Leaving the final lookout, we continued our descent, paying close attention to the red NYSDEC trail markers. We soon came to a public-private boundary line, with private property warning signs and such. My tracklog from the
2016 hike up the Crows trail showed a sharp right turn here, straight down towards the road. But the trail markers and the footpath led straight ahead, to the west. After a bit of humming and hawing, we decided -- especially in light of the private property signage -- to stay on whatever route had the official-ness associated with those NYSDEC markers. Perhaps the private landowners down here had decided to put their collective feet down, what with all of the increased hiker traffic these days.
Finally the NYSDEC-marked trail started to curve south towards Hurricane road. The terrain flattened out and soon we could see the yards of private residences on either side. The trail traced a discreet path in the forest between the residences. We crossed over a small rise and the pavement of Hurricane Road was suddenly before us.
Back in 2016, I wrote about not being able to find any sort of official marked trailhead for the lower end of the Crows trail. Turns out, there is indeed a bit of official marking for this trailhead alongside Hurricane Road. It is *very* subtle, however - a two-foot high wooden stake with two little circular NYSDEC markers nailed to it. No big, prominent sign. Very, very easy to miss. I wonder if this was because of some sort of deal with the adjacent landowners? As in, public access is allowed, but the markings and signage have to remain low-key in the hopes of keeping the hiker traffic down.
In any case, our by-the-book adherence to the marked trail has deposited us a short way downhill from where we've parked the CR-V. Therefore, our final act is to walk up the freshly-paved road (perhaps 500 yards) to where we've parked the car. And thus ends a very nice, very successful, very scenic fall Adirondack hike. The extra color-kick of the hike down the Crows had been well worth-it, and is in general a nice variation from the standard NunDaGaO loop. You'll need two vehicles, though!
