

0.0 mi., turn off from Blue Ridge Road. This is the 0.0 mile point for all measurement to trailheads that follow.
0.4 mi., pass the intersection for Tahawus Club and a street sign for "Lower Works Rd.". (see photo 1, below)
0.6 mi., cross railroad tracks.
6.3 mi., turn left off Lower Works Rd. at fork marked with street sign "Upper Works Rd." (see Photo 2, below). The right fork continues on a short distance to National Lead as signs in Photo 2 will indicate.
8.3 mi. pass a gravelly turn-off to your left that leads to the Santanoni Range trailhead and parking.
9.1 mi. on your right, very close to the highway, you will pass the ruins of the old McIntyre furnace.
9.3 mi. on the right is the trailhead for Mt. Adams, Allen Mt., and the trail to Flowed Lands via the Opalescent River.
9.9 mi. reach the Upper Works trailhead, the end of Upper Works Road, and a dead end. From this trailhead, access Flowed Land, Indian Pass, and Duck Hole.

Upper Works Rd. Trailheads Maps and Photos Highlighted in blue on the maps below is Upper Works Road (public highway, always open) running from NY Rte 28 to the road's terminus at Henderson Lake. Note that Rte 28 is off the bottom of the bottommost map of the three maps below. So as you drive north (or up this page if you want to look at it that way), you jump upward from map to map. The three trailheads are marked on the maps. Look real close. We consider all 3 of these trailheads to be "Upper Works" trailheads since they are all on Upper Works Rd.
	Upper Works Parking East River Parking Bradley Pond Parking	Upper Works Trailhead: for Indian Pass and Lake Colden-Flowed Lands It appears on the map at top left at the terminus of Upper Works Road. Letters in red say "Upper Works". This point is 9.9 miles N from the start at Route 28. The photo shows the Upper Works Parking Area. There is plenty of parking. The RED Indian Pass trail (ADK #125, McM #1), departs the parking area. Heading straight N, it crosses the Hudson River over a wooden bridge suitable for vehicles at 0.25 mi. (At this point, the Hudson has only flowed a mere 530 feet from its source, Lake Henderson, just to the W of the trail..) A bit further, at 0.35 mi., the RED Calamity Brook trail (ADK #121, McM #39) forks to the right. Calamity Brook Trail will take you to Flowed Land and the Marcy region. East River Trailhead: for Mt Adams, Allen Mt, and Flowed Lands: At 9.3 miles on your right driving N, not far past the old and disintegrating MacIntyre furnace, is the trailhead and parking for the *YELLOW* Opalescent River Trail (ADK #123, McM #42) to Mt. Adams, Flowed Lands, and the start of the Allen Mt. herd path (McM #43). The parking area is very large and is clearly visible from the road. On the map at left, the trailhead is indicated by a blue dot off the right side of the road. Note that the white sign with red letters indicating that the trail is closed has been removed and the trail has been reopened. Bradley Pond Trailhead: for the Santanoni Range and Duck Hole At 8.3 miles on your left driving N, a gravel road leads off to the left, up a slight grade. The trailhead and parking for the BLUE Bradley Pond Trail (ADK #128, McM #4), the Santanoni Range, and Duck Hole are here, just out of sight from the paved road. Lots of parking. (Note that this trail is actually a gravel road for more than a mile from the trailhead.)

Calamity Brook Trail: 4.4 miles, 2.5 hours (ADK #121, McM #39)
1	This is the gate at the Upper Works trailhead. Looks like it would stop an Abrams tank, doesn't it? A short distance ahead the road crosses over the Hudson River and then splits. The left fork heads for Indian Pass. The right fork follows Calamity Brook and the trail by the same name to Flowed Lands.
2	The aforementioned right fork.
3	As we head toward Calamity Brook we soon cross the devastation of Hurricane Floyd which passed through here in 1999. It is remarkable how rapidly the earth heals itself. This is much improved from just the previous year. Now that this area has become meadow-like, the blueberry and raspberry bushes have taken hold providing hikers with an unlooked for benefit to hiking.
4	We leave the logged area and approach the forest after about a half mile.
5	Calamity Brook Trail remains a wide trail in good condition over its full length of 4.4 miles. A few muddy areas are no impediment. Figure about 2.5 hours for the hike to Flowed Lands where this trail ends.
6 7 8 9 10	Typical, gentle uphill terrain on this trail. Elevation at Upper Works (start) is 1780 ft. At the trail's end at Flowed Lands elevation is 2760 ft. By comparison, the more heavily used route from Adirondack Loj to Lake Colden starts at 2179 ft, crosses a height-of-land at about 2900 ft, and descends to the dam at Lake Colden at 6.4 miles and 2764 ft elevation. Calamity Brook Trail represents a nice opportunity to escape the crowds around Marcy Dam. Parking at Upper Works trailhead is plentiful and free.

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This page was last updated 09/11/06 08:28:31 PM