A comprehensive list of Adirondack cross-country ski centers
Editor’s note: This article first ran in 2018, and information regarding prices, hours of operation, etc. may not be current.
By Janet Reynolds
In the Adirondacks, cross-country skiing is not a question of if; it’s a question of where. With more than two thousand miles of hiking trails, though, knowing where to slap on your boards can seem overwhelming—especially if you prefer your trails groomed or perhaps want a place to warm up and get something to eat in between hitting the woods and fields. We’re here to help. We’ve compiled a list of cross-country ski centers in the Adirondack Park. Some simply offer groomed trails; others have food and lodging options, as well as equipment rental. Some require a fee; some do not. Happy skiing!
1. Lapland Lake
139 Lapland Lake Rd. Northville
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518-863-4974
Daily fees: adults, $23; silver striders (65+), youth (12-17), $20; juniors (6-11), $10; children under 6, free. Half-day passes, available after 2 p.m., are adults, $21; silver striders/youth, $18; juniors, $8. Season passes: youth/young adult, 6-24, $140; individual, 25-64, $200; couple, 25-64, $400; family pass #1, one adult, all dependents 17 and under, $230; family pass #2, two adults, all dependents 17 and under, $400; silver strider, $190; silver strider couple, $380. Skiing is free to lodge guests.
Equipment rental: Yes Snowshoeing: Yes
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Designed by former U.S. Olympic skier Olavi Hirvonen, Lapland Lake is a one-stop skiing spot. In addition to food and lodging (in small cottages they call tupas), Lapland has twenty-four miles of trails groomed for both classic and skate skiing. Unlike many ski centers, the trails at Lapland are one-way. One trail is lighted for overnight guests. Lapland has received many awards, including third place in Best Cross Country Ski Resort in USA Today.
2. Kunjamuk Loop
Speculator Ballfield Parking Lot NY 30, Speculator
adirondackexperience.com recreation/cross-country-skiing
Daily fees: Free
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Equipment Rental: No Snowshoeing: Yes
The village of Speculator offers several miles of loop trails near the Sacandaga and Kunjamuk rivers. The trails traverse river plains and upland woods. Starting near the fire station in Speculator, you have your choice of three loops, ranging in distance from one mile to five miles.
3. Lake George Recreation Park
124 Transfer Road, Lake George
518-668-4380
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Daily fees: Free Equipment rental: No
Snowshoeing available: Yes
While small—four miles of groomed trails—this spot is a good place to give cross-country skiing a try if you just want to ski right from your car. In other seasons the area is used by the Lake George Youth Commission for baseball, softball, and soccer.
4. Hackensack Mountain Park
Near Sunset Avenue/Prospect Street intersection, Warrensburg
warrensburgheritagetrail.org/cross-country-skiing-snowshoeing.html
Daily fees: free Equipment rental: No
Snowshoeing available: Yes
This is cross-country skiing at its most simple: just park your car, gear up, and start skiing. Located in the southern Adirondacks, you can warm up afterward in one of Warrensburg’s eateries. Don’t miss a stop at Oscar’s for all things smoked.
5. Dynamite Hill Recreation Area
3 Dynamite Hill Road, Chestertown
518-494-2722
Daily fees: Free Equipment rental: No Snowshoeing available: Yes
Dynamite Hill has 133 acres for hiking in the summer and cross-country skiing in the winter. Tired of skiing? Enjoy the tubing hill, covered skating rink, and/or sledding. The warming hut offers a respite from the elements in between skis.
6. Gore Mountain Nordic Center
793 Peaceful Valley Road, North Creek 518-251-0899
goremountain.com/mountain/north-creek-ski-bowl#nordic
Daily fees: ages 13-69, $16; 70+, $12; ages 7-12, $8. Skier-card discounts. Season passes: 13-69, $159; 7-12, 70+, $89.
Equipment rental: Yes Snowshoeing available: Yes
People know Gore Mountain for downhill skiing. The center also has developed a three-mile network of groomed trails for various skill levels; 2.3 miles of trail have snowmaking and lights, meaning you can ski in just about any weather and at night. Lessons are available. Lodge and dining is on-site as well. And if you downhill ski, you can switch from alpine to Nordic and back again. Use of Nordic terrain is included with all Gore Mountain lift tickets and season passes.
7. Garnet Hill Lodge
39 Garnet Hill Road, North River
518-251-2150
Daily fees: adults, $22; youth/senior, $18. Half-day charges are $15, adults; $12, youth/senior. Season passes: adult, 18-64, $200; 65+, youth, 5-17, $175; family (two adults, up to 4 children under 18), $350; additional family, 5-17, $120.
Equipment rental: Yes Snowshoeing available: Yes
One of the larger cross-country-ski centers in the Adirondacks, Garnet Hill has thirty-four miles of trails that are groomed daily and include set tracks for classic skiing as well as lanes for skate skiing. With a two-thousand-foot elevation, this is a spot to check even if the snow levels seem iffy in other areas of the Adirondacks. Newbies can take lessons, and the lodge is open for full-moon skiing. A lodge and restaurant mean you can eat and/or stay where you ski.
8. McCauley Mountain Ski Area
300 McCauley Mountain Road, OId Forge
315-369-3225
Daily fees: $5 per person; no half-day rates
Equipment rental: Yes Snowshoeing: No
Located in Old Forge in the southwestern Adirondacks, McCauley offers groomed trails that are both track set and skate-friendly. McCauley is better known for its downhill skiing, but cross-country skiers can find plenty to enjoy. Warm up at the chalet in between skis.
9. Fern Park Recreation Area
Loomis Road, Inlet 315-357-5501
www.inletny.com/recreation/fern-park-recreation-area
Daily fees: Free Equipment rental: No
Snowshoeing available: Yes
Fern Park has twenty miles of cross-country skiing and snowshoe trails, all of them maintained by the town of Inlet. Fourteen miles are groomed, while six are not. Skiers can enjoy classic and skate skiing. Trail lights on 1.2 miles of trails mean you don’t have to stop when the sun goes down. If not everyone in your group is a skier, not to worry. The park has a groomed sledding hill and indoor skating rink. A warming hut lets you take the chill off in between skis.
10. Tupper Lake Cross-Country Center
141 Country Club Road, Tupper Lake
518-359-8370
Daily fees: Free Equipment rental: No Snowshoeing available: Yes
Most of this cross-country ski center is groomed for classic Nordic skiing, although some of the wider trails do have skate lanes. Manned by volunteers and the town of Tupper Lake, the center is dog friendly as well. To help keep the trails pristine for cross-country skiing, snowshoers are asked to stay to the side of the trails. The trails connect the Tupper Lake Golf Course to Big Tupper Ski Area. The six main trails include the Golf Course Loop, Cranberry Pond Loop, Little Logger Loop, Big Tupper Trail and the Skidder Trail. Want to stay in the loop on conditions and events like Skiing with the Stars, races and the annual Brew-ski? Sign up for the weekly e-newsletter.
11. Paul Smith’s College VIC
8023 State Route 30, Paul Smiths
518-327-6241
Daily fees: ages 18 and up, $10; ages 6-17, $5; kids under 6, free. Season passes are $100 for adults, $50 for children, and $325 for families.
Equipment rental: No Snowshoeing available: Yes
The Paul Smith’s College VIC is one of the gems of the Adirondacks, no matter what the season. The trails are nice and wide, making them perfect in the winter for cross-country skiing, and the vistas of surrounding bogs and ponds are absolutely stunning. The VIC has more than nine miles of groomed trails for skate and classic cross-country skiing, and twenty-five miles for classic cross-country skiers (and snowshoers). Although the center does not offer food or drink, you can use it get warm and get organized before and after skiing.
12. Dewey Mountain
277 George H. LaPan Memorial Highway, State Route 3, Harrietstown
518-891-2697
Daily fees: $5 per person; children under 5 are free. Season passes are available: $25,
students; $55, individual; $75, family.
Equipment rental: Yes Snowshoeing available: Yes
With a combination of both groomed and ungroomed trails, Dewey offers family-friendly skiing. Dogs are welcome to join in the fun on Wednesdays. (They are permitted on snowshoe trails every day.) The track is set for classic skiing. Warm up in the lodge, which offers cocoa and coffee, in between skis.
13. Mount Van Hoevenberg
Olympic Sports Complex
220 Bobsled Run Lane, Lake Placid
(518) 523-2811
Daily fees: adults, $20; teens/senior (13-19, 65-69), $18; junior, 7-12, 70+, $12; 6 and under, free. Half-day passes, starting at 12:30 p.m., adult, $18; teens/senior, $16; junior, $10. Late-day passes, after 2:30 p.m., adult, $14; teens/seniors, $12; junior, $6. On Ten Dollar Tuesdays everyone skis for $10 all day. Season passes: adult, 20-64, $200; senior, 65-69, $165; junior, 7-12, $70; teen, 13-19, $140; 70+, $50.
Equipment rental: Yes Snowshoeing: Yes
A former Olympic site, Mount Van Hoevenberg offers over thirty miles of groomed trails for all skill levels. Lessons are available, including one for home-schooled children. A fairly new feature is Josie’s Cabin, a woodland retreat where you can relax beside a fire with a hot drink and food. The cabin is a replica of the original Adirondack Lodge built by Henry Van Hoevenberg and is named in honor of his sweetheart, Josephine Schofield, who died before they could realize their vision together for a lodge near Heart Lake. (Mount Jo is named after her.)
14. Cascade Cross-Country Ski Center
4833 Cascade Road, Lake Placid
518-523-1111
Daily fees: adult, $12; senior, $10; child, $6. Season passes are also available: $75, individual; $125, couple; $150, family.
Equipment rental: Yes Snowshoeing available: Yes
With twenty kilometers of groomed trails, Cascade offers Nordic skiers plenty of trail options. Everyone from the beginner to expert will find something that works. When you’re cold or need a rest, Knicker’s, the on-site restaurant, has plenty of comfort food. A bunkhouse lodge accommodates up to thirty guests if you want to spend the weekend.
15. New Land Trust
236 Plumadore Road, Saranac
Daily fees: Free Equipment rental: No Snowshoeing available: Yes
The New Land Trust is one of the newest spots to cross-country ski in the Adirondacks. The 287-acre area is open to the public with over twenty-eight trails open from dawn to dusk. The best place to check for current conditions is on Facebook, which is updated regularly.
16. Adirondack Interpretive Center
NY 28N, Newcomb
518-582-2000
Daily fees: Free
The Adirondack Interpretive Center in Newcomb is another option for cross-country skiers, though its 3.6 miles of trails are not groomed. Various loops are possible. The skiing ranges from easy to challenging, depending on the route. The trails are also open to snowshoers.
In winter, the center’s building is open Friday to Sunday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The trails, though, are open dawn to dusk every day.
The center, located off NY 28N west of Newcomb hamlet, is run by the State University College of Environmental Science and Forestry. Skiing is free. There are no equipment rentals.
There is also a trail that connects the center to the Newcomb Lake Road, which leads to Great Camp Santanoni. The road, which is closed to vehicles, is a popular ski tour.
Just a couple corrections for the Paul Smith’s College VIC:
We do offer packaged foods and hot beverages including tea, cocoa and coffee at this point in time. We are working towards offering refreshments in house.
We have rentals for children and adult snowshoes. We also have Women’s size 5.5 up to Men’s size 12 ski boots, paired with poles and waxless classic skis.
Thanks for the post!
New Land Trust is in Saranac, not Saranac Lake.
Great resource..thank you. Some of the prices, etc. may need updating (esp. MVH)