The Adirondack Wilderness, often referred to as the Adirondack Park, is a part of the New York Forest Preserve in New York. It is 6,100,000 acres large and has 10,000 lakes and an estimated 200,000 acres of old-growth forests. It is home to many subdivided smaller regions, each with varying landscapes and regulations.
Adirondack 46er Club
The most popular hiking challenge and the first peakbagging challenge to ever exist is the Adirondack 46er challenge in which a hiker must summit all 46 high peaks about 4,000 ft elevation. Four of these peaks are actually under 4,000 ft., but remain on the list for posterity. Hikers who complete the challenge are awarded a patch and membership to a club which offers merchandise for sale and has an annual dinner event. There is a winter variation on the challenge that requires climbing all of the peaks between December 21 and March 21.
Hiking Challenges
Because of the popularity of the 46er peakbagging challenge, there are many other similar challenges in the area. These include the Saranac Lake 6er, Tupper Lake Triad, Fulton Chain Trifecta, Lake Placid 9er, Lake George 12ster, and more. Hiking challenges and hiking for patches is a big part of the hiking and tourism culture in the Adirondacks, though locals are torn on whether or not these challenges are good or bad for the area. While the popular sentiment seems to be that they are a fun way to engage in the outdoors and bring tourism dollars to the area, many feel they lead to overuse of the trails, and cause issues with parking.
Hiker Towns
There are many hiker friendly towns within the Adirondack park, with the most notable and major towns being Lake Placid, Saranac Lake, Keene Valley, and Lake George. Many of these towns have hiker amenities such as hostels, shuttles, restaurants, and gear outfitters.
Long Distance Trails and Thru-Hikes
Thru-hiking is growing in popularity in the region. The most popular being the Northville to Placid Trail which roughly 135 miles with 14,015 ft. of elevation gains. A newer and less popular route called the Trans-Adirondack Route has been dubbed “The Triple Crown Killer” because of multiple Triple Crowners not being able to complete the route. The route is 240 miles long and requires bushwhacking which is atypical for thru hikes. It is not known how many people have completed this route, but as of 2022, it is likely less than 100.
- Eastern High Peaks Wilderness
- Western High Peaks Wilderness
- Dix Mountain Wilderness
- Giant Mountain Wilderness
- Hurricane Mountain Wilderness
- Hammond Pond Wilderness
- Sentinel Range Wilderness
- McKenzie Mountain Wilderness
- Saranc Lakes
- Lake George
- Vanderwhacker Mountain Wild Forest
- Wilcox Lake Wild Forest
- Shaker Mountain Wild Forest
- Silver Lake Wilderness
- Ferris Lake Wild Forest
- Jessup river Wild Forest
- Black River Wild Forest
- Ha-De-Ron-Dah Wilderness
- West Canada Lake Wilderness
- Little Moose Mountain Wilderness
- Blue Ridge Wilderness
- Blue Mountain Wild Forest
- Moose River Plains Wild Forest
- Independence River Wild Forest
- Fulton Chain WIld Forest
- Independence Wild Forest
- Pigeon Lake Wilderness
- Sargent Ponds Wilderness
- Pepperbox Wilderness
- Watson’s East Triangle Wild Forest
- Aldrich Pond Wild Forest
- Cranberry Lake Wild Forest
- Grasse River Wild Forest
- Raquette Boreal Wild Forest
- Saint Regis Canoe Area
- Raquette Boreal Complex
- Five Ponds Wilderness
- Whitehill Wild Forest
- Debar Mountain Wild Forest
- Chazy Highlands
- Lake Champlain Islands
- Taylor Pond Wild Forest
- Siamese Ponds Wilderness
- William C. Whitney Wilderness
- Round Lake Wilderness
