Friday: Heading to Lake Placid
Lake Placid and Mirror Lake
Lake Placid hosted the Winter Olympics twice, in 1932 and 1980, the year of the famous “Miracle on Ice.” Yet the town sits at only about 565 m above sea level: its reputation comes from reliable winters and the surrounding terrain. The loop around Mirror Lake is about 4 km, roughly an hour's walk, and on calm days the mountains are reflected in the water. On Main Street, several souvenir shops stay open in the evening, such as Critters and Adirondack Decorative Arts & Crafts.
Saturday: Ferry, Museum and the Olympic Trail
The Essex–Charlotte Ferry
From the village of Essex, a ferry crosses Lake Champlain to Charlotte, Vermont, in about twenty minutes. No reservation needed: just show up at the dock. It's much more pleasant than the long detour by road to reach Shelburne.
Shelburne Museum
The daughter of major Impressionist art collectors, Electra Havemeyer Webb (1888-1960) chose instead to collect what the art world of her day looked down on: quilts, decoys, weathervanes, trade signs and toys. In 1947, she founded the museum and had entire historic buildings moved to the site: a round barn, a lighthouse, a covered bridge, a schoolhouse and even the steamboat Ticonderoga, hauled overland in 1955. Don't miss the building that recreates her Park Avenue apartment, hung with works by Monet, Manet, Degas and Cassatt.
In 2026, tickets cost US$25 online (US$27.50 at the door) and were valid for two consecutive days. The season ends in late October. Plan at least half a day; you can have lunch on site.
The Village of Essex
On your way back from Vermont, take time to wander through Essex, a village listed as a historic district with about 150 old buildings in Greek Revival and Victorian styles. The Essex Heritage Center, housed in an 1867 schoolhouse, serves as a small museum and visitor center, and you can pick up a walking tour guide there. Beggs Point, on the lakeshore, is perfect for a break.
Route 73 (Olympic Trail) at Golden Hour
Between Elizabethtown and Lake Placid, Route 73 is one of the most beautiful drives in the Adirondacks, especially on a fall afternoon. Stops not to miss: Split Rock Falls and its pools on the Boquet River, Chapel Pond and its rock walls often dotted with climbers, Roaring Brook Falls, visible from the road, the village of Keene Valley, and then the two Cascade Lakes, tucked between the cliffs. As you reach Lake Placid, the Olympic ski jumps rise on your left.
A note for pie lovers: the Noon Mark Diner in Keene Valley was closed when we came through, and Noon Mark Burger & Pie in Lake Placid had run out. Rivermede Farm Market in Keene Valley also sells pies, but it closes at 5 p.m. Stop there first!
Sunday: Sunrise, Gorges and Michigans
Sunrise at Cobble Lookout
In Wilmington, the Cobble Lookout trail climbs in about thirty minutes to a rocky lookout facing Whiteface Mountain. At sunrise, the light hits the summit first. Set out in the dark with headlamps, warm hats and gloves, and be careful: the rock can be icy at dawn in October.
High Falls Gorge
This private nature park in Wilmington follows the Ausable River on bridges and steel walkways above four waterfalls. The main loop is 800 m long and takes about thirty minutes; an easy 400 m loop and a 1.6 km nature trail round out the options. The site is open daily from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. until late October, but the glass-floor walkways and the café close earlier in the season.
Ausable Chasm
Nicknamed the “Grand Canyon of the Adirondacks,” Ausable Chasm is a sandstone gorge about 3 km long, carved by the Ausable River before it flows into Lake Champlain. Open to visitors since 1870, it's one of the oldest natural attractions in the United States. The trails follow the rim of the gorge, pass near Rainbow Falls and descend by stairs and walkways to the bottom. Trail access costs around US$20 per adult; rafting and tubing are summer-only.
Rulfs Orchard in Peru
In the fall, this family orchard is a natural stop: its bakery offers pies, cider donuts and fresh cider. Perfect for bringing a whole pie home! You'll find it at 531 Bear Swamp Road in Peru.
Michigans at Gus' Red Hots in Plattsburgh
You can't leave the area without trying a michigan, Plattsburgh's signature dish: a hot dog topped with a finely ground meat sauce, mustard and onions. Gus' Red Hots has been serving them since 1951 on Route 9 north of town, about twenty minutes from the border. See our article in the Restaurants section.
Good to Know for an October Trip
Mid-October marks the end of the season in the Adirondacks. In 2026, the Whiteface Veterans Memorial Highway and the Cloudsplitter gondola closed on October 12, the Adirondack History Museum in Elizabethtown had already closed, and several cafés and snack bars had cut back their hours. Check opening hours the day before, and look up wait times at the Lacolle border crossing before leaving Plattsburgh on Sunday afternoon.
