The High Peaks Region of the Adirondack Park offers an endless array of possibilities for hiking from an afternoon saunter with the family to a week of wilderness backpacking. And Mount Marcy is the highest of the high. Mt. Marcy is also a hugely popular destination, and offers several routes to the summit.
Some routes are more trafficked than others.
But you can't get away from the fact that on a fine summer day, you'll find scores of hikers lounging on the summit. This is a challenging, though non-technical climb with the best views of the High Peaks at the summit, and even before. You can't do better than this hike in the autumn during leaf-peeping season. Though technically not part of the High Peaks, the area around Saranac Lake offers more solitude. Ampersand Mountain, Scarface, and Mount Mackenzie are all recommended hikes.