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Fall Hikes for Every Level of Hiker

Fall in the Adirondacks is cool and quiet, with landscapes that burst with color, beauty, and allure. It's the perfect time of year to go on a hike and, lucky you, the Adirondacks are home to over 2,000 miles of trails for all abilities. 

Published: 09/30/2019

Whether you're an experienced hiker or lacing up your boots for the first time, the Adirondacks are home to trails and mountains suited for all abilities. Looking a for a great place to stay in Lake Placid during your hiking excursion? Book our Fall Hiking Package and get a boxed lunch and hiking pack with everything you need to enjoy miles of hiking trails that wind to mountain summits, loop lakes, and lead to as far-as-the-eye-can-see views. As your local experts, we're here to help you find the perfect hike! 

Beginner – Never Hiked Before to Hiked a Few Times When I Had To

  • Henry's Woods is a two-mile drive from Lake House, making it a great place to go for a hike with kids or anyone who has limited hiking experience. The nature path offers a groomed hiking experience over a two-mile loop with a couple of trails that shoot off to offer scenic views before threading back into the main loop.
  • John Brown Farm State Historic Site is the former home and final resting place of famed abolitionist, John Brown. The scenic spot is open-year round for hiking. Enjoy three interconnected trails about three miles from Lake House. Explore the Potato Field Loop at 1.8 miles roundtrip, the Maple Grove Trail at 0.3 miles roundtrip, and the Ski Jump Trail that is just under a mile roundtrip. For scenic views and classic Adirondack forests and landscapes without traveling too far from town, these trails are perfect.
  • High Falls Gorge is an eight-mile drive from the resort in the neighboring town of Wilmington, where Whiteface Mountain ski center is located. Experience the beauty and awe of walking along cliff sides and waterfalls at this scenic spot. The Gorge is a top attraction for the Lake Placid area, offering a café and shop, as well as year-round activities. Explore the half-mile walk along the gorge over walkways and bridges, groomed paths and viewing platforms.

Dog walking along a trail in the woods
Henry's Woods

Intermediate – I Like Hiking to I Could Get Into This

  • Marcy Dam trailhead is a 10-mile drive outside of town, past the Olympic Ski Jumping Complex, and down Adirondack Loj Road. This moderately used trail is a 4.2 mile out and back trail that skirts a lake and offers epic views for little hiking effort.
  • Paul Smith's College VIC Trails is a network of interconnected trails open for year-round use about 22 miles from downtown Lake Placid. The trails crisscross 3,000 acres of mountains, marshes, forests, and steams. The Barnum Brook trail is a must-hike. See wetlands, walk along a brook, and enjoy scenic overlooks. Wildlife viewing opportunities abound. Glimpse snowshoe hares, Common Loons, Barred Owls, and more.
  • The Lake Placid 9er challenge is a hiking gauntlet throw down for all who enjoy bagging peaks without traveling too far from your home base or encountering large crowds of hikers! Enjoy a fire tower hike, a trip to the historic Adirondack Loj, and views of some of the most iconic landscapes in the Adirondacks. The peaks are: Cobble Hill, Mt. Jo, Baxter Mountain, Mt. Van Hoevenberg, Big Crow Mountain, Bear Den Mountain, Pitchoff Mountain, Catamount Mountain, and Hurricane Mountain. Hike all nine and get a 9er patch

View of a mountain from another mountaintop
Cobble Hill

Expert – Hiking is Life

  • The Saranac Six is a series of mountain summits that anyone who aspires to be a Saranac Lake 6er must complete! You can be an Ultra 6er, someone who hikes every peak in one day, or take your time and complete the challenge over a couple of visits in different seasons. Once you've conquered Baker, St. Regis, Scarface, Ampersand, Haystack, and McKenzie – 15,080-feet total in elevation – ring the 6er Bell on the Berkeley Green in downtown Saranac Lake!
  • The Tupper Lake Triad is a new hiking challenge that includes Mount Arab, Coney Mountain, and Goodman Mountain. Mount Arab is a two-mile roundtrip hike with a fire tower at the summit for incredible views of the surrounding Adirondack Mountains. Coney Mountain promises great views for minimum effort on the 2.2-mile roundtrip hike. Finally, Goodman Mountain at 2.4 miles roundtrip features sprawling views from the summit. Register completing all three hikes on the Triad Roster and get a cool hiking patch!

 

View of a lake and other mountains from a mountaintop
Mount Arab

Whatever your level of ability, always remember to leave no trace and use Lake House at High Peaks Resort as your hiking basecamp when you come to the Adirondacks.