Welcome to the High Peaks

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Playing on Mirror Lake in the village of Lake Placid

(Provided photo — ROOST)

Welcome to the High Peaks

City dwellers have been traveling to the High Peaks region for summer adventures since the early 1800s, and it seems like there’s more to do every year.

The village of Lake Placid and town of North Elba and surrounding High Peaks communities in the towns of Keene, Jay and Wilmington, offer the typical Adirondack outdoor recreational offerings: hiking, camping, cycling, mountain biking, boating, paddling, water skiing, fishing, rock climbing, birding, wildlife watching, horseback riding, tennis and golf.

Find what you need at one of the local outfitters or hire an outdoor guide for your adventure.

Now there are ropes courses and ziplines, including the Sky Flyer Zipline at the Olympic Jumping Complex. Or enjoy the Cliffside Coaster and new Climbing Center at the Olympic Sports Complex on Mount Van Hoevenberg.

Of course, this is the home of the High Peaks Wilderness Area, which includes the state’s highest peak, Mount Marcy, at 5,344 feet above sea level. These mountains have become even more popular in recent years due to the coronavirus pandemic — many climb the 46 tallest peaks to become Adirondack 46ers — making it crowded at times and putting pressure on the trail systems. Therefore, state leaders recommend hiking smaller, more remote peaks during the busy summer weekends when parking is full.

Lake Placid Horse Shows

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Lake Placid Fourth of July parade

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Municipal beach, Mirror Lake

(Staff photo — Elizabeth Izzo)

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If you just want to get a quick taste of the forest with the family, easier trails for walking, nature watching and mountain biking are located on Bear Cub Lane — Henry’s Woods and Heaven Hill Trails. Or try the Peninsula Nature Trails for walking and trail running on the Brewster Peninsula Road.

And don’t forget to hang around Mirror Lake, whether it’s to paddle, fish or swim. The municipal beach is located on Parkside Drive near the tennis courts and playground at Peacock Park.

Sightseeing is a popular family activity in and around Lake Placid, and there are many opportunities to sit back, relax and enjoy the view. Take a drive around the region, or up the Whiteface Mountain Veterans’ Memorial Highway in Wilmington, or take a ride on the gondola at the Whiteface Mountain Ski Center.

Lake Placid hosted the 1932 and 1980 Olympic Winter Games, and the state Olympic Regional Development Authority (https://lakeplacidolympicsites.com) operates those venues, including the Olympic Sports Complex, Olympic Jumping Complex, Olympic Speedskating Oval, Olympic Center rinks and Whiteface Mountain Ski Center. Upgrades are currently being made to some of these venues to prepare for the 2023 Winter World University Games.

Much of the new construction work that has finished is centered around the oval — where Eric Heiden won five gold medals in 1980 and local legend Jack Shea won two gold medals in 1932 — and the Olympic Center, home to the fabled “Miracle on Ice” game in which the U.S. hockey team beat the Soviet Union in 1980 before winning the gold-medal game against Finland.

During construction of the new and improved Lake Placid Olympic Museum (www.lpom.org), visitors can learn about the 1932 and 1980 Winter Olympics in a special Exhibit Gallery on the second floor of the Lake Placid Conference Center.

The Olympic Sports Complex at Mount Van Hoevenberg is home of the biathlon stadium, crosscountry skiing trails and combined sliding track for bobsled, luge and skeleton. There is also a start training facility for bobsled and skeleton at the Mountain Pass Lodge. Plus, the Cliffside Coaster goes around the mountain, following the 1980 bobsled run, and there are mountain biking trails and a trailhead for Mount Van Hoevenberg.

There is plenty more history in Lake Placid, including the John Brown Farm State Historic Site at 200 John Brown Road, operated by the state Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation. This was the home and is the final resting place of abolitionist John Brown, who died in 1859. The trails are open year-round for walking, skiing and showshoeing. The friends group — John Brown Lives! — offers programming throughout the year.

The Lake Placid-North Elba Historical Society (www.lakeplacidhistory.com) operates the History Museum at the old train station on Station Street.

Culture is alive and well in Lake Placid, with the historic Palace Theatre on Main Street, Lake Placid Center for the Arts (www.lakeplacidarts.org) at 17 Algonquin Dr., Lake Placid Sinfonietta (https://lakeplacidsinfonietta.org), Songs at Mirror Lake concert series (www.songsatmirrorlake.org) and Adirondack Film Society (www.adirondackfilmsociety.org). Plus there are world-class events in the town of Keene sponsored by the East Branch Friends of the Arts.

Lake Placid is also known for its major events in the spring, summer and fall, including the Ironman Lake Placid triathlon, Lake Placid Horse Shows, Lake Placid Marathon and Half, Lake Placid Classic Half Marathon and 10K, Can-Am Rugby tournament, Lake Placid Summit Lacrosse tournaments and I Love BBQ and Music Festival.

And if you haven’t heard, the High Peaks region has some of the best shopping, restaurants and craft breweries in the Adirondack Park.

Learn more about planning your Lake Placid vacation at www.lakeplacid.com.

Rock climbing in the High Peaks region

(Provided photo — ROOST)