1.8 miles | 246 ft gain | Difficulty: Easy | Rating ★★★

After two days of moderately intense hikes in the Adirondacks, we needed a recovery but still craved views. The Adirondack Fire Challenge was on our list, consisting of 24 towers across the park and 5 in the Catskills. Many of the towers are spread widely across the park and involve a few miles and/or thousand feet of elevation. Not quite recovery. Luckily, we discovered Cathedral Rock was only a bit past Cranberry Lake and a short hike with plenty of payoff.

Off the beaten path, by the SUNY Ranger School, we found the trailhead. Cathedral Rock was a quick mile hike through the forest, up some rock, to a clearing then further to a fire tower. We were only about 40 miles from the High Peak region, yet the forest felt so different. It was more piney, less rocky. So foreign, yet so very Adirondack.

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We emerged from the woods onto a rock clearing, presumably Cathedral Rock. Slowly back into the woods, we found another clearing with a small fire pit and picnic table, memorializing a small boy who fell when hiking with his family. A couple minutes later, we met our destination.

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The entire journey took just under an hour, including some time at the top. The perfect climb to help us to recover and feel strong in our journey at the same time.