Adirondack Park

Established by the New York State Legislature in 1892 and now comprising 6.1 million acres of forest, wetlands, peaks, and communities, Adirondack Park is the largest publicly protected area in the contiguous United States — larger than Yellowstone, Yosemite, Grand Canyon, Glacier, and Olympic National Parks combined. The park's 46 High Peaks, those summiting above 4,000 feet, constitute the most challenging and rewarding hiking terrain in the northeastern United States, with Mount Marcy at 5,344 feet the highest point in New York State. The ascent of Marcy from the South Meadow or Heart Lake trailheads takes seven to nine hours round trip and should be treated as a full-day commitment. Trails range from easy lakeside loops around Mirror Lake in Lake Placid to technical scrambles up the rocky faces of the Great Range. Beyond hiking, the park encompasses more than 3,000 lakes and ponds offering canoeing, kayaking, and swimming; the Ausable River and its branches providing world-class fly-fishing; and the region around Lake Placid offering Olympic-caliber venues for bobsled, ski jump, and biathlon. In winter, the park shifts focus: Gore Mountain and Whiteface Mountain are the principal downhill ski areas, while miles of groomed cross-country ski trails traverse state land. The park's interior can be reached from Albany, about two hours by car, or from Burlington, Vermont, via ferry across Lake Champlain. Base camps at Lake Placid, Saranac Lake, or Old Forge suit different parts of the vast park.