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The Adirondacks: Route Guide

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Algonquin Peak — The Adirondacks
Photo: David Smith · CC BY 2.0 · Wikimedia Commons

Six million protected acres, bigger than Yellowstone, Yosemite and Glacier combined, two hours from Albany: the High Peaks above Lake Placid's twin Olympic villages, great camps on mirror water, and fire towers over an ocean of trees. Ride a bobsled, paddle a canoe route, climb a 46er. The Adirondack chair was invented here for the view; use both.

The Adirondacks is a 165 km one-way journey (self-drive). It works best as 3–5 days; the plan below is the 4-day version for September, built from 111 verified places, with real road-routed transit times, opening hours and daylight checked.

3–5
days
165km
distance
3
Stops
111
curated stops

Plan your own version → 3-day plan · 4-day plan · 5-day plan · best time to go

The route

Lake George→ 90 kmLake Placid & the High Peaks→ 15 kmSaranac Lake

What you'll see

Fort William Henry Museum
Explore a detailed replica of an 18th-century British fort with period furnishings and exhibits.
Lake George
Lake Placid Winter Olympic Museum
Explore exhibits celebrating the legacy of the 1932 and 1980 Winter Olympics held in Lake Placid.
Lake Placid & the High Peaks
Saranac Laboratory Museum
Discover the pioneering tuberculosis research that shaped modern medicine.
Saranac Lake
Lake George Steamboat Company
Take a relaxing cruise on authentic steamboats gliding across the serene lake.
Lake George
John Brown Farm State Historic Site
Explore the preserved home and final resting place of the famed abolitionist.
Lake Placid & the High Peaks
Saranac Lake River Walk
Stroll along the river path passing historic buildings and Lake Flo.
Saranac Lake
Adirondack Camp
Discover the historic waterfront of one of the oldest continuously operating children's camps in the Adirondacks.
Lake George
Adirondack Sleigh Rides
Enjoy a peaceful ride through snowy landscapes in a horse-drawn sleigh.
Lake Placid & the High Peaks

Choose your length

3-day plan13 stops · 6.2 h transit4.3 stops/day · 2.1 h transit/daySee the full plan →4-day plan20 stops · 5.7 h transit5 stops/day · 1.4 h transit/daySee the full plan →5-day plan24 stops · 8.2 h transit4.8 stops/day · 1.6 h transit/daySee the full plan →

When to go

Best months: June, July, August, September

High Peaks trailheads fill by seven, the lakes warm for classic camp swimming, and late September lights six million acres on fire in the good way.

See the month-by-month breakdown →

Similar journeys

Plan your own version →