Adirondack Mountains

OutsideJun 8

Hit 3 of the Adirondacks' Best Mountain Towns on This New Rail Trail

A newly completed multi-use path in country's largest state park in the Lower 48 connects several small adventure towns. Here’s how we navigated the four-day trek with our dog.

29 things in this story

Adirondack Rail TrailTrail34-mile, year-round, multi-use recreational trail
Lake PlacidNeighborhoodtown famous for hosting the Olympics twice
Saranac LakeNeighborhoodless-touristy swap for Lake Placid
High Peaks Wilderness AreaNeighborhoodarea with 46 peaks over 4,000 feet
Mount JoSighttwo-and-a-half-mile round-trip sunset jaunt
Heart LakeSightbody of water with a tragic love story
Big Slide BreweryRestaurantpatio for shrimp tacos and crisp Dorada
Mirror LakeSightlake with intense pinks and violets reflected
Lake Placid-North Elba Historical SocietyMuseumlocal history museum in the old train station
Soulshine BagelRestaurantdog-friendly spot for lunch to-go
Bike Lake PlacidPlaceThe Adirondack Rail Trail in Lake Placid is a picturesque route that winds through the stunning Adirondack Mountains of…
Placid PlanetPlaceShop for Specialized, Santa Cruz, Trek, Cervelo, Juliana, Intense, Pinarello and S-Works.
High Peaks CycleryPlaceYour destination for all things cycling, hiking, backpacking, nordic skiing, backcountry skiing, telemark skiing,…
Bike ADKPlaceoffers dog-friendly trail shuttle services
John Brown Farm State Historic SiteSighthistoric site
Lake Placid Winter Olympic MuseumMuseummuseum about the Winter Olympics
Ski Jumping ComplexSightOlympic ski jumping venue
Golden Arrow Lakeside ResortHoteldog-friendly resort overlooking Mirror Lake
River Trail BeerworksRestaurantdog-friendly space with Detroit-style pizza
McCauley PondSightpond with trailside picnic views
Lake Clear LodgeHoteldestination for putting aching feet up
Nori's Village MarketMarketgrab a trail lunch
Silver Birch CyclesPlacespot to rent a bike
The Adirondack Loon CenterMuseumcenter dedicated to loons
Saranac Lake Laboratory MuseumMuseumlocal museum
Tupper LakeNeighborhood
Henry Van HoevenbergPlace
Adirondack LojHotel
Chubb RiverPlace

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Hit 3 of the Adirondacks' Best Mountain Towns on This New Rail Trail