10 Best Hikes Near Lake Placid, NY (Epic Views, All Levels!)

Heading to Lake Placid and wondering where to hike?! Lake Placid is located within the six-million-acre Adirondack Park – the largest park in the contiguous United States. 🌲🌲

Needless to say, there’s a ton to choose from in this vast hiking heaven…

With over 2,000 miles of marked hiking trails in the Adirondacks, you may be overwhelmed when trying to decide where to hike when visiting Lake Placid! 😱

From the well-known 46 High Peaks (46 summits above 4,000 feet) to numerous family-friendly and dog-friendly hikes, I’ve got you covered with this list.

Living in Connecticut, the Adirondacks is one of my favorite places to visit and hike. The expansive forests, lakes, and endless mountain views keep me coming back to Lake Placid several times a year!

And when you’re done hiking, check out my list of 21 Best Things to Do in Lake Placid for more to do.

In this post, you’ll find amazing views and super scenic dog-friendly hikes from beginner level to moderate to difficult!

📝 This list contains some of the best dog-friendly trails and mountains in the Lake Placid area.

So let’s get to it! Hit one of Lake Placid’s cafes for fuel, then let’s hit the trail! 🥾🥾

🌲 Best views & hikes near Lake Placid 🌲

1. Cobble Lookout, Wilmington Wild Forest

If you’re looking for a short hike with big views to stretch your legs after a long drive here, then Cobble Lookout is for you! After just 1.2 miles of walking at a slight uphill, a wide open summit with 180-degree views awaits you.

🌟Pro tip: Walk past the main lookout (where most people will be) to the left, where there will be a whole other section of views looking further to the east.

The Cobble Lookout Trail was built in 2014 and brings hikers to a beautiful lookout to Esther, Whiteface, Giant Mountain, and other High Peaks.

• Miles: 2.4 miles out & back
• Elevation: 242 ft elevation gain
• Level: Easy
• Parking: Navigate here: 44.40398, -73.8788
• Special Features: Wide open 180-degree views, numerous ledges for views and photos
• Helpful AllTrails Review: “Great view for light work! A little bit muddy but mostly avoidable.“
• Dog-friendly: 🐶Yes, no steep scrambles or technical climbs here

3. Ampersand Mountain Trail, High Peaks Wilderness

Ampersand Mountain, standing at 3,353 feet, is one of the most popular hikes in the Saranac Lake region, and you can see why in the photos.

Just 15 minutes outside of Lake Placid, this 5 mile round-trip trail begins with a flat walk for about a mile. Then the steepness begins with stone staircases and rocky terrain.

This felt like a challenging workout for sure, but you get a few breaks where the trail levels out after a couple of steep pushes.

From the bare granite summit, take in breathtaking 360-degree views of the Adirondack High Peaks to the east and the Saranac Lakes to the west. This hike is part of the Saranac Lake 6er Challenge.

While not very long, the part that makes this trail ‘Hard’ on AllTrails is the few scrambles where you will use your hands to grab branches, roots, and rock to hoist yourself up.

🐶 While it is a dog-friendly trail and we brought our young pup Bruin, I wouldn’t have wanted to bring my older dog Captain up this trail with his arthritis because of the scrambles that would require him to jump up, then jump down on the hard ground. Make the call depending on your dog’s age and agility! 🐶

• Miles: 5 miles out & back
• Elevation: 1,765 ft elevation gain
• Level: Hard
• Parking: Navigate here: 44.25151, -74.23955
• Special Features: 360-degree views of the High Peaks and Saranac Lake
• Helpful AllTrails Review: “The first few miles are very easy, eventually it gets steeper and will be fairly strenuous with few breaks. Near the top you will need to be fit enough to do some light scrambling up some rocks, but it is doable if you are careful.”
• Dog-friendly: 🐶 Yes, but see my note above about this. A couple of scrambles where dogs will need to jump up high on the rocks and then jump down.

4. Moose Pond, McKenzie Mountain Wilderness

Let’s cool off with a lake hike! At just a half-hour and very scenic drive north of Lake Placid, you’ll find a flat walk leading to Moose Pond, the perfect place to swim on a hot summer day. 💦🐶

Head here to escape the crowds of Lake Placid and the popular trails with views nearby.

🌟Pro tip: Though AllTrails has this hike labeled as 3.1 miles round trip, you only have to walk 1.1 miles in to get to Moose Pond. At the 1.1-mile mark, you’ll come to a fork, take the trail off to the right, and head a short way down to the pond.

• Miles: 3.1 miles out & back
• Elevation: 219 ft elevation gain
• Level: Easy
• Parking: Navigate here to: 44.37548, -74.08709 Small lot but you can also park along Rt 3.
• Special Features: Short trail leading to swimming & views of Moose Pond
• Helpful AllTrails Review: “Trail ran this with my dog. Mostly flat overall but still some up and down – this is the ADKs, after all! Gorgeous trail and pond!“
• Dog-friendly: 🐶Yes! Flat walk leading to lake. Dogs will love swimming here.

We did this Heaven Hill Trail loop after an early dinner in Lake Placid. Just 14 minutes away it’s the perfect place to walk when staying in Lake Placid and I think a must-do trail!

Dogs are even allowed off-leash in some areas here which we loved!

🌟Pro-tip: Come for golden hour before sunset and enjoy a gorgeous and serene walk where you likely won’t see many others.

• Miles: 3.2 mile loop
• Elevation: 173 ft elevation gain
• Level: Easy
• Parking: Navigate here: 44.24267, -73.99704
• Special Features: Wildflowers, meadows, and flat farm trails with views of the High Peaks
• Helpful AllTrails Review: “the hills are alive with the sound of musicccc”
• Dog-friendly: 🐶Yes, wide open meadow and trails, and some areas they can be off-leash.

The trail is easy to follow and at 1.9 miles in you will see the juncture for the Jackrabbit trail on the right. Bear left here and walk the last tenth of a mile to McKenzie Pond.

• Miles: 4.1 miles out & back
• Elevation: 285 ft elevation gain
• Level: Easy
• Parking: Navigate here: 44.31454, -74.10209 Lot along 108/Mountain Rd near Barnes Visitor’s Center and The Lodge at Spruce Peak
• Special Features: Long flat trail leading to views and swimming at McKenzie Pond
• Helpful AllTrails Review: “Peaceful, serene, and easy 4-mile out and back walk to the pond.”

8. Mount Van Hoevenberg, High Peaks Wilderness

A gorgeous spot for sunset! Here is a trail near Lake Placid that offers BIG views in exchange for just a moderate hike and workout.

We had the summit all to ourselves on this July night during the 4th of July holiday week. The trail starts long and flat – you’ll be walking for about a mile wondering when the elevation is going to begin. And for the next 1.2 miles you’ll climb almost 900 feet but there are no technical spots or rock scrambles here.

Mounds and mounds of mountains await you at the top of Mount Van Hoevenberg with Marcy and Algonquin peaks in the distance. Bring snacks and be prepared to spend some time up here admiring the front-row show of the mountains spread out before you.

• Miles: 4.2 miles out & back
• Elevation: 885 ft elevation gain
• Level: Moderate
• Parking: Navigate here: 44.19388, -73.9508 Lot along 108/Mountain Rd near Barnes Visitor’s Center and The Lodge at Spruce Peak
• Special Features: Views of High Peaks like Marcy, Algonquin
• Helpful AllTrails Review: “Hike is easy enough for many level of hiker to climb it, not overly steep. Some mud near the lake, some walking on rocks and avoiding mud. Few trees in trail early on to duck climb and go around. Beautiful views at top 10/10 hike.”

9. Cobble Hill, Saranac Lakes Wild Forest

Here’s a short hike with views right in downtown Lake Placid starting from Mirror Lake. It was super foggy and a little drizzly on our visit so we didn’t get the best photos here but as the AllTrails reviews say, there are great views from up here.

Note: Beginning May 1, and through Oct. 31, DEC and AMR will require reservations for the 70 available parking spots at the AMR parking lot for daily access to trails on AMR property, as well as the Round Mountain and Noonmark Mountain trailheads accessed through AMR lands. Walk-in users without a reservation will not be permitted. Register at hikeamr.org

A wonderful loop hike up a steep mountain for great views towards the Great Range of the High Peaks. While this isn’t a High Peak, Noonmark is popular and known for its spectacular views of the Great Range. The loop is a combination of the Stimson Trail, Felix Adler, and the Old Dix Trail.

This is the hardest hike on our list in terms of elevation gain and length. Bring enough snacks and water as it may take you longer than expected!

• Miles: 6.2 miles out & back
• Elevation: 2,060 ft elevation gain
• Level: Hard
• Parking: Click here to navigate to 44.13198, -73.73198
• Special Features: almost 360-degree views of the Great Range/High Peaks
• Helpful AllTrails Review: “Amazing 360 view at the top. The beginning was a bit rugged but it got easier. There were also some scrambles near the top.”

11. Bonus Trail: High Gorge Falls, Wilmington (NOT dog-friendly)

High Gorge Falls, known as “the Adirondacks most breathtaking 30-minute walk” is an adventurous walk for all ages and abilities. We haven’t done this one yet as it’s not dog-friendly and we’ve had the dogs with us for every visit.

With (sturdy!) bridges and steps wrapping around the gorge right above waterfalls and the West Branch Ausable River, this looks like a pretty awesome scene but I imagine it gets very crowded.

You must purchase a ticket to get in and prices are $18 per adult and $14 for children. Purchase tickets online and check for hours on the High Falls Gorge website.