2024-05-24: Sugar Hill

Sugar Hill, elevation 2093'. Schuyler County highpoint. New York county highpoints 22/62.

In May, I graduated from college. The following few weeks were expectedly chaotic, but I managed to eek out time for a county highpoint. Audrey had come to visit me for a week after I returned to New York, and when I drove her back to Indiana, I wanted to find a highpoint that both of us could enjoy.

This meant something with views, something that wasn't exceptionally grueling, and something that wasn't dangerous (i.e. no private bushwhacks). All of these requirements were met in Sugar Hill, the highest point in Schuyler County in western New York. Home to a fire tower and with a road to the summit, it seemed like a destination we could both enjoy.

A view of (most of) the fire tower atop Sugar Hill.

I wasn't sure if the road to Sugar Hill would be open, so we parked at a trailhead along Tower Road to its north. I hadn't taken the holiday weekend into consideration, and we found the gate open, so we quickly returned to the car and drove the short dirt road up to the top of the aptly-named Sugar Hill Recreation Area.

USGS survey marker at the summit of Sugar Hill.

The summit of Sugar Hill was crowded with campers, RVs, and people enjoying the long weekend, clustered around a circle at the end of the road. Evidently, this particular county highpoint is a popular campsite. In the center of the circle were the ranger station, fire tower, and survey marker, which I of course rushed to find.

Me and Audrey looking blurry below the fire tower.

After the requisite summit pictures, we headed up the fire tower, which was remarkably empty. The tower was in fairly good condition, and constituted the only 'climbing' we did that day, and it was also fairly short. The views from the top of the Finger Lakes region were incredible, and we could hardly have chosen a better day for it.

Looking northwest from the fire tower towards Lamoka Lake.

Rolling forests and fields in central Schuyler County.

The view north towards the southern end of Waneta Lake.

After a decent stay at the top of the fire tower, we carefully climbed down and headed back to the car, continuing our thirteen-hour journey to western Indiana and concluding a pleasant - and county-conquering - diversion.