Mount Skylight
Mount Skylight is a mountain in the Adirondack Park, New York. It is the fourth-highest peak in the state, at 4,924 feet (1,501 meters). The mountain is in Keene, Essex County. It was named in 1857 by artist Frederick S. Perkins and guide Orson Schofield Phelps because a rock near the top looks like a window. The first known ascent was on August 28, 1873, by Phelps, Verplanck Colvin, and two others.
A single trail climbs about 0.5 miles (0.8 km) to the summit from the Four Corners, where Skylight meets Mount Marcy. Several other trails reach that junction. Most hikers go from the west, using the Feldspar Brook Trail from the Flowed Lands camping area, and often combine the climb with a visit to Lake Tear of the Clouds and a side trip to Gray Peak. From the Upper Works trailhead to Four Corners is about 9.5 miles (15.3 km). You can also reach Four Corners by descending from Marcy to the north, or via Panther Gorge and Elk Lake to the southeast, about 10.2 miles (16.4 km). These trips are long and usually done as overnight hikes.
From the summit you can see about 30 major peaks. In the past, hikers would carry a rock to add to a summit cairn, but this practice is now discouraged.
This page was last edited on 2 February 2026, at 12:09 (CET).