The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) announced today that work on improvements to the summit area of Prospect Mountain Veterans Memorial Highway Day Use Area is complete. DEC will reopen the summit area and the hiking trail from the village of Lake George to the summit on Saturday, Sept. 5.

The public can park in the large parking lot below the summit and walk to the top via a paved trail. The roadway to the top will remain closed to public motor vehicle use at this time. 

The improvements include 450 feet of New York-sourced, large cut stone blocks along the roadway, trails, and picnic area, which replace a crumbling masonry wall, and 900 feet of new and restored paved trails. The stone blocks ensure the safety of visitors to the summit, picnic area, and trails. In addition, the work strengthens the durability of site infrastructure. In addition, DEC undertook improvements to the viewshed that allow more visitors to enjoy the spectacular 360 degree, 100-mile view from the 2,030-foot summit. 

DEC continues to help prevent the spread of COVID-19 at this site with the following precautions: 

1. The shuttle is not operating; 
2. Picnicking is prohibited, and the picnic pavilions are not available to rent; 
3. Restrooms remain closed; and 
4. View scopes at the pull-offs and on the summit have been removed. 

Prospect Mountain Veterans Memorial Highway Day Use Area (www.dec.ny.gov/outdoor/113217.html) is open daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. through Nov. 11. No fee will be charged this year to access the highway.