Adirondack Park - Summer Vacation (Maine, Saranac Lake: renting, hotels, school)

[zedzul]

Hello Everyone

I was thinking of planing a trip to Adirondack park, 5 day total time for hiking and camping and the like. I have a few questions and was hopeing some one here could help.

First off i was planing for the memorial day weekend, is this a bad idea? will the park be crowded because of the holiday? whats the weather typically like then, hows the hiking then? I'd be coming down from Maine so I thought the weather would be a lot like ours but I thought I'd make sure.

Also any hikes you would recommend, any thing other then hikes to do? Just started looking at this today so any info is appreciated

Thanks
Zed

[Sgoldie]

The park will be crowded because of the weekend. It's even more so when the kids get out of school. Whatever you do make sure you have a reservation someplace well in advance or you'll never get one. The weather, I'm assuming too will be similar.

The eastern park of the Adirondacks gets more people from the major metropolitan areas and is a bit more expensive and sophisticated than the western half. More shops and the like, more gourmet food, and a different kind of tourist. The western part is more rustic.

Besides shopping, there's fishing, canoeing, hunting, birding, nature watching, photography, orienteering, small cruises, art galleries, museums, classes, lectures, history, the occasional tennis court, and swimming though it would be too cold for that. And then there's always eating. The motel I usually stay at has a large library and board games too. There are campsites, cabins, hotels and motels, resorts, and old-timey places in the woods that serve on real silver using the American or European food plan.

If you want to go off the main roads having a GPS is a good idea and if hiking make sure you sign in at the beginning of the trail boxes. Roads are generally one lane in each direction and places can be far between but should at least find a tavern here and there if outside the villages. It's a really unique place, refreshing, fascinating. Hope you have a good time, I always do.

[suescanal]

Do you own a canoe? If you do, there are places that are never crowded & forever wild and beautiful. On Memorial Day wkend, generally avoid places like Saranac Lake & others that have a high profile- even so, wherever you wind up will be well worth the trip- borrow some books from the library, or contact the DEC for free info.

[keauna]

Definately come to Saranac Lake. Lake Placid will be a bit busy but you will have no issues in Saranac Lake. The nice thing is you may meet a couple of other hikers who may give you great ideas of good hikes.
I live on the lake and it is not all that busy of a weekend. You should definately try to get a kayak and go up the lake or put it in on lower saranac. You may enjoy renting an island on lower saranac and you do that through the DEC.
You can take a day trip to tupper lake and check out the new Wild Center that they recently opened.
Stay near saranc lake as the views from your hikes are awsome.
A quick 45 minute hike right in town is Mt Baker and has amazing views.
Have fun