Adirondack wilderness — Pure Adirondacks

The Adirondacks aren't a destination. They're a habit.

Six million acres of trails, lakes, peaks, and rivers — and we've barely scratched the surface. Here's everything we know so far.

Spring Conditions · Hiking

Mud season is real — here's how to make the most of it.

Depending on the year, mud season runs anywhere from late March into mid-June. It's not the most glamorous time to be on the trails, but if you know where to go and how to move through it, there's still a lot of good hiking to be had.

The DEC recommends staying below 2,500 feet until mid-June — which rules out the High Peaks, but opens up a solid list of lower-elevation trails worth your time. Mt. Van Hoevenberg is a good one. So is exploring parts of the park that don't carry the same snowpack as the High Peaks region.

On the trail: walk through the mud, not around it. Skirting a puddle is how a 3-foot-wide trail becomes a 10-foot-wide one. Waterproof boots, gaiters, and trekking poles go a long way. If snow is still 8 inches or deeper, snowshoes are required — the collapsing spring snowpack is no joke, especially on the way down.

The trails will be in better shape come summer because people respected them now. That's the deal.

Check current trail conditions →
Hiking the Adirondacks during mud season — Pure Adirondacks

Get outside

Outdoor Activities

Hiking

The 46 High Peaks are the draw, but some of the best days we've had were on trails most people drive right past.

Mountain Biking

The Barkeater trail networks across Wilmington, Lake Placid, and Saranac Lake have quietly become some of the best riding in the Northeast.

Paddling

Flat water, moving water, lake chains you could spend a week on — the ADK is as much about what's on the water as what's above it.

Skiing

Whiteface has the vertical. The backcountry has the soul. The ADK delivers both depending on what kind of day you're after.

Camping

From lean-tos off a trail to lakeside sites you paddle into, camping in the park is as low-key or as remote as you want it to be.

Climbing

The granite up here is the real thing — crack climbs, bold faces, and crags spread across the park that reward the ones who go looking.

Fishing

Trout, bass, pike — the lakes and rivers in the park hold a lot of fish and a lot of quiet. Sometimes that's the whole point.

Rafting

The Hudson Gorge in spring is one of those experiences that's hard to explain until you've done it. High water makes for a serious trip.

Snowmobiling

Hundreds of miles of groomed trails connecting towns, lakes, and some of the most remote corners of the park.

Rail Trail

34 miles from Tupper Lake to Lake Placid, open year-round for non-motorized use. A completely different way to see the park.

From the field

Before you head out

Trail Conditions

Check before you go — mud season, blowdown, and snowpack can change things fast up here.

View conditions →

Live Webcams

Real-time views of peaks, lakes, and ski areas across the park.

View cams →

ADK Resources

NYS DEC, ADK Mountain Club, Adirondack Explorer — the sources we actually use.

View resources →

Know before you go

A few things worth knowing

Sign the trail register. Leave your itinerary with someone. Stay on the trail — especially above treeline, where alpine vegetation doesn't recover from a footstep the way a lowland trail does. Group size limits exist in the High Peaks Wilderness: 15 for day hikes, 8 overnight. Bear canisters are required in the Eastern High Peaks from April through November. And the Ten Essentials aren't optional up here — conditions change fast.

If you're heading into AMR terrain, free advance reservations are required May 1 through October 31 at hikeamr.org.

Full regulations via NYS DEC →