Things to do and places to go, nearby to camp

The three closets towns are Tupper Lake, Saranac Lake and Lake Placid.

Tupper Lake, New York -- http://www.tupperlake.com (15 minute drive)

• Here you will find the closest grocery store (Shaheen's IGA) and most of the nearby dining (Racquette River Brewery is our favorite).
• You might even be lucky to catch a minor league baseball game for the hometown Tupper Lake Riverpigs (appropriately named for the town's lumberjack history) www.tupperlakeriverpigs.com

Saranac Lake, New York -- https://www.saranaclake.com  (25 minute drive)

Lake Placid, New York -- http://www.lakeplacid.com (30 minute drive)

Absolutely worth the trip to this historic town, home of the 1932 and 1980 Olympics and the famous Miracle On Ice! See below for more details. 

Additionally, we couldn't go without mentioning two of our favorite stores to visit in the area, which have supplied much of the decor, furniture, antiques, and inspiration for the design of Moss Ledge, both inside and out. Absolutely worth a visit if you've fallen in love with the beauty of these camps like we have!

• Dartbrook Rustic -- https://www.dartbrookrustic.com/
• Adirondack Store & Gallery -- https://www.theadirondackstore.com/

The hiking in the Adirondacks is amazing and, luckily, there are so many trails to follow and peaks to climb that there is something for just about everyone at all levels. 

In fact, there are so many summits to reach that they have been grouped into 4 separate hiking categories, which help guide visitors towards what they are able to accomplish.

See below for a breakdown of these categories, and our suggestions for what YOU should try first! (NOTE: this assessment factors in each hike's grade/incline, time and distance it should take to complete the hike, distance from Moss Ledge, and our own experience.)

TUPPER TRIAD (https://www.tupperlake.com/recreation/tupper-lake-triad)  Mount Arab, Coney Mountain, and Goodman Mountain -- These three trails are where we would suggest starting for all newcomers or inexperienced hikers. All hikes are under an elevation of 2,600 and are fairly easy for most. All hikes are in very close proximity to Moss Ledge.

SARANAC LAKE 6er (https://www.adirondack.net/hiking/challenges/6er/)  Baker (2,452 feet), St. Regis (2,874 feet), Scarface (3,054 feet), Ampersand (3,353 feet), Haystack (2,878 feet), McKenzie (3,822 feet) -- Though these are certainly a step up in difficultly from the Tupper Lake Triad and all have incredible views. Fun fact: When Teddy Roosevelt stayed at Moss ledge, according to the log book, Ampersand is the first mountain he hiked (he canoed across the lake to the trailhead).

LAKE PLACID 9er (https://lakeplacid9er.com/)  Cobble Hill (2,332 feet), Mount Jo (2,876 feet), Baxter Mountain (2,440 feet), Mt. Van Hoevenberg (2,940 feet), Big Crow Mountain (2,815 feet), Bear Den Mountain - Wilmington (2,650 feet), Pitchoff Mountain (3,500 feet), Catamount Mountain (3,169 feet), Hurricane Mountain (3,678 feet) -- While similar in difficulty/elevation to the Saranac Lake 6er's, the Lake Placid 9ers are furhter away from Moss Ledge. That said, with every trip up to Moss Ledge that you take, and every peak you cross off your list from each of these categories, you will certainly be driven to accomplish these next!

ADIRONDACK 46ers -- https://adk46er.org/ -- And lastly, the toughest climbs to make in the Adirondacks are the 46 peaks, all above 4,000 feet in elevation. Those who complete all of these hikes enter an elite group of "46ers", which is a highly esteemed and exclusive title for hiking enthusiasts and locals, alike, who have pushed themselves to reach the next level.  Mount Everest next... maybe?  

-- Lake Placid Olympic Center -- http://www.whiteface.com/facilities/lake-placid-olympic-center    

-- Lake Placid Olympic Museum -- http://www.lpom.org/ -- part of the Olympic Center  

 --The Olympic ski jumping facility is worth seeing -- http://www.whiteface.com/facilities/olympic-jumping-complex-0   

--Note that there is a passport that gets you into all Olympic sites -- http://www.whiteface.com/plan/olympic-sites-passport)

-- Olympic bobsled rides - https://www.lakeplacid.com/do/activities/bobsled-rides-olympic-sports-complex

Adirondack Experience Museum -- https://www.theadkx.org/ -- despite its small town location (Blue Mountain Lake), this is an incredible museum that is worth the visit; highly recommended

The Wild Center -- http://www.wildcenter.org – in the nearby town of Tupper Lake

Whiteface Mountain -- http://www.whiteface.com/mountain -- has a gondola and mountain biking in the summer   

Whiteface Mountain Veterans Memorial Highway -- http://www.whiteface.com/activities/whiteface-veterans-memorial-highway – this is worth the drive to the top and from there the hike to the summit offers incredible views

You can mountain bike right out the back of Moss Ledge.  Or you can go to trails nearby at the Mount Pisgah Recreation Center outside the town of Saranac Lake -- https://www.saranaclake.com/cycling/mt-pisgah-recreation-center