Lake Placid: About the Area

The Adirondack Park is one of the world's great wilderness frontiers. Forged by shifting glaciers more than 10,000 years ago, its landscape is one of soaring mountains, sweeping lakes, mighty rivers, and dense pine and hardwood forests abundant with wildlife. At 6.1 million acres, it is America's largest state park outside of Alaska. Spread over nearly a third of New York State, the Park covers more ground than Grand Canyon and Yellowstone national parks combined. Lake Placid is set in the heart of the mountains, in the northeastern part of the Park.

In an effort to protect this wilderness from loggers and developers, the New York State Legislature established the Adirondack Park in 1892. Laws governing conservation of the area, a mix of public and private land, are strictly enforced. Nearly half has been declared "forever wild," land protected under the New York State Constitution to remain undeveloped always.

The Adirondack Mountains are many and varied. The tallest are in Essex County, in and around Lake Placid. There are 46 peaks that rise above 4,000 feet. Called the "High Peaks," these mountains include Whiteface, Algonquin, and Marcy. At 5,344 feet, Marcy's summit is the highest point in New York State.

What distinguishes the Adirondacks from other mountainous areas in North America is its abundance of water. There are more than 30,000 miles of brooks and streams, 6,000 miles of rivers, and nearly 3,000 lakes and ponds. The larger lakes include the 121-mile-long Lake Champlain, which runs along the eastern border of the Park, Lake Placid, and Schroon Lake. The origin of the Hudson River can be found on the shoulder of Mount Marcy at the pristine Lake Tear of the Clouds.

The Park features a unique mix of trees and plant life. Coniferous pines and deciduous trees grow alongside one another. Among others, you'll find white birch, sugar maple, beech, and hickory. The summits of many mountains have an arctic environment with mosses and lichens.

Wildlife is abundant in the Park. Those animals you're most likely to see are whitetail deer, red fox, and beaver. More reclusive are the black bear, moose, and coyote. There are hundreds of species of birds, including the loon, osprey, hawk, Great Blue heron, and the American bald eagle. Many lakes and streams have thriving populations of trout, northern pike, bass, and salmon.

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