Hoffman Notch Wilderness Area

State Land Master Plan February 2014 Description

This area lies in the Towns of Schroon, North Hudson and Minerva in Essex County. It is bounded on the north by private lands lying south of the Boreas Road (County Route 2B) and the Sand Pond Mountain tract donated to the State by Finch, Pruyn and Company for fish and wildlife management, silvicultural research and experimentation purposes; on the east by the Adirondack Northway and private lands immediately west of the Northway; on the south by private lands lying north of the Loch Muller Road; and on the west by the jeep road and trail that extends from Irishtown along Minerva Stream northward to the Boreas Road near Cheney Pond.

The area is mountainous and rugged, dominated by three north‑south ridges in excess of 3,000 feet: Blue Ridge, Texas Ridge and Washburn Ridge.

Sixteen bodies of water are located within the area. Cheney Pond, a former flow created for the purpose of driving logs down the Boreas River, lies adjacent to the area.

The forest cover ranges from second growth hardwoods saplings to nearly solid conifer stands of near mature size at the higher elevations. On some of the better soil, exceptionally large diameter hardwoods occur.

Hoffman Mountain, which is the highest point in the area and a part of the Blue Ridge Range, was selected by Town of Schroon officials as a potential ski area, but their proposal was defeated in the 1967 referendum. Subsequent studies by independent experts have revealed that the mountain is not suited for a major ski center.

Three fairly extensive Department of Environmental Conservation snowmobile trails, totaling 17.5 miles, were removed: one running north to south through Hoffman Notch; one running from Big Pond northward, then eastward; and another extending from Loch Muller northward by Baily Pond to Washburn Ridge. A 2.5‑mile jeep trail was also removed, bringing this area fully into compliance with Wilderness standards.

Public access to the area is easily gained, and its present use comes chiefly from hunters and anglers.

A Unit Management Plan was adopted for this area in 2012.

Mapping Resources:
(Not from the State Land Master Plan or Unit Management Plans)

Recreational Opportunities Map

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Soils and Wetlands