| Balsam Lake Mountain | |
|---|---|
 Balsam Lake Mountain looking up Clark Hollow from Mill Brook Road to the northwest | |
| Highest point | |
| Elevation | 3,730 ft (1,140 m)[1] |
| Prominence | 480 ft (150 m)[2] |
| Listing | Catskill High Peaks #16 |
| Coordinates | 42°2.74′N 74°35.67′W / 42.04567°N 74.59450°W |
| Geography | |
 | |
| Location | Hardenburgh, New York |
| Parent range | Catskill Mountains |
| Topo map | USGS Seager |
| Geology | |
| Age of rock | 250-350 mya |
| Mountain type | Mature dissected plateau |
| Climbing | |
| Easiest route | Old road to fire tower |
Balsam Lake Mountain is one of the Catskill Mountains, located in the Town of Hardenburgh, New York, United States. It is the westernmost of the range's 35 High Peaks. Its exact height has not been determined, but the highest contour line on topographic maps, 3,720 feet (1,130 m), is usually given as its elevation.
Located within the Balsam Lake Mountain Wild Forest management unit of the Catskill Park Forest Preserve, in the late 19th century its summit became the site of the first fire lookout tower in the state, operated by members of a nearby sportsmen's club. It was later taken over by the state's conservation agencies, which built several improved towers on the site, one of which remains, along with its accessory buildings and has been listed on the National Register of Historic Places,[3] although it has not been used for fire detection since 1988. The summit is also the site of a rare sphagnum bog that has been affected by acid rain since a mid-20th century windstorm blew down many of the trees sheltering it at the time.
The tower and the views it commands, as well as its ease of access by the old truck road to the tower, have made it a popular attraction for hikers despite the mountain's remote location. Many are peakbaggers aspiring to membership in the Catskill Mountain 3500 Club, for which Balsam Lake is a required peak.[4]
- ^ Summit elevation between 3,720 and 3,740 ft.
- ^ Key col elevation between 3,240 and 3,260 ft.
- ^ "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. March 13, 2009.
- ^ "Balsam Lake Mountain; Balsam Lake Fire Tower". Catskill Mountain 3500 Club. 2007–2010. Archived from the original on 7 April 2010. Retrieved March 11, 2010.