LAKE PLACID – The three most popular activities in Lake Placid are hiking, hiking and hiking. OK now that we’re clear about that, there are various forms of this exhilarating exercise within a reasonable distance from our community. Just a few of them are: Lake Placid family hikes, world class athlete hikes, hiking with Fido and more.
Let’s begin with Lake Placid – This link opens in a new browser tab family hikes. These are meant to be relatively gentle, not lasting all day and will enable mom, dad and the kids to still have enough energy to walk to Main Street for an evening ice cream cone.
COBBLE MOUNTAIN
This is the low-hanging fruit of Lake Placid family hikes. From the Mirror Lake Inn, for instance, you can easily hike to this hike. The Inn and Cobble Mountain are in the village limits. Residents are known to scoot up Cobble on their lunch hours.
The distance is just over 1.5 miles round trip, hence the walk to the trail head (around the backside of Mirror Lake) isn’t a bad option if you seek a little extra, but it is certainly drivable. Once there, you have a choice between steeper and easier routes. The trip to the summit offers exceptional views of the High Peaks region.
Here’s our own Andrew Weibrecht, with his trusty sidekick Fye, as they take you on this popular hike.
https://www.facebook.com/mirrorlakeinn/videos/233470914029684/
For your GPS, the trail head is near Northwood School in Lake Placid.
MOUNT JO
Another choice for Lake Placid family hikes is Mount Jo, located in the Town of North Elba wherein lies Lake Placid. ADK.org says, “Mt. Jo is a great beginner hike for kids and adults with wonderful views from the summit.” It’s just 2.5 miles with a vertical ascent of 700 feet.
From Lake Placid, drive out of town on Route 73 beyond the ski jumps. Near the top of a long climb, the Adirondack Loj Road is on your right. Take it and drive the five miles to the parking lot. There is a $10 fee to leave your vehicle. The High Peaks Information Center will greet you upon arrival and give you even more info on Lake Placid family hikes.
HENRY’S WOODS
And then we suggest Henry’s Woods, accessed via Old Military Road and Bear Cub Lane in Lake Placid, close to the U.S. Olympic Training Center.
I’ve spent numerous hikes in Henry’s Woods with my lab and have met many family hikers. It’s 100 acres that continues to expand. There are five distinct trails, ranging from short to steep to flat. It could be a mile in length; it could be two miles. You decide.
This is the beauty of Lake Placid family hikes. They can be as strenuous or as mild as your mood chooses. And rest assured, that when your mood swings again, in these parts, there will be a hike to match it.
(All photos provided)