Cascade and Porter aren't easy — they're just easier
Every one of the Adirondack 46 High Peaks involves real elevation gain and rough trail, so nothing on this list is a casual walk. But Cascade Mountain (4,098 ft) and Porter Mountain (4,059 ft) are meaningfully more approachable than the rest of the list, with maintained trail and a manageable distance that makes them the standard first 46er for most people attempting the full list.
Cascade alone runs roughly 4.8 miles round trip. Combined with Porter — a worthwhile add since the connecting trail between the two summits is short — the full loop comes to about 6.5 miles round trip with roughly 2,286 feet of cumulative elevation gain, typically taking around four hours including a break at the top. That combination gives you two summits in a single reasonable day, which is part of why it's the default recommendation.
The trailhead is changing — check before you go
For years, Cascade's trailhead sat directly on state Route 73, and it's historically been a serious overcrowding problem: cars parked along the shoulder, informal pullouts, and a trailhead lot that fills before most hikers are awake. New York's DEC has a plan in motion to reroute the trailhead to the Mount Van Hoevenberg parking area, which offers substantially more parking capacity, as part of broader High Peaks visitor management efforts that include a recommended daily visitor cap of 240 for this trail. As of now, the trail itself remains open and accessible from Route 73, but no-parking zone enforcement along the highway is increasing, and the reroute timeline isn't fixed. Confirm current trailhead access before you go rather than assuming last year's parking situation still applies.
Phelps: the logical next step
Once Cascade and Porter are done, Phelps Mountain is the commonly recommended next peak — no real steep climbing, a straightforward approach from the Adirondack Loj, and enough distance to feel like a step up without the technical difficulty that shows up on much of the rest of the list. It's a good gauge for whether you're ready to move into the range's more demanding peaks, which escalate quickly in both distance and terrain difficulty once you're past this starter tier.
What "easiest" doesn't mean here
Even Cascade and Porter, the mildest entries on the 46er list, still involve real rock scrambling near the summits, exposed sections, and weather that changes fast above treeline. Standard backcountry preparation — layers, enough water, a turnaround time, and a real look at the forecast before committing — applies here exactly as it would on any other High Peak. "Easiest 46er" is a relative label inside a genuinely difficult list, not a green light to treat it casually.
FAQ
What's the easiest Adirondack 46er to start with? Cascade Mountain, often combined with adjacent Porter Mountain in a single 6.5-mile round trip with about 2,286 feet of elevation gain, is the standard first choice for most people working through the 46ers.
Is the Cascade Mountain trailhead changing? DEC has a plan to reroute the trailhead from Route 73 to the Mount Van Hoevenberg parking area to address chronic overcrowding, though the trail currently remains accessible from Route 73. Confirm current access before your trip.
What's a good second or third 46er after Cascade and Porter? Phelps Mountain, accessed from the Adirondack Loj, is commonly recommended as the next step — longer than Cascade but without the steep, technical terrain found on much of the rest of the list.
Planning a High Peaks trip? See the Adirondack High Peaks Wilderness listing for a destination overview and food storage rules.