Driving to the Daks

[Jason Berard]

So...I'm trying to figure out how much time its going to take drive to the High Peaks from Thetford, VT, and Yahoo Maps is telling me about 3 1/2 hours, which I have a hard time believing......

Using some back roads, I can make it

to the Charlotte/Essex ferry in
1 1/2 hours....If I hit the ferry right, then that is 2 hrs 10 minutes or so.

SO here's my question: Is yahoo Maps right??

and part deux: Should I take the ferry, or just go around?

thanks!

 

[Raymond]

Looks to me like you’d be better off taking Route 4 or crossing on the Champlain Bridge, depending upon whether you’re heading for the Upper Works area or Route 73 area.

We used both routes last week coming from and returning to Eastern Mass.

 

[Paradox]

Make sure you take the ferry at least once. I take it every chance I get, it's a great ride.

 

[Grumpy]

Do take the ferry from Charlotte to Essex. It is a wonderful way to enter the Adirondacks from Vermont, and return.

The drive from Essex to Lake Placid will take an hour, at least. That might be your starting point for calculating whether the Yahoo Maps estimate is close.

For years, Mrs. G. and I camped at Allis State Park, near Brookfield, Vermont, before capping off our vacation with a stay at Elk Lake in the Adirondacks. We always figured on taking about four hours for that trip, which included time to stop for breakfast.

G.

 

[Daniel Eagan]

We always plan an hour from the Essex ferry to St. Huberts, and 40 minutes from St. Huberts to Lake Placid. You can never tell what traffic you will face, and it's hard passing on those roads.

It's also nice not to feel rushed, and to enjoy a beautiful drive.

Do not pass up the Essex ferry (although the one at Ticonderoga is also great).

 

[Tom Rankin]

For years, Mrs. G. and I camped at Allis State Park, near Brookfield, Vermont,

FYI, I was there yesterday, and they no longer allow overnight camping. It may be a temporary budget thing...

 

[--M.]

Another vote for the ferry, as long as the math works out. Lotta country roads, so a very long trip home (to Massachusetts), but it was beautiful. As I recall, we passed through Middlebury on our way across the spine.

Not sure if it works the same going west.

edit: Speaking of going west, do not mistake Jay Mountain Road for a possible route from Essex to the High Peaks, unless you have 4wd, high ground clearance and good luck! I had only the good luck and we scraped by painfully. --M.

 

[mookie]

what about taking the bridge across at chimney point in addison? i usually just go this way, rather than wait for the ferry. works out about the same timewise.
i heard on the news now that the bridge at chimeny point only has one lane open though, not sure what effect that will have on traffic.

 

[Raymond]

There’s a traffic light with a sign that says the wait will not be more than four minutes.

 

[The Unstrung Harp]

The Chimney Point wait was about 42 seconds when I was there a few weeks ago. The thing that slowed me down was constantly different and changing view -- VT/NY border is wicked lovely, so I often had to pull over and photo-whore.

 

[mookie]

There’s a traffic light with a sign that says the wait will not be more than four minutes.

thats great news!
thanks

 

[beverly]

Watch out...

...for the speed trap on the NY side - it's 30mph until you get past the state park area.

 

[Raymond]

It might be worth mentioning here that the cheapest gasoline I saw during our trip was in Ludlow, Vermont. Two of the stations were still open past 11:30 p.m., and the other two stations, though dark, seemed to have lit-up pumps, so perhaps they would be usable even after hours with a credit card, if the Sunoco and Cumberland Farms aren’t open 24 hours.

Last Wednesday, those two Ludlow gas stations were the first I found open in Vermont, three hours after leaving Keene Valley. There was a station still open 11 miles down the road in Chester, also, but the price was 13 cents higher than at the Ludlow Sunoco.

No sense overpaying if you don’t have to!

 

[Jason Berard]

Thanks for all the great info, folks!
When I do get over there, now I'll know the best route, where the speed traps are, and where to get the cheapest gas!

Not sure when I'll get over there, but I hope its soon.

 

[Paradox]

By the way the ferry schedule is available on the internet.
http://www.ferries.com/#

Also gas prices can be checked at
http://autos.msn.com/everyday/GasStations.aspx?m=1&l=1&zip=12932
The problem with the gas price site is that you need the zip code.