Adirondacks and Vermont in late June

[edwardo]

My wife and I are planning a trip to New England and New York in June/July. All of our arrangements have been made except for the beginning of the trip which will include the Adirondack/Lake Champlain region of NY and then Vermont. We've allocated 6 days for these areas. I'm trying to decide on what general area to camp and for what duration. We definitely want to take in the Lake Placid/Saranac areas, Lake Champlain and islands, northern Vermont (probably Stowe area). I tentatively want to camp 2 days each at Lake Placid area, Lake Champlain (either NY or VT side), and Stowe area; but may be too much changing campsites and loss of time moving. Or spend 3 days in each of two locations. Please help me decide. A lot will depend on travel times; and I have no idea as to local traffic/road conditions. You may also give me "must-see" sites. We like sight-seeing, light hiking, flatwater kayaking (we will bring our kayaks). Thanks in advance.

[Kim Gass]

There is a 2000 foot drop /climb from Keene to Lake Placid so you will get your exercise..Some of it is two lanes the same direction ,some not.

Whiteface Mt is a must see. Its an additional 3000 foot climb so its for the truck alone.
Lake Placid.. ugh. Its a tourist town and no RV parking handy. it is a nice town off season ( I have friends there). The traffic downtown is brutal but downtown is just a little short of a mile long

This is a good place to start'http://www.lakeplacid.com/

Countless places to paddle in the Placid area.. follow the paddling link on the above site.

there are no superhighways going east to west and you either have to take the Champlain Ferry ( one of three) or go to the foot or the top of Champlain to take the bridge at Rouses Point or Crown Point.
Plan an average 30 mph. No reservations taken on the ferry.

You could easily spend a week in the Adirondacks.. Mt Jo is a delightful hike but there are a couple around Mirror Lake too as well as thousands of miles of more strenuous hiking trails

It can get cool in June and there will be bugs. It should be the end of blackfly season and the start of stablefly biting season and mosquito season.

I cant recommend any RV campgrounds because when we go to the Adirondacks we paddle and tent camp.
There are some State DEC campgrounds in the area that do not have hookups. However if your unit is over 25 feet it won't fit at many campgrounds. Fish Creek or Rollins is your best bet. And those are getting full
https://www.reserveamerica.com/campi...=NY&parkId=574

Meadowbrook is often used by RVers . Its between Saranac and Placid and is an campground in back of a loud restaurant Its grassy and the sites level except that it lacks features of any sort save an iffy shower and washrooms
You would look in Region 5 for a DEC campground
https://www.dec.ny.gov/docs/permits_...cilityinfo.pdf

There are some RV campgrounds in the vicinity I can vouch that Charlies Inn Campground at Lake Clear Junction is fun.. Its close to walking paddling the very nice Paul Smiths Visitor Information Center on Rt 30. And not near any town
Now dining. A must is to go to Donnelly's soft serve ice cream at the junction of 186 and 86. You walk in the door and select your size cone. No arguing over flavor. The only flavor is the flavor of the day. You don't like it, try another day. However you can always get the FOD in a vanilla twist. They make the ice cream right there. Its a farm.

[Kim Gass]

As for Stowe I have no RV help.. I go there for grandsons hockey tournaments in the winter and to ski.
But I can vouch for a food tour down Rt 100.. Cheese( Cabots') ice cream ( Ben and Jerrys) the VT Country Store..

Food Tour Route 100 in Vermont | Ben & Jerrys | Cabot Cheese | Chocolates

Rt 100 is lumpy bumpy two lane and curvy. 30 mph is a good average.

Drive Route 100: A Partial Food Tour of Vermont

do not try Lincoln Gap with your ensemble.

[3'senough]

Cold Hollow Cider doughnuts while in Stowe.
Maple Syrup from a local sugar house too.

Ausable Chasm is just north of Lake Placid and considered the Grand Canyon of the east. There is a campground there as well.

Can't help with routing except once off 89 in VT the roads are narrow and have very small if any shoulder so ask your campground ahead of your arrival for the best route.

[Kim Gass]

Ausable Chasm is 1 hour from LP
In ADK terms that’s just north. Its about 34 miles
I’ve lived in the ADKs for several years and not been there!

[Fire_Instructor]

Kim Gass nailed it, above, but I would add that North Pole Resorts in Wilmington, just below Whiteface Mountain, is a GREAT campground to base a Lake Placid, Whiteface, High Peaks vacation from....

[edwardo]

Ok, we have reservations at North Pole 100-acre Wood CG in Wilmington, NY for 3 nights. Now I need to fill in 3 nights in Vermont; thinking now maybe along Lake Champlain or east or south of Stowe; not much around Stowe in the way of CG's. This will be a 32 day trip through eastern NY, VT, NH, ME, MA, RI, CT and back home to Alabama.

[Kim Gass]

Not much east of Waterbury either save State Forests. Shelburne Farm and Museum is interesting. Rt 7 is a main road and stop and go and the summer but not much you can do about that till you get south of Shelburne. Burlington is a fun town

Shelburne Camping Area, Shelburne, Vermont

Again I haven't camped there as I travel through there enroute to work at Paul Smiths NY from time to time.

[Fire_Instructor]

For your Wilmington / Lake Placid leg:
1). Look at kayaking on the Saranac River in the Saranac Lake area. Flat, relatively slow moving water, very scenic and relaxing.
2). Take the drive to the top of Whitface Mountain. Well worth the views...
3). Part of a day just walking the little shops on Main St. In Lake Placid. Lots to see and do.
4). Lake Placid Brew Pub! Tucked away on a side-street, off the main drag, but well worth the stop for great food and beverage.
5). The Olympic ski jump, bobsled, and luge. They run all summer, on special surfaces, and you can actually ride in a bobsled on the 1980 Olympic Bobsled run! Well worth it!
6). If you fly-fish, the upper portions of the Ausable River are a Mecca for world-class fly fishing. (Catch & Release only)
7). Check your dates with the LP tourist calander. If you are there around the weeks of the Ironman Competition or the Horse Show, it’s fun to get caught up in the excitement and crowds of either event, but that also limits the other things that you can do, particularly with the road closures for the Ironman....

[Kim Gass]

https://www.whiteface.com/plan

In summer the Olympic ski jump is not open every day.. Should be on weekends

The Brewpub is fun but I like Lisa G's better on Station St overlooking the falls at Mill Pond in Lake Placid
Stop by Placid Boatworks and try out one of their 20 lb pack canoes and continue down the street across the Artillery Highway and put in for the Chubb River.

Saranac Lake has a canoe and kayak outfitter on Dorsey Street. Very good store skilled staff. They can do a shuttle for you.

Here are a selection of trips https://www.canoeoutfitters.com/trip-planning/routes

I like to go from Lower Saranac and out at Middle Saranac going through the hand operated locks between the two.

The Saranac River can be low but the folks at St Regis Outfitters can advise you on additonal takeouts before the rapids start.

[seanb61]

Originally Posted by Kim Gass

Ausable Chasm is 1 hour from LP
In ADK terms that’s just north. Its about 34 miles
I’ve lived in the ADKs for several years and not been there!

As a teen, I guided rafters down the Chasm as I lived in Jay, NY growing up.

There is a KOA in Wilmington near Whiteface that will put in right in the middle of may nearby must see things.

https://koa.com/campgrounds/lake-placid/