[4] The earliest recorded ascent of the mountain was made in 1812 when a surveyor named John Richards was marking the lot lines in Township 12 of the Old Military Tract.

[4] Three hiking approaches are available to the summit of Big Slide, which offers views of the nearby Great Range, Giant Mountain, and Algonquin Peak.

One approach is via the Brothers, a set of three rocky crags which offer several views on the way to the summit.

This blue-blazed trail begins at the Garden parking lot on New York State Route 73 in Keene Valley, and continues over the Brothers to the junction with the red-blazed Slide Mountain Brook Trail, which proceeds to the summit for a total distance of 4.0 miles (6.4 km) and ascent of 2,800 feet (850 m).

After 1.3 miles (2.1 km), the blue-blazed Big Slide Trail diverges and travels over the summit of Yard to the summit of Big Slide, for a total distance of 7.5 miles (12.1 km) and ascent of 1,927 feet (587 m).