A Guide to the Adirondack Rail Trail

By Phil Brown

When the Adirondack Rail Trail is completed this year, cyclists will be able to ride 34 miles on a virtually flat, mostly stone-dust trail from Lake Placid to Tupper Lake, taking in views of mountains, woods, streams, and wetlands.

Even in its unfinished state, the trail has been a big hit with bikers and hikers. Given its wild setting and varied scenery, it arguably is one of the best rail trails in the country.

The stone-dust surface is firm enough to accommodate road bikes. Gravel and other bikes with slightly wider tires also ride well. Class 1 e-bikes are allowed. These have pedal-assist motors that cut out at 20 mph. E-bikes that operate without pedaling are prohibited.

The first 25 miles of the rail trail, from Lake Placid to Floodwood Road, is already open, and crews are working to extend the trail about nine miles to Tupper Lake. The last segment is expected to be finished in late summer or early fall.

Although much of the trail passes through wild areas, cyclists will have opportunities to visit restaurants, breweries, or shops along the way. There are also many options for lodging or camping along the way. In anticipation of the trail’s completion, Adirondack Sports offers this guide to cycling the Adirondack Rail Trail. We’ve divided the trail into four sections that start and end at major entry points.

Lake Placid to Saranac Lake – This 10-mile segment extends between the former railroad depots in Lake Placid and Saranac Lake. Those who cycle it in both directions will find that it’s slightly easier going from east to west, thanks to the gradient.

The Lake Placid depot, at the eastern terminus, is now a history museum. The Open Space Institute plans to build bathrooms, a picnic area and a parking lot at the museum.

There’s already a parking area just west of the museum. If you park here, simply cross Station Street to get on the rail trail. If you park at the museum, ride on Station Street for two tenths of a mile to pick up the trail. The mileage figures that follow take the museum as the starting point..

Once on the rail trail, you soon cross the Chubb River and then come to Old Military Road – the only major road crossing until Saranac Lake. Shortly, the trail enters the state Forest Preserve, with numerous views of wetlands, waterways, and nearby peaks. 

At 4.25 miles, you pass the clubhouse and restaurant of the Saranac Lake Golf Course. In another 0.7 miles, a dirt trail on the right leads up a small hill to the Meadowbrook State Campground. You can bike through the campground to the community of Ray Brook, where you can find several places to get food or drink, including the Ray Brook Brewhouse, the first of five breweries just off the rail trail. (There are additional breweries in Lake Placid.)

At 7.4 miles, the trail reaches NY Route 86 on the outskirts of Saranac Lake. Use caution when crossing this busy highway. The next two miles of trail through the village are paved, with six crossings of local (and less-busy) roads. 

At 8.0 miles, you come to a spur trail on the left that leads in a short distance to several businesses, including Aldi’s supermarket and the Blue Line Brewery. The turn is opposite a large beaver pond with a view of McKenzie Mountain.

The trail crosses the Saranac River at 9.45 miles and then comes to Bloomingdale Avenue (NY Route 3). The region’s newest brewery, the RiverTrail Beerworks, is close by; turn right, then take another right on Woodruff Street. Another brew pub, Bitters & Bones, is located at the end of Bloomingdale Avenue. There are numerous other places to eat and drink in the village as well as many lodgings.

The Saranac Lake depot, which has been undergoing renovation, is reached at 9.75 miles. The state owns the building and is considering ways to use it in the future.

Saranac Lake to Lake Clear Junction – This 6.0-mile section ends at Charlie’s Inn near the midpoint of the rail trail. Charlie’s is a restaurant and bar that also offers rooms and campsites. 

From the Saranac Lake depot, head west on the trail. Within 0.35 miles, you cross Cedar Street and Route 86 in quick succession. Once you leave the village behind, you won’t see any commercial establishments until Charlie’s Inn. There are only two more road crossings: McMaster Road at 4.6 miles and NY Route 186 at 5.9 miles, just before Charlie’s.

Most of this section of the rail trail goes through state Forest Preserve. One of the scenic highlights is a 0.4-mile causeway that crosses Lake Colby, affording views of Scarface Mountain, Baker Mountain, Mount Pisgah and other peaks. The causeway has viewing platforms with benches. It starts about a mile from the depot.

At 4.25 miles, after passing through a deep forest, you come to a splendid view of McCauley Pond. Most of the pond is privately owned, but it has seen little development and retains its wild character. Be aware that turtles cross the trail in this area.

After crossing McMaster, you reenter the Forest Preserve and pedal 1.3 miles to Route 186. You’ll see Charlie’s on the right soon after crossing the highway.

Lake Clear Junction to Floodwood – This 9.6-mile stretch ends at the Floodwood Outpost on Floodwood Road. The Outpost sells snacks, sodas, maps, guidebooks, and other outdoorsy stuff. The only other commercial establishment along the trail is Lake Clear Lodge, located a half-mile west of Charlie’s Inn.

Heading west from Charlie’s, you come to NY Route 30 in two-tenths of a mile, the only major road crossing on the way to Floodwood. The trail parallels the south shore of Lake Clear, with views of St. Regis Mountain, before crossing the outlet at 1.8 miles. 

At 3.2 miles, you pass the rail trail’s Station Road parking area (just past the state fish hatchery and maintenance shop). At 3.35 miles, the trail crosses a dirt road leading to Green Pond, where there are several designated campsites. At 3.9 miles, you pass a gated woods road on the left that leads to Rat Pond, where you can find informal campsites. 

Beyond Rat Pond, the trail forms the southern boundary of the St. Regis Canoe Area, which is similar to a Wilderness Area. Two scenic highlights are Little Rainbow Pond, reached at 4.9 miles, and Turtle Pond, reached at 6.75 miles.

The Floodwood Outpost is at the trail’s Floodwood Road crossing. If you pedal east on the dirt road, you can find several designated campsites (they are often occupied in summer).

Floodwood Road to Tupper Lake – You won’t find any amenities on the final 8.5 miles. From Floodwood, the trail heads south past Floodwood Pond, Rollins Pond, and several large wetlands. It crosses only one road; a dirt logging road reached at 5.6 miles.

The state plans to build a spur trail to the popular Rollins Pond State Campground and the neighboring Fish Creek Pond State Campground. 

At 8.1 miles, the trail passes a large parking area. Continue straight to the former train depot on NY Route 3 in less than a half-mile. 

The depot is in downtown Tupper Lake, also known as Faust (once an independent village). There are several places in Faust to find food and drink, including Raquette River Brewing, located a half-mile west on Route 3.

Another option is to ride the Crossroads of the Adirondacks trail to uptown Tupper Lake, where there are more shops and restaurants. This stone-dust trail leads to the waterfront park on Raquette Pond. From the park, take the paved trail along the water to its end, then go up Cliff Avenue two blocks to Park Street, reached 2.5 miles from the depot.

Bike Shops and Shuttle Services 

The region has three full-service bike shops that sell, rent, and repair bicycles.

• High Peaks Cyclery – 2733 Main St., Lake Placid, 518-523-3764, highpeakscyclery.com. 

• Placid Planet Bicycles – 2242 Saranac Ave., Lake Placid, 518-523-4128, placidplanet.com. 

• Silver Birch Cycles – 77 Main St., Saranac Lake, 518-354-8497, silverbirchcycles.com.

Bikes also can be rented at Bike Lake Placid, Wiley’s Flies in Ray Brook, and Sled & Spoke in Saranac Lake. The latter two rent only e-bikes.

Bike Adirondacks (bikeadk.com), High Peaks Cyclery, and St. Regis Canoe Outfitters (canoeoutfitters.com) offer shuttle services for cyclists who want to ride only one way on the rail trail.

Phil Brown (adkeditor@icloud.com) edited the Adirondack Explorer for 19 years and still writes for the nonprofit newsmagazine. He also has written for Adirondack Life, Bike Adirondacks, The Alpinist, and other outlets. His books include Adirondack Paddling: 65 Flatwater Adventures and Bob Marshall in the Adirondacks.