A Weekend in the Adirondacks

Author’s Note: I have yet to take this trip. I would love to, but if you attempt this and it ends in disaster, I do not take responsibility. Also, none of the photos are mine. Please see appropriate citations.

To call Adirondack Park massive would be an understatement. The 6-million acre park in Upstate New York is the largest collection of publicly protected land in the contiguous United States. The state owns about 2 million acres, preserving a significant portion of New York’s natural landscape.

Unlike some other parks, Adirondack Park hosts around 100 towns completely immersed in its forests.

While winter in the area is nothing short of spectacular, this guide will focus on the warmer months, when the weather is perfect for outdoor exploration. Seeing as it’s currently ten degrees in D.C., can you blame me?

Lake Placid, which you will read about shortly, is about a 4.5-hour drive north of New York City. Nearby Adirondack Regional Airport (30-minute drive) has direct flights to JFK and Boston via Cape Air, while Plattsburgh International Airport (1-hour) has flights to D.C. and several cities in Florida.

Day 1

Out of all the towns within the park, I would secure a place in Lake Placid, New York.

What other small town of 2,300 people has hosted the Olympics twice?! It’s a perfect, centralized location for everything I have planned.

Drop your things off at a hotel, don your hiking boots and start the adventure by summiting Mount Jo.

The trailhead for the 2-mile hike ($10/car after 1 p.m.) is just 15 minutes south of Lake Placid. It’s a pretty popular trail, so pack some patience if the lot is full!

The mountain is just under 3,000 feet and gives stunning views over Heart Lake.

After climbing the mountain, make the trek back to Lake Placid to visit a few of the town’s many breweries. Prison City Brewing sits right on Mirror Lake. There’s nothing better than pairing the waterside views with a thematically named beer. Can I interest anyone in a Go Ahead Punk. Make My Haze IPA?

While the Lake Placid location is just a taproom, the beers are brewed in-state at a facility outside Buffalo.

Day 2

If you’re anything like me and need caffeine, grab a latte from Origin Coffee Co. right in Lake Placid.

About 40 minutes west of Lake Placid is Tupper Lake, NY, a lakeside town of just over 3,000. The drive between the two towns is gorgeous. I don’t see the minutes dragging by.

After arriving in Tupper Lake, your first stop has to be

The Washboard Donut Shoppe. Donut (lol) be discouraged that it doubles as a laundromat!

If you were able to hold off on coffee until now, or need another cup, Perk and Pine is a block away on Park Street.

While Tupper Lake’s donuts are said to be spectacular, the real star of the town is The Wild Center ($25/person).

This museum focuses on the natural aspects of the Adirondacks. Like I’ve said, I’ve yet to visit the region but I already know my highlight of the museum would be its resident otters.

I can’t spend every day in upstate New York, but I can spend every day watching the Wild Center’s otter live camera.

Be sure to also check out the museum’s outdoor section. It includes a mile trail to a nearby stream and a canopy walk comprised of bridges over the treeline.

On the way back to Lake Placid, State Route 3 passes several trails worth your time. All of these are very close to the highway, so take your pick:

• Middle Saranac Lake: An easy mile-long trail that goes through the woods to a viewpoint over Saranac Lake.
• Ampersand Mountain Trail: My personal favorite of the bunch, this hard 5.3-mile trail climbs almost 2,000 feet up to Ampersand Mountain. The summit has incredible views of the surrounding area.

• Oseetah Lake Trail: An easy two-mile trail that goes to an overlook of Oseetah Lake.
• Panther Mountain: If you’re looking for a mountain not quite as challenging as Ampersand, Panther Mountain is a quick mile that only climbs about 500 feet. While not as spectacular as Ampersand, the summit still has great views of the region.
• Stoney Creek Pond Trail: Yet another mile-long trail that goes through the woods to a pond overlook.

I’m not the most sporty person, but if you’re into the Olympics, you’ll probably recall Lake Placid hosted the 1932 and 1980 Winter Olympics! Paying homage to these events, the city has the Lake Placid Olympic Museum ($15/person) holding the second largest Winter Olympic artifact collection in North America.

Dinner must be had lakeside, and thankfully Lake Placid has no shortage of options. Some of my personal suggestions are the BBQ restaurant Smoke Signals and the Italian restaurant Luna.

After dinner, if you beat the sunset, grab a drink at Top of the Park. The restaurant’s rooftop deck overlooks the mountains towering above the lake.

Day 3

What better way to end your time in the Adirondacks than by starting your journey to joining the Adirondack 46ers?

The Adirondacks are home to 46 mountains over 4,000 feet, referred to as the Adirondack High Peaks. The Adirondack 46ers is an exclusive club home to those who have climbed them all.

After grabbing a specialty tea latte at Capisce Coffee & Espresso Bar, head about 10 minutes south of Lake Placid to the Cascade Mountain Trail.

Now this trail is no walk in the park, but I can basically promise that it’s worth it.

The trail is a bit under six miles and climbs over 2,000 feet to summit both Cascade and Porter Mountains, two of the Adirondacks’ 46 high peaks. Only 44 more to go!