Question on Northville-Lake Placid

[pedxing]

I'm going to hit the NLP this summer. My wife is planning to join me for the last 50 - 65 miles or so. I was going to go South to North, but I'm fine going in either direction.

What are good options for places on or near the trail for us to meet up (hopefully with reasonably safe parking near by)?

Any advice on the NLP? Spots not to miss? Places to resupply at?

 

[Frosty]

Two and a half days from the southern end, you hit Piseco. About two hundred yards from the trail (go straight rather than take a right after the Post Office) is the Irondequoit Inn. Very reasonable rates, very hiker friendly. Will accept mail drop packages, but if you are meeting your wife, this will be less important.

http://www.irondequoitinn.com/

A couple days after that, the trail goes withing a couple miles of Blue Mtn Lake. There is an excellent museum of the Adirondacks there.

A couple days after that the trail goes near Long Lake, another good place to meet.

Plenty of places in Lake Placid. The Econolodge is about fifty bucks.

Parking seemed to be safe enough at the northern end, but there has been some vandalism at the southern end I heard. If you drive a couple hundred yards past the official parking lot and register on the dirt road, there is a small utility company on the left. You can park cars in the yard for a buck a day.

Edit: Forgot to mention re-supply. Not much in the way of stores with decent hiker food. There is a Stewarts in Blue Mtn Lake that has some stuff okay for hiking. The trial goes right by the Post Office in Piseco. The hours are odd, though, best to call before you leave to verify. There is a Post Office about 2 miles from the trail in Long Lake.

 

[BorealChickadee]

Good advice Frosty, but I just wanted to add that the Stewart's is in Long Lake. Blue Mtn Lake only has that little gas station with a few supplies if you're looking for a store.

 

[Rick]

Hey Pedxing, Hope things are fine. I sat at the bar next to you and your wife last year before the Banff Film Festival.

Anyway, the NLP was one of my favorite linear trails for over a decade. I have been on it in a couple of years, though I am planning a section hike for later this year.

I used the Piseco Post office as my first Mail drop. I resupplied in Long Lake Village (there used to be a laundromat there as well, which is nice).

I have left a vehicle at Tarbell Road for the Long Lake Section for 6 days with
no issues. I also left a vehicle at the house by the trail in Upper Benson for 12 days with no issues. You might also be able to drop a vehicle at Piseco Airport or the Piseco School - They were both very friendly when I went thru as well as when I sectioned hiked and they might still allow parking.

I don't really know about places to stay near trail heads, but the not to miss areas on the trail are:
From South to North:
A Night at Spruce Lake listening to the Loons
West Canada Lakes and the strip of sandy beach
Off the Trail, there is the Museum at Blue Mtn Lake Village
Tirrell Pond and it's sandy beach and cliffs,
Plumley's Point L/T's on the Far end of Long Lake is a wonderful place to stay - Mid week is best, as it gets a lot of boat traffic on weekends.
Cold River Falls L/Ts (Just past Shattucks Clearing and the Suspension bridges) Wonderful L/Ts with great sunrises in the first L/T.
The entire trail along Cold River - Very wild and scenic.
Rondeau's Hermitage located past Ouluska Pass L/T Where Noah John Rondeau lived a hermits existence for many years.
A Night at Duck hole is also a very peaceful place to be.

If you PM me with your Email address, I can end you a NLP planning spreadsheet that has all points of interest and mileage between points to help you with your planning.
Rick

 

[MattC]

Just noting that you will likely see an update of current conditions soon, since Hillman is walking the NLP as we speak. He posted a short report on ADK High Peaks a few days ago from a public library on route. Sounds like he's been getting a little damp.

Matt

 

[Frosty]

Good advice Frosty, but I just wanted to add that the Stewart's is in Long Lake. Blue Mtn Lake only has that little gas station with a few supplies if you're looking for a store.

I was thinking of that little gas station on the corner of 28 and 30. It has a small grocery supply with some Lipton's meals, mac-cheese, oatmeal, jerky, and stuff like that. I had thought it to be a Stewarts, but maybe not. Or is my old age setting in and I am thinking of the corner at Long Lake. I hate getting old

 

[Frosty]

Just noting that you will likely see an update of current conditions soon, since Hillman is walking the NLP as we speak. He posted a short report on ADK High Peaks a few days ago from a public library on route. Sounds like he's been getting a little damp.

Matt

Quite damp. I started the hike with him, but left him (and Dave, Greg and Justin) at the first bog north of Silver Lake Leanto. It was flooded and I foresaw ten days of that. I realized it would be more of a case of getting through the hike than enjoying it, so I dropped out.

Trail was very wet, massive puddles and mudslops on sidehills where water was trapped on the trail. A couple streams on the way into Silver Lake were torrents deeper than my knees (and I'm 6'5").

Last I heard from him, he was in Long Lake and it was still raining on a daily basis.

Those guys have my admiration, but I'm still glad I didn't continue (if only because I came home and found my basement flooding).

 

[sleeping bear]

This site has a pretty good description of the trail section by section as well as campgrounds, ammenities and facilities along the way.

 

[lumberzac]

I don't really know about places to stay near trail heads, but the not to miss areas on the trail are:
From South to North:
A Night at Spruce Lake listening to the Loons
West Canada Lakes and the strip of sandy beach
Off the Trail, there is the Museum at Blue Mtn Lake Village
Tirrell Pond and it's sandy beach and cliffs,
Plumley's Point L/T's on the Far end of Long Lake is a wonderful place to stay - Mid week is best, as it gets a lot of boat traffic on weekends.
Cold River Falls L/Ts (Just past Shattucks Clearing and the Suspension bridges) Wonderful L/Ts with great sunrises in the first L/T.
The entire trail along Cold River - Very wild and scenic.
Rondeau's Hermitage located past Ouluska Pass L/T Where Noah John Rondeau lived a hermits existence for many years.
A Night at Duck hole is also a very peaceful place to be.

Rick’s list look good, but I'll add a few more stops to it.
- Canary Pond between Silver Lake and Whitehouse is a nice place for a swim on a hot day.
- A stay at one of the Cedar Lakes lean-tos is well worth it.
- The pay showers at the Lake Durant campground have hot water.

 

[Pat T]

Definitely try to add a trip to the Adirondack Museum. It will give you a great sense of the history of the area you will travel through.

Take time to read and also to write in the lean-to registers. They are very entertaining.

Try to read a bit about Noah John Rondeau, the hermit of Cold River. It will give you a whole different sense of the area. The site of his camp is marked with a small wooden sign and finding it was a highlight of our trip.

I wish we had spent a little more time exploring the Cold River. There was an article in Adirondack Life (not sure of the year) about two guys who hiked in to Duck Hole with kayaks and ran the Cold River from there to Long Lake one spring. Sounded like a wild trip.

We were on the trail in August and found the section from Wanika Falls (also worth visiting) to Averyville to be miserably wet--not very much fun at all due to lots of beaver work, slippery logs to fall off, etc.

If you have a extra day in the area, it is worth it to get a canoe and head up the Chubb River. Do not put in at the trail parking area, though, as you will have to carry over a lot of rocks. There is a canoe put-in up the road a bit. The river meanders through a beautiful, wide valley. There is one short carry in the middle of the trip. PM me if you want more details. The mountain views are beautiful and unique.

Have a great hike! We look forward to the TR.

Pat T

 

[sli74]

Well, you have gotten all the advice and info I would have given you and better so I will just add that Wanika Falls is a WONDERFUL place for a swim, wade under the Falls and enjoy.

sli74

 

[Tim Seaver]

Well, you have gotten all the advice and info I would have given you and better so I will just add that Wanika Falls is a WONDERFUL place for a swim, wade under the Falls and enjoy.

I'll second that...WELL worth the short side trip!

 

[sleeping bear]

Definitely try to add a trip to the Adirondack Museum. It will give you a great sense of the history of the area you will travel through.

I'll second the museum suggestion. They have a really nice bookshop too.

 

[WBB]

If you go south to north Durant SP would be a good spot to meet your wife, it is just about 50 miles from Placid. You can grab a hot shower, hit the museum in Blue Mt. Lake,, and still make it to the north end of Triell Pond which has a nice sand beach all in one day We were able to leave our car in the SP for $5.00/day.There is also free parking at the Triell Pond TH.