The Adirondack Rail Trail—which follows the old Remsen-Lake Rail corridor is a 34-mile accessible path that runs through the heart of Adirondack Park in New York State. Two-thirds (25 miles) of the trail is open to bikers, runners, hikers, and birders, providing access to breathtaking trails, numerous campsites, and waterways, such as the St. Regis Canoe Area.
Visitors will soon enjoy the full length of the vehicle-free trail when the final phase wraps up in the fall, connecting Lake Placid, Saranac Lake, and Tupper Lake, known as the Tri-Lakes region. It’s touted as a world-class outdoor recreation destination that will draw tens of thousands of tourists to the area.
Active outdoor enthusiasts—thanks to special signage along the corridor—will better understand the history of the railway, the cultures of adjacent communities, and the natural resources of surrounding lands and waters, ultimately creating a real-time linear museum.
These mountain bikers are traveling along the Bloomingdale Bog Trail in Saranac Lake, New York. It is just one of many trails connected to the new Adirondack Rail Trail.
Photograph by Bruce Hamms, Alamy Stock Photo
Lake Colby, located outside of Saranac Lake, N.Y., offers a picturesque rest stop for bikers and hikers on the Adirondack Rail Trail.
Photograph by Robert K. Olejniczak, Alamy Stock Photo–Alamy Stock Photo
“The trail is a wonderful community resource for residents and visitors already experiencing the trail who are coming from all over to delight in its wonders of nature” says Kathleen Martens, a consultant working with The Adirondack Rail Trail Association (ARTA) which helps maintain the trail in partnership with the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation.
Home to incredible mountains, gleaming lakes, vast open wilderness, and charming communities, there is excitement in the air as users are now enjoying the first two finished phases of the trail, taking in incredible views and a healthy dose of outdoor recreation.
“The rail trail is a great place to take your spouse, friends, kids, or dogs for a nice walk,” adds John Brockway, ARTA chair and owner of Charlie’s Inn Restaurant in Lake Clear.
(Related: The Adirondack Mountains are in the midst of a revival—here’s why.)
One of the best ways to experience the rail trail is by bike, where the first section of the trail includes a 6.7-mile stretch without crossing public roads. Cycling between Lake Placid and Saranac’s wetlands, streams, and forests, visitors have an opportunity to witness the real beauty of the trail, which includes the picturesque peaks of McKenzie Mountain, Baker Mountain, Scarface Mountain, Seymour Mountain, and the Sentinel Range.
Between Saranac Lake and Floodwood Road, the trail reveals a wilder, more remote landscape of lakes and ponds, including Lake Colby, McCauley Pond, Lake Clear, and Floodwood Pond. Visitors should consider planning a picnic or swim at Lake Colby Beach.
An accessible trail for all
The 34-mile Adirondack Rail Trail follows the old Remsen-Lake Rail corridor, connecting the Tri-Lakes region, which includes Lake Placid, Saranac Lake, and Tupper Lake.
Photograph by NYSDEC
The relatively flat Adirondack Rail Trail is designed for people of all abilities and connects nature lovers to vibrant mountain communities year-round.
“It is the perfect introduction to the Adirondacks for seniors with limited mobility, people with Class 1 e-bikes, and persons with disabilities, including wheelchair users,” says Brockway. “And for cyclists, there are several places to stop, rest, and explore.” Food, fuel, parking, campgrounds, and lodgings are all nearby.
(Related: Four places to stay in the Adirondacks.)
The history of a once-thriving railway
The Adirondack Rail Trail follows a section of the former 119-mile Remsen-Lake rail corridor, constructed in 1892 and operated until 1972, when the freight service ceased.
“Dr. William Seward Webb undertook the monumental task of constructing the railroad through the mostly unbroken Adirondack wilderness,” says ARTA board member Tony Goodwin. The freight trains hauled coal and building materials into the growing Adirondack towns and hauled out logs from local forests and ice cut from many of the region’s lakes.
New York purchased the railway in 1974, and the New York State Department of Transportation maintained control over the entire 119-mile corridor until 2022, when the 34-mile stretch was transferred to the state’s Department of Environmental Conservation. “Much of the terrain originally traversed by the railroad remains mostly undeveloped, making this one of the wildest of all American rail trails,” says Goodwin.
The rail infrastructure from Lake Placid to Tupper Lake was repurposed to create the rail trail by removing of the tracks in 2021. A year later, the surface was regraded to make it a scenic railroad to bolster tourism and expand recreation opportunities.
(Related: How to see peak foliage in the Adirondacks—without the crowds.)
Explore the history and support the communities along the Adirondack Rail Trail
As mentioned, the Adirondack Rail Trail features interpretive signs to help visitors learn more about the railway’s origins and the natural environment surrounding the trail. According to NYS DEC, the signs—along with kiosks at trailheads and major intersections—will help orient users to their physical location on the trail and provide historical context of the nearby area and/or the region.
Some of the original mile markers, whistle posts, and other historic remnants of the railroad will remain along the trail.
With the arrival of Spring, cyclists are flocking to the Adirondack Rail Trail, connecting to the unique charm of the municipalities and communities alongside the trail.
New trail-specific businesses emerged along the Adirondack Rail Trail, particularly at Saranac Lake, such as RiverTrail Beerworks, the only riverfront pub and brewery, serving local and guest beers. Visitors can also plan a picnic at well-maintained parks like Riverside Park or kayak on one of the waterways in the 18,400-acre St. Regis Canoe Area, such as Little Clear Pond or Lower St. Regis Lake. This is the only designated canoe area in New York.
Upper New York state’s rail trail passes through Adirondack Park, which includes St. Regis Canoe Area, the only designated canoe area in the state. Outdoor adventures await visitors, including a kayaking excursion on Hoel Pond.
Photograph by Danita Delimont, Alamy Stock Photo
Shops, galleries, and outdoor recreation take centre stage in Lake Placid. Eat like a local at Salt of the Earth Bistro, located inside a century-old house with only nine tables; so, reservations are recommended. Tupper Lake also has great dining, shopping, and fun family attractions like The Wild Center and the Adirondack Sky Center & Observatory.
Where to start on the Adirondack Rail Trail
The rail trail starts at Station Street in Lake Placid. From the village of Lake Placid, take Main Street to the intersection with 73 and make a right and then another right on Station Street. Go past the history museum in the village’s old depot; parking is on the left at the trail head.
Outdoor activities beyond the trail
Beyond the rail trail, the region is home to hiking trails and waterways worth exploring in the adjacent Forest Preserve lands. One of the best treks is New York State’s oldest long-distance trail, the Northville-Placid Trail (NPT), which celebrated its 100th anniversary in 2024. Adventurous hikers can traverse this little-known trail, which stretches 138 miles from Lake Placid through the wilderness of the Adirondack Park.
Paddling, boating, and fishing opportunities near or adjacent to the Adirondack Rail Trail are also available, including on the Chubb River, Lower Saranac Lake, Lake Colby, and Lake Clear, with spectacular foliage peeping year-round.
(Related: Crowded peaks? Not on this little-known trail in the Adirondacks.)
Jeremy Flint is a freelance writer and award-winning travel photographer based in Oxford, England. Follow him on Instagram.
