Hough Peak (pronounced "Huff") reaches 4,400 feet in the central section of the Dix Range, one of the most remote corners of the Adirondack High Peaks. The peak is almost never visited on its own; it is climbed as part of the Dix Range traverse, a demanding day hike of 14 to 18 miles depending on the trailhead, with 5,000 or more feet of elevation gain across five High Peaks — Macomb, South Dix, Grace, Hough, and Dix.
The Elk Lake trailhead on Blue Ridge Road is the most common starting point for the full range. The climb to Hough from the col is short but steep: roughly 400 feet in 0.2 miles over tight herd-path terrain with rock scrambling that requires using hands. The Dix Mountain Wilderness surrounding the range sees far less traffic than the central High Peaks, offering genuine solitude at the cost of a long, committing approach.
