Windham is the northernmost 3500. Some approaches are easy and the view from the top can be as far as Albany on a clear day.

Quick Look - Windham High Peak from Peck Road
Difficulty	Round trip	Total climb	Location	Internet Maps
	6.5 mi.	1494 ft.	N42.3147 W74.1439	MSR Maps	GPsies

From Rt. 23C take Maplecrest Road north to Maplecrest and then turn right onto Big Hollow Rd. After a short distance turn left onto Peck Rd. and park in the parking area near the end. Find the yellow-blazed Elm Ridge trail and continue on this trail for .85 miles where it crosses the blue-blazed Escarpment Trail. Take a right here and stay on the trail for 2.4 miles to the summit of Windham High Peak (3524 ft.) This trail winds through some boggy areas where old log foot "bridges" are slowly rotting away. After taking in the view on a clear day, turn around and retrace the same route to the parking area.

Windham can also be approached from the east by parking further along Big Hollow Rd. Access is along a part of the Black Dome Range trail which intersects the Escarpment Trail that leads to the peak. The path described above is shorter and certainly not very challenging.

Quick Look - Windham High Peak from Big Hollow
Difficulty	Round trip	Total climb	Location	Internet Maps
	6.4 mi.	2207 ft.	N42 18.88 W74 08.62	MSN MapPoint	GPSies

From Rt. 23C take Maplecrest Road north to Maplecrest and then turn right onto Big Hollow Rd. Go to the "end" of Big Hollow Road and park in the parking area on the right. You may also use the snow plow turn around on the left when there is no snow. On the left side of the road find the trail head for the red-blazed Black Dome Trail. The first water crossing across Batavia Kill is on a bridge so there is no problem. Right after the bridge and trail register you must cross a small tributary which can be all but impossible during high water. If you cannot cross here, you may be able to bushwhack along the left side of the stream to an easier crossing. I have bushwhacked all the way up to the Escarpment Trail without too many problems.

After about a mile the Black Dome Trail ends at a T with the blue-blazed Escarpment Trail. Turn left toward Burnt Knob and Windham High Peak. The climb up Burnt Knob is short but can be tricky. In the winter the narrow trail is hard to negotiate with snow shoes. In the drier seasons the loose dirt in some areas makes falling very easy. After about .25 miles there is a side trail to the left which offers a beautiful view of the Blackhead Range to the south. Back on the main trail you will begin to descend from Burnt Knob in only .1 miles. There is a view of Windham just as you begin to descend. The view is much better when there are no leaves on the trees. After about 1.5 miles of most flat walking the climb up Windham begins. There are several spots along the way that offer views; some better than others. One spot in particular is about halfway between Burnt Knob and Windham. Walk of the trail to the right and a rock ledge offers wonderful views to the north and east.

The climb up Windham gets steeper at times but a few switchbacks help out. The distance is less than a mile and Windham is only 3524 ft. in elevation. As you near the top there are two nice lookouts on the right. Continue on to a big pine tree near the top that marks the highest spot on the peak. Retrace your steps to the lookouts and enjoy the view. To get back just reverse your course and return the way you came.