New York's Network Of Relaxing Lakeside Trails Is Perfect For Hikers, Bikers, And Peaceful Picnickers

Besides being one of New York's best retirement destinations, the town of Lake Placid is a much-loved vacation spot, nestled deep in the Adirondack Mountains. Visitors flock here in all seasons to relax in cozy lakeside cottages or luxury lodges or enjoy delectable dishes at farm-to-table restaurants. Of course, many also come to play outside in a multitude of ways, including skiing and snowshoeing in winter and paddling, hiking, mountain biking, golfing, or picnicking during the warmer months. 

In fact, you don't have to wander far from Lake Placid, considered to be one of the most walkable small towns in America, to find some excellent hiking and biking trails. Just keep heading north on Main Street, which veers west and becomes Saranac Avenue before intersecting with Peninsula Way, which turns to the northeast. After less than half a mile, there will be a small parking lot near a gate on the left side of the road. The trailhead is adjacent to the parking lot.  

From here, you can access the Brewster Peninsula Nature Trails, a network of intersecting routes on the 133-acre Brewster Peninsula, which extends out into Lake Placid. While the trails are mainly nestled in the forest, they occasionally open up to lovely lake and mountain views. Tripadvisor reviewers generally have great things to say about the trails — particularly that they are family-friendly and mostly flat, with some bumps here and there in the form of rocks and tree roots. One reviewer remarked, "This is a great place to do some quiet hiking alongside the shore of Lake Placid ... The path along the perimeter of the lake offers excellent views and easy solitude."

Most of the Brewster Peninsula trails are a mile or less in length (one-way). But since they intersect at various points, they can be combined if you're looking to do a loop or a longer route. Tripadvisor reviewers advised that, before departing, trail users should study the map that's posted at the kiosk in the trailhead parking lot, as it's easy to get disoriented the way the paths criss-cross. One helpful reviewer suggested taking a photo of the map on a phone to refer to when needed while navigating the peninsula. 

The main trails on the peninsula are the Corridor Trail (0.75 miles one way), the Boundary Trail (0.9 miles one way), the Lake Shore Trail (0.4 miles one way), and the Ridge Trail (0.7 miles one way). Two of the trails serve as connectors: The Corridor Trail leads from the trailhead to the rest of the network, while the Boundary Trail joins the Lake Shore Trail and the Ridge Trail. The Boundary Trail also connects to the Jackrabbit Trail, which meanders away from Lake Placid and another 7.5 miles all the way to Seneca Lake. 

The Ridge Trail is an adventurous route with more varied terrain, involving a moderate climb up to a hardwood forest of beech, birch, and maple intermixed with some hemlock, balsam fir, and poplar. Another peninsula gem is the considerably rockier Lakeshore Trail, which hugs the shoreline and passes a wide variety of trees, shrubs, mosses, wildflowers, and ferns, with some interpretive signs along the way. The trail ends at a dam with lovely views of Whiteface Mountain, a legendary Adirondacks peak with some of the East Coast's best skiing and snowboarding.

Just like the rest of the Adirondacks, the Brewster Peninsula Nature Trails can be enjoyed in a variety of ways across the seasons. Summer is prime time for hiking, trail running, and fat tire biking. When snow arrives in winter, cross-country skiing and snowshoeing are allowed on all the trails. Note that the Lake Shore Trail may not be ideal for skiing, as it tends to receive less snow than the other trails due to its tree cover. When there isn't enough snow to ski, it's possible to hike the trails with a good pair of boots, according to one Tripadvisor reviewer: "We were there in March on a cold winter day but had a great time with the scenery nonetheless. The lake is frozen, and everything is snow-covered, but the trails are well-travelled enough by everyone that a simple pair of boots is all you need ... Dress warm, of course."

If the weather is agreeable, consider packing a picnic and finding a serene spot to sit in the forest or by the lake, perhaps on one of the log benches that appear here and there along the trails. Bring your binoculars, as the peninsula is part of the New York State Birding Trail, meaning that it's considered one of the best locations in the state. Birds you might encounter on the peninsula include warblers, thrushes, chickadees, nuthatches, and water birds like ospreys and herons, among many others. 

In addition, you might spot furry critters like snowshoe hares, chipmunks, mink, and moles if you're observant and a little bit lucky. After exploring the peninsula and other areas around Lake Placid, you'll begin to understand why the Adirondacks are one of New York's favorite gateways to the great outdoors.