Home⎜Hikes & Wanderings⎜New York⎜Adirondacks⎜Algonquin, Wright + Iroquois
Distance: 13 mile loop
Time: 11.5 hours
Difficulty: Very Strenuous
Dog Notes: I left Ollie at home for this one, and I’m glad I did. It is definitely do-able, but might be a bit too strenuous for a dog. Additionally, there are multiple ladders along Avalanche Lake that your pup will have to navigate.
Directions to Trailhead: Take Adirondack Northway (I-87) to the the Exit for 9N. Make a LEFT onto 9N and follow into Keene, where you’ll veer LEFT onto NY-73 W. Follow for 31 miles then make a LEFT onto Adirondack Loj Road and drive to the end of the road.
Hike Directions: From the parking lot, follow the BLUE BLAZES for 1 mile to the YELLOW-BLAZED trail that will lead you across the Macintyre Range. Follow the yellow trail to an intersection between Algonquin Peak and Wright Peak, with signs posted for each. The hardest part of the hike is over and views are to be had quite shortly.
Veer LEFT and continue to the summit of Wright Peak. After taking in the views, retrace your steps to the intersection and turn LEFT on the yellow blazes to ascend Algonquin’s summit. Enjoy Algonquin, then continue following the yellow blazes over the other side of Algonquin and descend toward Boundary and Iroquois (both visible in the distance). Though this section of trail is considered “unmarked” there are yellow blazes (albeit older ones), and cairns clearly light the way to the summit of Boundary (a smaller peak between Algonquin & Iroquois) and your destination, the summit of Iroquois. For reference, below I’ve provided a labeled picture I took on Iroquois, pointing out the visible peaks. From Iroquois, retrace your steps to the col between Boundary and Algonquin, turn RIGHT on the yellow blazes heading down a slide of the mountain for about 2.5 miles. 
At the bottom you’ll come to an intersection for Lake Colden or Avalanche Lake. Turn LEFT toward Avalanche Lake and follow the BLUE BLAZES toward the lake. Upon reaching Avalanche, the blazes turn BLUE but continue along the western side of the lake, over pine bridges and ladders, and across cliffside walkways dropping into the ice cool opaque water below. From here you have a great view of Mt. Colden and the beautifully rugged trap dyke leading up to Colden’s summit. Continue on the yellow blazes, departing from Avalanche Lake and re-entering the woods, continuing north toward Adirondack Loj. Soon you’ll reach Marcy Dam, which you’ll circumnavigate, coming around to its north side and follow the blue blazes 2.3 miles back to the parking lot.
Scenery: 10/10
The Rambling Wanderer 
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