Albany Notch Trail

Dogs Unknown

Features Birding · Lake · River/Creek · Wildlife

The trailhead is barely accessible and there isn't a designated parking area (despite the Albany Mountain kiosk map). There is limited signage and maintenance, making this trail more difficult. It's unclear whether this is its own independent trail or if the Forest Service is trying to make this an extension of the Albany Mountain Trail.

This is a tricky trail to access from the bottom, as it appears there is no parking area or indication of the trail start. The road to access this trailhead is mostly a snowmobile trail that's barely suitable for some vehicles. It appears that the trail starts from the snowmobile junction, just before the Forest Service Gate and the National Forest Boundary markers.

Starting off Albany Mountain Trail, the trail descends through an open area of Reindeer Lichen and rocks. It re-enters the forest, then climbs over a scramble of boulders. The trail turns left (southward) and travels through the notch. *Looking to the right, here, you may be able to catch a glimpse of the impressive rock cliffs of Peter Mountain.

The trail descends, steeply, through the notch. While there is flagging (in this area) to indicate they might be putting in some stone staircases, the trail currently remains steep and dangerous. The trail descends down to a snowmobile trail, where it coincides (for a short ways), then turns right towards the dead tree marsh.

The Number 8 Pond might be reached by taking a hard right onto the snowmobile trail (before the marsh) and then a left. It re-connects with the snowmobile trail once more and follows this to the gate. This trail appears to end here at the gate, and the boundary of the National Forest.

Flora: Reindeer Lichen, Cattail, Blackberries, Beech.
Fungi: Stacka Hydnum Mushroom.
Fauna: Bluejays, Red Squirrel, Chipmunks.