By Kolin Kriner
Tucked away on the northern shores of Lake Champlain, just outside of Plattsburgh, New York, Point Au Roche stands as a treasure trove for hikers seeking peaceful trails, magnificent views and close encounters with nature. Among the trails are the beloved Points — Short, Middle and Long — each offering diverse ecology and breathtaking scenery.
Whether you’re looking for a casual stroll or a day-long adventure, these trails are a must for anyone visiting the North Country.
Short Point: A quick escape into nature
A peaceful, easy walk, Short Point Trail is perfect for those who only have a small window of time to fit in a hike. It being the shortest doesn’t negate its beauty, however.
Winding and weaving this trail that is just under a mile, you are treated to lush forestry and the rocky shoreline, making this an ideal hike for families, and anyone hoping to recharge with a brief immersion in nature.
When you begin the hike, you’re immediately put into dense woods filled with the sounds of birds, rustling leaves, and the close by ebb and flow of waves hitting the edge of the coastline. Kristin Collins, environmental educator for the Point Au Roche Nature Center, says that you are likely to see foxes and woodpeckers while on this stretch of the hike.
The trail then brings you to a rocky shoreline, and at the tip of Short Point, you are met with clear view of Lake Champlain and the Green Mountains
Great scenery, and a brief exploration of the flora and fauna of the area all packed into one hour of trail time makes this hike highly accessible and recommended to those trying to fit in a quick expedition before their afternoon plans while still getting the satisfaction of a completed hike.
Middle Point: Untouched, sweet and serene
Moving deeper into the park, you will meet Middle Point, offering a slightly longer and more scenic experience. Extending about a mile past a short point, you reach the least touched of the points, while experiencing just as much charm.
Along the way you may come across a hidden skipping rock beach, great for a peaceful, uninterrupted swim.
The forestry at Middle Point is truly alive with oaks and maples towering over you, providing a shady canopy while moss and ferns carpet the ground below.
One of the standout features of Middle Point is its peaceful overlook, providing a quiet, rocky outcrop at its tip, the water mirroring the sky offering a relaxing spot to escape the noise of daily life. Collins says that you may see owls nesting along the trail, or even porcupines.
Middle Point connects Short and Long Point, adding to the hike as a figurative and literal middle point, bringing a moment of peace before arriving at the most popular of the trails.
Long Point: A journey’s worthwhile end
The perfect trail for those seeking a long adventure, traversing all three points, or an extended yet simple hike, Long Point is perfect for just about anyone. You have the option of parking at the start of Long Point making it a convenient choice when deciding the length and outcome of your hiking expedition.
What makes Long Point so exceptional is its scenic variety. The trail is a 3.7-mile loop. According to Collins, a lot of the trail is marsh, offering cattails, water plants and even turtles. As you continue on, you are met with grasslands at the tip of the point, equipped with grassland flowers, forest and pioneer species.
She also says that at the end of the trail is old growth forests, allowing you to be immersed into a beautiful wonderland of hemlocks, maples and oaks grown so dense that walking the trail feels as if you are stepping into a fairy tale.
At the end of the point are benches while admiring Lake Champlain and the Green Mountains. This hike is amazing at sunset as you watch the orange setting sun reflect across the water.
Depending on where you start, Long Point can take between two to several hours to complete, making it ideal for a quick hike, or a day long adventure.
A trail system weaved for any mood
What ties the points together is their seamless connection and ability to craft a hike to match your mood, time and energy.
The trails provide an entire sensory journey through the peace and tranquility that is Northern New York nature that feels like it is ripped right out of the pages of a storybook.
Sometimes the best places to hike aren’t the most famous, but they’re the ones that feel like home the moment your feet hit the trail.
Whether you are local to the area or just visiting, the trails invite you to slow down and enjoy the raw simplicity of nature.
