A great short hike for families with youngsters: the kids get a leg up from stone steps much of the way and the wide-open view down the Notch makes them feel like big-time climbers after a relatively short effort. On top of the bluff, point out places you've been or might be heading to next, like the mountains Lafayette and Liberty, the Cannon Mountain Tram, and Echo Lake. To add a little more distance and grab another great view, hike up to the summit of Bald Mountain, too.