Skyline Trail

 This trail takes you through everything Labrador Hollow has to offer: steep climbs, views, diverse forests, and the eponymous pond. While the pond might receive a higher amount of traffic, all of the trail west of the pond that passes through Kettlebail State Forest and Svend O. Heiberg Memorial Forest barely receives any traffic, so this trail is still an underrated gem.

Map of the Skyline Trail

You can navigate on this route using the downloadable AllTrails map.

 The trailhead for this hike is located at the Tinker Falls Parking Area on NYS Route 91, between Truxton and Apulia. The GPS coordinates are 42.78012, -76.03592. The parking lot may look full, but most of the traffic should head on the easy trail to Tinker Falls.

From the trailhead (1250’), locate the trail entrances on the opposite side of the road. There are two trails that start from here. One leads right 0.2 miles to Tinker Falls while the trail on the left leads to the Onondaga Trail and Jones Hill (the sign says “scenic overlook”). Turn left here and climb a short set of wooden steps.

Shortly after this first junction, you will arrive at another four-way intersection with the orange-blazed Skyline Trail. The Skyline Trail continues straight and on the left, while the trail on the right connects to the Tinker Falls Trail. Turn left here, following the trail downhill as it parallels the road.

For the next mile, the orange-blazed trail stays mostly parallel to Route 91, occasionally wandering up and down the steep hillside. At 1.2 miles from the trailhead, the trail crosses Route 91. The trail continues on the other side of the road, initially following Labrador Crossing Road. 0.1 miles after Route 91, the trail leaves Labrador Crossing Road to the left and passes through some dense growth near Labrador Pond. At 1.5 miles, the trail emerges into a clearing where there is parking for Labrador Pond and a picnic area. This is the access point for the Labrador Pond Boardwalk Trail which leads 0.25 miles to a view of Labrador Pond.

The orange-blazed Skyline Trail continues straight from here, passing a trail register on the right and going through some more dense growth. At 1.9 miles, the trail reaches Markham Hollow Road, where the orange blazes direct you to the left. Follow the road about 400 feet until the trail leaves the road on the right side. Turn right here and follow the orange blazes.

This next section is the steepest part of the route and the gradient is similar to that of some Adirondack High Peak trails. Climbing to the top of Labrador Mountain, the trail ascends over 700 feet in one mile. The first 0.5 miles is the steepest, becoming easier after the ridge is gained. At 3.4 miles, the trail reaches the top of Labrador Mountain (1980’).

From here on, the route remains mostly above 1800 feet, hence the name of the trail. After a mellow descent through some pines and greenery, the trail reaches dirt Kettlebail Road at 4.0 miles (1800’). Turn right here and continue for a few hundred feet until the trail leaves the road on the left, going under power lines. Shortly after, it crosses Tully-Truxton Road which is paved. After a short climb through the forest, the trail parallels a small pond at 4.7 miles, known as “Pond One.” After leaving the pond, there are a number of unmarked trails that are a part of SUNY ESF Heiberg Memorial Forest. Keep following the orange blazes and it should be easy to stay on the trail.

The trail continues on mostly wide and grassy paths before reaching its western terminus at Maple Ridge Road. There is a parking area here for the Heiberg Forest Nature Trail. If you don’t have a second vehicle parked here, retrace your steps 6.0 miles back to the eastern trailhead. Total distance for this hike: 12.0 miles with 1795 feet of elevation gain.