Click here for information on skiing the Jackrabbit Trail from Saranac Lake to Keene by Sections.


  Saranac Lake to McKenzie Pond Road - 2 mi. Ungroomed - Difficulty: Novice to Intermediate... One can start skiing the trail at the bandshell on Main Street and find the trail via Riverside Park, but the most popular approach is to start at the North Country Community College Gym. Follow the railroad one-half mile from N.C.C.C., then turn left and follow the trail to McKenzie Pond Rd. at 2 miles.

McKenzie Pond Road to the Whiteface Club Nordic Center - 5.5 mi. Ungroomed - Difficulty: Intermediate to Advanced. This section is skied often and should be broken out within a day of any storm. Starting on the road, the trail climbs up past a softball field (bypass of softball field planned for 2010 ski season) then along a narrow section to the McKenzie Pond Truck Trail at just over one mile. After another flat mile, the trail climbs for 1.5 mi. and then descends a like distance to Whiteface Club Nordic Center.

Whiteface Club Nordic Center to Mirror Lake - 3.5 mi. - Mostly Ungroomed - Difficulty: Intermediate (Trail fee required to ski Whiteface Club trails). No fee required if one follows the Jackrabbit Trail markers as the trail crosses the groomed Whiteface Club trails. The Jackrabbit Trail leaves the center's trails at 0.5 mi. and reaches the Howard Johnson's Restaurant at 1.75 mi. Crossing Saranac Avenue, the trail goes to the left of a convenience store and follows a paved road (usually must be walked) for 0.2 mi. until the skiing resumes on the right. Reaching West Valley Road at 3.0 mi., the trail climbs to the Crowne Plaza (formerly Holiday Inn) parking lot. From here, skiers may walk or ski to the right of the main hotel building and then down the hill. Passing to the left of the Post Office, the route reaches the toboggan slide on the shore of Mirror Lake at 3.5 mi.

Mirror Lake and Lake Placid Resort Nordic Center to the Cascade Cross Country Ski Center - 7 mi. - Groomed (trail fee required) - Difficulty: Intermediate. From Mirror Lake, the Jackrabbit Trail goes to the right of some new town homes to the Lake Placid Resort Nordic Center. The trail then crosses the golf courses and comes to River Rd. at 3 mi. Paralleling River Rd. for 1/4 mile the trail turns left up a driveway for another 1/4 mile then up through Craig Wood Golf Course and on to Route 73 at 5.5 mi. Crossing Rt. 73, the trail goes gradually down and then up to the Cascade Cross Country Ski Center lodge at 7 mi.

Cascade Cross Country Ski Center to Keene - 6mi. - Mostly Ungroomed - Difficulty: Intermediate. From the lodge the trail bears left along Beaver Run trail for 3/4 mile, then left and on to Route 73 at 1.5 mi. Crossing Route 73, the trail follows a plowed road for one mile (must usually be walked but a bypass is planned) then on to the top of the pass at 3.5 mi. From the top of the pass, a series of descents lead to Adirondack Rock and River at the end of the trail.

Trail Fees - All groomed sections of the Jackrabbit Trail are subject to a trail fee. Each private cross country ski center will sell a "Lake Placid Interconnect" ticket which will be honored on the day it was sold at all area cross country centers including Mt. Van Hoevenberg. Mt. Van Hoevenberg tickets will be honored at all centers on the day of issue. Season passes are also available. As before, the ungroomed wilderness sections of the trail leading to Keene and Saranac Lake remain free of charge as is the new section from Lake Clear to Paul Smith.