Adirondack Rail Trail Logistics

Mile posts /points are still a ‘work in progress’ and actual posts will only be at the full mile mark when finished. All other references are estimates.  

The Eastern terminus of the trail is at the lowest elevation within Lake Placid, so all services are uphill, but Mill Pd Rd & West Valley Rd make the easiest and quietest route to the western side of town. 

Meadowbrook campground can be accessed directly from the Trail at MP 4.7

Businesses in Raybrook are reached via Raybrook Rd access at MP 5.2 (parking and restroom) turn Right, go ½ mi to Route 86 and all the services will be to the right.

Best connector to Saranac Lake services along Route 86 is the Aldi’s Connector (aka Will Rogers Connector) at MP 7.7. For downtown Saranac Lake, Main St or Bloomingdale Ave is the best connector.   

 The Village of Tupper Lake is stretched out along US Route 3 with “Tupper Junction” at the Western Terminus of the Rail Trail and “Downtown” about 1.5 miles East on Route 3. There are services along this whole stretch, but they tend to be clustered at each end. Fortunately, a great bike path, the Junction Pass Trail, parallels Route 3 here. To reach downtown by bicycle, it is best to take the Junction Pass Trail south from the Tupper Lake RR Station, connecting to Route 3 near McDonalds. Across from Mc Donald’s is a large town park with bathrooms, parking and a picnic area, which is a good alternate starting point at (near) the Western terminus of the Rail Trail. 

The trail elevation averages about 1600 feet above the Champlain Valley so it will be cooler than the valley on average. It is not uncommon for ice to linger into the end of April and we often see snow that accumulates by mid October. So it’s best to inquire locally. The prevailing wind in summer is from the W and SW. Cold fronts usually pass with a strong wind from the North. The trail runs mainly E-W and can be done in either direction. Although the trail follows an old rail bed, cyclists find that it slopes down slightly to Saranac Lake from Lake Placid and from Lake Clear.