| Hiking the Northville-Lake Placid Trail -- A True Wilderness Adventure!
If you're ready, willing and able to do extended backpacking and camping, then hiking the Northville-Lake Placid Trail may be just the adventure you're looking for.
This is no simple day hike - this trail extends for 122 miles through the heart of the Adirondack wilderness. And I don't use the term "wilderness" lightly - this is a true area of designated wilderness, 90% of which (in the eastern U.S.) is found in the Adirondack Park.
While hiking the Northville-Lake Placid Trail, you'll move through mostly wooded terrain, following hills and valleys with gentle grades. During the whole length of the trail, it gains 10,500 feet of elevation. So on this hike you won't see high mountain vistas, but you will see the Adirondack forest in all of its wonderful "wildness". You'll walk by many crystal clear lakes and ponds and cross over streams and rivers.
Along the way, you'll be able to camp in the famous Adirondack lean-tos. These 3-sided structures give good shelter on a stormy night. If you'd like fours walls around you instead of just three, there are also sites where you can set up your tents. Plus the trail passes through two state parks that offer camping. And Lake Durant has hot showers, not that you'll need them after 7 or 8 days of camping!!
A couple of things to keep in mind, not just when hiking the Northville-Lake Placid trail but on any Adirondack hike:
* Just about any season in the Adirondacks can be mud season. All it takes is rain. So be prepared for wet boots and stinky socks!
* BUGS! The Adirondacks are famous (or should I say INfamous?) for their black flies. These tiny little insects swarm around your face in annoying numbers in the spring and early summer. During high summer, it's the deerflies and mosquitoes that follow you into the woods and suck the lifeblood from your veins. Well, maybe not to THAT extreme, but they can be a major irritant. Make sure to bring plenty of insect repellent.
When is the best time for hiking the Northville-Lake Placid Trail?
That would depend on what you enjoy. During the summer, you can swim in any of the many lakes and rivers you'll pass. Those Adirondack lakes are clear, cold and refreshing, especially after a long, hot day on the trail.
In winter, the woods have an incredible beauty all their own. It's usually pretty quiet then, so if you're after serene tranquility, winter might be a good time to hike this trail.
In autumn, you have the incredible foliage that has to be seen to be believed. The colors of the trees, when the sunlight hits them and they have almost a neon glow ... nothing else like it. It takes your breath away.
So really, each season has it's own special attraction. When you go depends on what you enjoy most about nature.
How long does the hike take?
This hike can take anywhere from 11 to 13 or 14 days, depending on your experience, fitness, and hiking speed. You might want to plan on holing up a day or two for weather, or just to rest.
Hiking the Northville-Lake Placid trail can be divided into 3 natural breaks. This is handy for keeping your pack weight down to a comfortable poundage. It's 24 miles from Upper Benson to Pisceo, 60 miles from Pisceo to Long Lake, and then 38 miles from Long Lake to Averyville.
Something else to help with pack weight is that you can mail food drops to yourself along the way. Mail a food drop to Pisceo where you'll also find a general store, motel and restaurant if you want a real bed and hot meal by then. You'll also find a post office in Long Lake, along with motels, restaurants and Hoss's Country Corner, which is a store that you definitely have to visit. There's also a laundromat there to wash your stinky, smelly socks!
If you'd like a really good trail and navigation guide, you can buy one from the Adirondack Mountain Club called the Guide to Adirondack Trails: Northville-Placid Trail. You should also have a map of the trail itself, which you can also purchase there. Call them at 1-800-395-8080.
Happy hiking and be safe!
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