Western Ridge Trail: A Beautiful Hike in Saratoga County
Summary:
The Western Ridge Trail in Moreau Lake State Park can be done point to point but we did it as an out and back hike with the Spring Overlook as our midpoint. This makes it a 4.6 mile round trip hike with about 1000 feet in elevation gain with stunning views of the Hudson River and Adirondack Mountains. This is a beautiful hike if you are in the Saratoga or Lake George area.
Date: Observations and data recorded on August 2, 2025
Site/location: The Western Ridge Trailhead is located in Moreau Lake State Park and the address to start the hike is at 129 Co Rd 24, Corinth, NY 12822 (if you put in Western Ridge Trailhead in Google Maps it pulls this address up).
Distance from Camp Hudson Pines: 7.5 miles
Participants: Family of hikers ranging from 11 to middle-aged
Length of Observation: Approximately 2.5 to 3 hours
Links: Western Ridge Trail Information
Activity: One of our favorite websites for local hikes is the ADK Gateway 8 website. It has great hikes local to the Saratoga/Lake George area and all are near Camp Hudson Pines. It is important to note that on this hike we did it differently than laid out on their website. We made it an out and back hike and started in a small parking lot at the Western Ridge Trailhead at 129 Co Rd 24. If that parking lot is full there is more parking up the road just a bit as you are driving away from Corinth.
This hike begins with blue blazes and the first sign is “Western Ridge Trail Overlooks”. You start by hiking up a beautiful forested trail. The trail switches over to yellow blazes part way up the first climb but it is always clear that you are still following the Western Trail Overlook path. Your first overlook gives you a glimpse of the mountains with power lines going down the mountain side. This has nothing on the overlooks to come - keep going!
You continue hiking through beautiful forested paths and follow the yellow blaze path. You will reach a point where you can go to the Hudson overlook or Spring Overlook. We were told that both overlook the Hudson but that the Spring Overlook is more spectacular. You can easily do both but we choose to do the Spring Overlook. You begin to descend a little until you come to a flat rock area with incredible views of the Hudson River and the forested hills and mountains beyond. There is a lot of elevation gain in this hike but the stunning views are a high payoff.
Photographs:
Reflections:
This is one of our favorite hikes in the area. The hike is beautiful the entire way but the views at the Spring Overlook are incredible. We went in the summer and loved it but it would be a gorgeous fall hike and ADK Gateway 8 says it is a popular hike year round with snowshoers loving it in winter.
Service is minimal so download your way home if you don’t know your way back! Pack water and snacks and make sure to set aside enough time to sit down and enjoy the views at the top. We saw people of all ages doing this hike but do know there is a lot of incline.
