Holcomb Pond seen on Tuesday, Sept. 2 near Lake Placid on Tuesday, Sept. 2, with the Sentinel Range in the background. (News photo — Chris Gaige)

LAKE PLACID — I was only a minute into the hike and five spider webs had already brushed across my face.

I quickly realized this was a trail less traveled. It had likely been some time since anyone else had made the trek back to Holcomb Pond. Given the jam-packed trailheads now commonplace in the Adirondacks, this was something I immediately embraced.

The trail to Holcomb Pond begins off of River Road about one mile south of that road’s intersection with state Route 86 just beyond a bridge that crosses Holcomb Pond’s outlet. There’s a small parking area on the River Road’s east side, opposite the Ausable River. The trail is dedicated to the Adirondack veterans and soldiers of the 10th Mountain Division. There is a set of flags, pair benches and a plaque near the parking area commemorating this, along with state Department of Environmental Conservation signage for angler parking and wilderness etiquette.

Finding the trail is a bit complicated. It begins on the opposite (closer to state Route 86) side of River Road’s bridge as the parking area.

The trail hugs the outlet. There’s also an access path from the parking lot side past the benches that takes a left turn and rock hops across the outlet about 350 feet into the woods, meeting up with the main trail.

The parking area for the Holcomb Pond trail along River Road near Lake Placid is seen on Tuesday, Sept. 2. (News photo — Chris Gaige)

From there, the trail pulls away from the outlet and climbs 50 feet or so up a small hill. Even though the mileage is short and the elevation gain is minimal, the trail isn’t extensively maintained and is rather scraggly in places. There are several fallen logs and slippery mossy stretches that require decent agility to navigate.

The trail isn’t marked, though the path through the woods is relatively well-defined and easy to follow. The trail gives up most of its elevation gain and comes to a marshy area around 0.4 miles, though dry weather over the past few weeks left little in the way of mud on the trail.

The trail proceeds with a few more small ups and downs over the next 0.2 miles, at which point it comes to Holcomb Pond’s west shore. There’s a designated campsite there, with striking views of several mountains in the Sentinel Range, including Kilburn Mountain.

At 3,893 feet, Kilburn is the tallest peak in the range, though just short of the 4,000-feet threshold to qualify as an Adirondack High Peak. Ironically, that still makes it taller than one of the High Peaks, Couchsachraga Peak, which was mismeasured originally but included with the High Peaks for tradition’s sake.

From the campsite, the trail continues to the left, though it gradually becomes more overgrown, presumably from hikers turning around at various points, leaving a lighter-trodden path. The trail comes to a large rock directly above the water at 0.75 miles. Though tempting at first, the water appeared woefully too shallow for a pond jump. Still, the rock provided a good rest and sunbathing spot, with panoramic views of the pond and nearby mountains.

The 10th Mountain Division memorial at the trailhead and parking area for the Holcomb Pond Trail along River Road near Lake Placid is seen on Tuesday, Sept. 2. (News photo — Chris Gaige)

After a short break, I made my way back to the road. Taking photos and walking at a slow pace, I was in and out in half an hour. For such a short hike, the views are spectacular and the crowds are nonexistent — hikers should just be willing to brush the occasional cobweb away.

A section of the Holcomb Pond Trail is seen in the Sentinel Range Wilderness near Lake Placid on Tuesday, Sept. 2. (News photo — Chris Gaige)

A moss-covered section of the trail to Holcomb Pond is seen in the Sentinel Range Wilderness near Lake Placid on Tuesday, Sept. 2. (News photo — Chris Gaige)

Resting on a rock above Holcomb Pond in the Sentinel Range Wilderness near Lake Placid on Tuesday, Sept. 2, with some of the Sentinel Range mountains seen in the background. (News photo — Chris Gaige)

A stream crossing is seen about 350 feet from the trailhead and parking area for the Holcomb Pond trail. (News photo — Chris Gaige)