This was the first high peak we climbed and wow did it pay off! This is often considered the best…read morebeginner high peak but it was still very tough for us given that we were out of shape. Parts of ot are very steep and can be difficult in wet conditons. Cascade is great because if you can push yourself a little more, you can double back to see Porter mountain's peak as well! The view was absolutely breathtaking and I would recommend it to anyone looking for a challenging hike!

One of my favorite hikes in the high peak region -- it's a great starter one to those interested in…read moredoing a high peak. You combine it with Porter to get two mountains off your list, for the "physical price" of doing one! This is a gentle mountain, but still should not be taken lightly as it is a high peak and it will challenge you, no matter how fit you might be. I've climbed this in the summer 2-3 times and at least 2-3 times in the winter. I prefer doing it in the winter personally for less crowds and beautiful ice covered pine sights and an Arctic wonderland, but either one is gorgeous. Parking is free, but limited...come early to try to snag a spot. Doing both mountains will only add an hour or so to your total hike time, so don't be afraid to tackle both even if you might be tired after hitting Cascade. I think Cascade is good to hit first and then head over to Porter, but honestly either one will work well. Plan 3-8hours round trip, depending on your level of physical ability. Come prepared and know the conditions, talk to the rangers or other hikers so you know what to expect.

The wife and I came here after hearing about it for a couple of years. She had found out about it…read moreonline, and I saw their scale model promotional displays in downtown Albany. So, we made a daytrip of coming up north. It was pretty cold and overcast in early October, but we still had a good time. When we arrived on a weekday there were only a dozen or so other people around. We practically had the place to ourselves. We first watched the four otters swim in the pools (brr) and play on the tubes. One really seemed to like me, and we both shared the name Louis, so we hit it off from the start. I liked him more than the otters (!), but I think he just came to the fence to see me because he thought I was going to feed him. Then, we saw the staff with their "mystery" public interaction animal... a porcupine. She seemed hungry and grumpy, and spent the time eating food. I guess if I was trotted outside in the 40-degree weather I would be upset too. We went for a walk in the woods and heard music piped on speakers in the trees. My wife made a comment about it feeling like an anime or RPG experience, and I think she was right. It was odd, though enjoyable. We then walked around on the elevated paths in the woods and looked out of the bird's nest towers and spider's nest (yuck). There were swinging bridges and other interactive things for kids of all ages. Again, it was cold or we might have spent more time looking at them. They had indoor exhibits which were closed due to the pandemic (boo), but on a day like this they are very much needed to help recharge and get warm. It was a good time, despite being chilly. The views were great, but my glasses kept fogging up from the masks so I couldn't see as much as I would have liked. It is a great park seemingly in the middle of nowhere, and very far from where we live. But, I would like to return in warmer weather to experience it again.

We had an incredible time here! The indoor area is not to be missed! So many unique hands-on…read moredisplays, sea otters, ugly fish, collections of fungi and interesting plants. The outdoor walk is a breathtaking walk through the treetops with unbeatable views. My 5 year old also loved the outdoor loose part natural play area. The whole adventure is a lot of fun for both kids and adult. Also very responsible with covid policies!

Great hike. Loved the views from the summit. Challenging but so worth the views. We used hiking…read morepoles and it make the trip down a little easier on the knees. It was about 6 miles round trip and the trail was very well laid out. Highly recommend!

A wonderful hiking experience that is suitable for families, dogs, and even the hikers who may not…read morehave the same strength and stamina they once did. The view at the top is totally worth it - and there's plenty of space to spread out on the summit to sit, eat a snack and soak up the fresh ADK air. Typical of many ADK trails, the trail to Ampersand is filled with rocks that could be a stream (or could become one in rainy weather). But it is a well maintained trail. The first mile or so is flat and cushiony with a few places where you're crossing some boggy areas. Then you reach a section of larger rocks that function like stairs, and finally you get to more large smooth rock surfaces and boulders that you'll need to maneuver up to get to the last stretch before the basically bald summit. I am not in my prime as a hiker, but this was a manageable hike for me. Trekking poles are highly recommended to provide balance and stability if you need it - though kids and fit people can do well without. We saw many children on this trail as well as a lot of dogs (on leash of course) - even one with three legs! We met a local gentleman who was running up to the summit and impressed us all! The best part of this trail though really is the summit. Sweeping views 360 degrees around make for an absolute prize when you reach the top. And if the weather is warm, it makes total sense to reach the summit, come back down and make the extra half mile trek to the beach from the parking lot. A nice sandy beach and shallow bay area of the lake make for a perfect spot to cool off and rejuvenate after your hike. 10 our of 10 would recommend. And I'll be back next month to lead a group of Cross Country runners on this same trail!

One of the Saranac Six, this mountain is a challenge. There is a trail hike to a split where you go…read moreto Haystack or McKenzie. In total it is about three miles up, then you gotta come back down. This mountain is a bit of a challenge. There are a lot of steep areas. When I was hiking it was raining and got very slippery. My dog and I fell several times. Definitely going to try it again when it isn't wet outside. The trail is gorgeous and is great for pictures. Love the water that cuts through the trails.

There are certain accomplishments in life that sound considerably more impressive when you leave…read moreout a few details. "I summited Whiteface Mountain." This is true. "How?" I drove. If you have ever wanted to stand atop a legitimate Adirondack High Peak but have no particular interest in hiking several miles uphill to get there, the Whiteface Mountain Veterans Memorial Highway is the place for you. We paid $75 for our van of five to make the trip up, and I thought it was money well spent. The highway climbs roughly 2,300 feet over five miles toward the summit of 4,867 foot Whiteface Mountain. Built as a memorial to World War I veterans and opened in the 1930s, it remains one of the highest paved roads in the Northeast. The drive up is beautiful and surprisingly easy. The views improve as you climb until you reach the parking area near the summit and the wonderfully peculiar Whiteface Castle. Built from native stone, the castle contains a cafe, gift shop, and restrooms. From there, you can walk the final few hundred feet up what they generously call a staircase to the summit. The other option is to walk a few hundred feet across the parking area to a tunnel which leads to the elevator. The ride takes about 90 seconds, but the elevator is quite small, perhaps half a dozen passengers plus the operator, so I imagine the wait could get lengthy when the mountain is busy. The views from the summit are incredible. On a clear day, the Adirondacks seem to stretch forever in every direction. It is a spectacular reward for a relatively modest amount of physical exertion. The cafe and gift shop are predictably expensive, because apparently altitude causes inflation, but the pizza was actually not bad. One piece of advice for the drive back down: save the scenic pull offs for the descent. The road is steep, and even when using low gear, your brakes are going to be doing some serious work. Stop at the pull offs, enjoy the views, and give them a chance to cool down before continuing. There is no prize for reaching the bottom with the hottest brakes in the Adirondacks. Five stars. This is an absolute must do if you are anywhere near Lake Placid. You get a beautiful historic drive, a castle on a mountain, an elevator through the mountain, and spectacular summit views. You may not have hiked to the top of Whiteface Mountain, but you were there. And your legs will never tell anyone otherwise.

Wanna see the high peaks but don't like hiking? This gorgeous, scenic drive up to Whiteface…read moremountain's summit is the perfect solution. There is a fee (I believe $10 a car or $10 per passenger) but it is worth it to see unforgettable views of the high peaks region. Before you even reach the top, you will find yourself pulling over to capture all the sights along the way. There is a gift shop at the top for souvenirs and multiple sections to view from. There is a long tunnel through the mountain you walk through from the parking lot. I could spent hours here soaking up the views and never tire of it! An absolute must on any Lake Placid trip itinerary!

***3 1/2 stars*** My…read morechum and I trekked over here last Sunday for an adventure, and to be honest, probably not for the best reason - we primarily selected this hike because of the name, sight unseen. Climbing a mountain with 1930s gangster vibes? What could go wrong? Scarface is not a bad hike, but based on my limited experience in the area, this is not your best option if you're looking for overall personality and amazing viewpoints. The hike itself is pretty straightforward - it's an out and back that starts right off 32 (there's a very nice Maplefields right down the road on 86 that I enjoyed - very clean and spacious with oodles of souvenirs for purchase, along with a bathroom to use) that's relatively flat for the first two miles or so, goes up fairly steeply for another mile before getting to some views looking westward to Oseetah Lake and beyond and leveling out for the most part to the summit. We started a little before 9am on a partly cloudy morning. The trailhead is a little tough to find. There's parking for a handful of cars, but not a lot of signage to confirm you're in the right place. Thankfully you still have a cell phone signal over there to help verify location, and we also were fortunate enough to arrive at the same time as someone else who told us we were where we wanted to be. For the most part, the trail markers were well placed and consistent but we had trouble finding them past the viewpoints and improvised a lot up in the piney areas near the summit. By then though, it's tough to totally lose your way and we were able to pick up the trail again. The lower-lying woody areas were pleasant, and we got some good pics by the little manmade bridge that goes over a pond about 10 minutes in. There's also ample brush/foliage if a bathroom break is needed - no port-a-potties made cameos on this particular hike. The climb up toward the viewpoints is a little tough. Both of us are in pretty good shape, but we took a few breaks along the way. It's not insanely steep, but it's constant movement uphill, which for me is usually a little rougher than dramatic climbing where you're barely moving as you slowly navigate up rocks, etc. Additionally, we were about a week or so removed from peak fall foliage, so the ground was covered in leaves and made this a bit more treacherous than I'm sure it is during other parts of the year. We both full-on slipped and fell at least once, as did our canine companion, making his legit hiking debut in a lovely bright orange shirt. The viewpoints are solid. My only direct comp in the area is Mount Marcy, which I summited a few years ago. That one offers astounding views in all directions going out miles and miles. The Scarface viewpoints are pretty much exclusively to the western side of the mountain, and they don't occur at the summit - it's a little further down. Still pleasant to sit and soak up the sights, but by definition your vision is limited. And as alluded to, the summit is VERY anticlimactic. It's literally in the middle of a little pine forest, denoted by a sign on one of the trees. That's it. Your view is of pinecones, basically. I don't regret this hike, but I'd probably bypass it next time in favor of a higher peak with more to offer.

This was our first of the Saranac six and this mountain is by no means easy. It's quite steep…read moretoward the top but it was a fun challenge checking it off our list of hikes to complete. The views are often obsreidtwd by trees but the fieww of Saranac Lake and the mountains beyond are beautiful as Ever! You definitely need to have good shoes and hiking poles for this hike as the grade gets pretty steep towards the top. We enjoyed the hike, took about an hour and a half with stops for rest and pictures and about half an hour back down.

Tried to hike but it was so icy, we turned around. We weren't prepared with right footwear. Only…read moreenough parking for about 3 cars.

Wright was the second high peak we climbed. It is challenging if you are an inexperienced hiker or…read moreare out of shape, but so worth the views you see at the top. The last section of the climb is extremely steep. Like another reviewer mentioned, there are remnants of an old plane near the summit which is a unique but sad landmark.

Mount Wright is a fantastic high peak and #16 by height out of the 46 high peaks in the region. The…read moretrail for Mount Wright is challenging, but fun and passes through a waterfall and is wonderfully picturesque. The trail starts at the Adirondack Loj and some ambitious folks hit two peaks in one day with Wright and Algonquin which are quite close to each other, although Algonquin is the 2nd tallest peak in the region. Mount Wright is also unique in that it has aircraft remains near the summit from an unfortunate military aviation accident back in the 40s. There's a memorial and plaque commemorating the pilots and you can hike a bit to see remains of the plane. Difficulty-wise, I'd say the summit is a 3-5 hour round trip for experienced hikers and 5-8 if you're struggle bussing. I love this peak and trail and have completed it a number of times now. Definitely recommend it!