Lake Titus can be seen from near the summit of Elephant Head, north of Meacham Lake. (Enterprise photo — Justin A. Levine)

RAY BROOK — The state Department of Environmental Conservation has reopened the Elephant Head trail road after extensive improvements.

Elephant Head is a short hike just outside the Blue Line, about 9 miles south of Malone on state Route 30. From Route 30, the road leads 1.5 miles into the Titusville Mountain State Forest to a large parking area.

Previously, the road was in rough shape with large rocks, ruts and mud puddles that would have made passage difficult for low-clearance vehicles. The DEC said in a press release that may still be the case.

“DEC recently rehabilitated the road with significant brushing, grading, and other tread repairs to make the road passable for vehicles,” the release said. “Vehicles with low clearance may have difficulty utilizing the gravel road.”

Hikers who could not access the parking area were encouraged to park at the Route 30 end of the road, which turned the 1.4-mile hike into a 4.5-mile hike. From the parking area, the short trail gains 320 feet in elevation and offers views of Lake Titus and the surrounding area.

The trail is an easy walk, with rolling uphills mixed with some flat spots and short downhills. Just before the top, the trail goes past a large rock outcrop and then hangs a right up a moderately steep slope. There is an old but solid wooden staircase here to help hikers get up the last little bit of steepness.

Once at the top of the staircase, there are numerous herd paths, with some leading to overgrown views that don’t offer a whole lot but would be fun for kids to explore.

At the top of the staircase, at the 0.67-mile mark, bear left and follow the trail to a cut-out view to the north. The viewing area is small but offers spectacular views of Lake Titus and the St. Lawrence valley.

The road improvements were done under Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s Adventure NY initiative, which aims to increase access to the outdoors.