The Jay Mountain Wilderness Area, an Adirondack Park unit of the Forest Preserve

Forest Preserve (New York)

New York's Forest Preserve is all the land owned by the state within the Adirondack and Catskill parks, managed by its Department of Environmental Conservation. These properties are required to be kept "forever wild" by Article 14 of the state constitution, and thus enjoy the highest degree of...

, lies within the towns of Jay

Jay, New York

Jay is a town in Essex County, New York, United States. The population was 2,306 at the 2000 census. The town is named after John Jay, governor of New York when the town was formed....

 and Lewis

Lewis, New York

Lewis is the name of several places in the U.S. state of New York:*Lewis, Essex County, New York*Lewis, Lewis County, New York*Lewis County, New York...

 in Essex County

Essex County, New York

Essex County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2010 census, the population was 39,370. Its name is from the English county of Essex. Its county seat is Elizabethtown...

. It is bounded by the Glen Road on the south and private land boundaries elsewhere except where the road west of Mt. Fay severs an appendage of state lands.

Geography

The high and precipitous mountains in this area are generally similar in character to the Hurricane Mountain Primitive Area.

Recreation

The area is suitable for backcountry hiking

Hiking

Hiking is an outdoor activity which consists of walking in natural environments, often in mountainous or other scenic terrain. People often hike on hiking trails. It is such a popular activity that there are numerous hiking organizations worldwide. The health benefits of different types of hiking...

 and backpacking

Backpacking (wilderness)

Backpacking combines the activities of hiking and camping for an overnight stay in backcountry wilderness...

. As it lacks maintained trail

Trail

A trail is a path with a rough beaten or dirt/stone surface used for travel. Trails may be for use only by walkers and in some places are the main access route to remote settlements...

s, all hikes within are bushwhacks. The vistas from Jay, Saddlebrook and Slip Mountains make the climb to the vantage points well worthwhile. The AuSable Valley can be seen as well as the Champlain Valley

Champlain Valley

The Champlain Valley is a region of the United States around Lake Champlain in Vermont and New York extending slightly into Quebec, Canada as part of the St. Lawrence River drainage basin drained northward by the Richelieu River into the St...

 and the High Peaks.