When you live in Ontario with no mountains around, the Adirondack High Peaks Wilderness in upper New York State becomes your closest mountain escape. With 46 peaks over 4,000 feet, it is known as 46ers. I first knew this area is because of Whiteface ski resort, but there’s so much more to explore in other three seasons!
Just looking at the license plates at trailhead tells you something – you’ll see lots of cars from Ontario and Quebec. It makes sense – these mountains are the closest to both Toronto (6 hours drive) and Montreal (2 hours drive), perfect for weekend hiking trips!
Friday: Driving to the Adirondacks
We made a last-minute decision on Thursday to head out, even though it was going to be a busy weekend with the Lake Placid Ironman event. We left Toronto early Friday morning, driving 560 km to reach Draper’s Campground (Lake Placid, NY) by 3 PM.
After setting up our tent, we headed Adirondack Loj to check things out. We climbed Mount Jo, walked around Heart Lake, and later enjoyed our dinner in Lake Placid. Our campsite was conveniently close to these locations, only about 10 km away.
Saturday: Hiking the Algonquin Peak Loop
We arrived at Adirondack Loj at 6:40 AM, but the main parking lot was already full! Lucky for us, we snagged a spot in a small lot which is 1.3 km away. Our planned Algonquin peak loop through Avalanche Lake turned into 22.5 km (though AllTrails says18.6 km).
We started our hike on Algonquin Peak Loop around 7 AM and finished by 3 PM, taking the clockwise route:
- Van Hoevenburge Trail
- Avalanche Pass Trail
- Lake Colden Trail
- Algonquin Trail
- Back to Van Hoevenburg Trail
After finishing the hike and grabbing a quick bite, we headed straight back to Toronto around 5 PM, picked up a takeout in Toronto, and made it home by Saturday midnight.
Trail Highlights and Tips
The Avalanche Lake section is stunning – you’ll find two wooden walkways built into the rock walls called “Hitch-up Matilda.” We filtered water at the lake, which turned out to be crucial. We brought 4 bottles of water and 3 bottles of Gatorades, and refilled three bottles here. This is your main water source – after Lake Colden Trail, there’s just a small water source at the start of Algonquin, then it’s dry all the way up.
The real challenge started on the Algonquin Trail. Hiking over huge, steep rocks was no joke. We were lucky with clear skies, as rain would’ve made the climb much harder.
We took a second snack break near the summit of Algonquin Peak, where we could see Iroquois Peak in the distance. Some hikers who did the Algonquin Trail as an out-and-back also included Iroquois Peak in their route.
Above the treeline, the views opened up dramatically. You can see Iroquois Peak from the top – some hikers add that to their route if they’re just doing an out-and-back on Algonquin Trail.
Camping Options
- Draper’s Campground: Closest campground to the Loj. $25/night with utilities and clean showers. All cabins were booked as it was the Ironman weekend.
- Heart Lake Campground at the Loj: You can choose lodges, cabins, and camping. Most ideal because you live at the trailhead (no parking worries), but they are booked up fast. You’ll need to book through Adirondack Mountain Club.
- Backcountry camping: Free, first-come-first-served. Perfect for multi-day hikers, but we weren’t prepared with food, plus we had our dog and didn’t want to deal with mosquitoes in summer.
- Cascade Inn: The closest lodging to the Loj, comes with a restaurant.
- Hotels in Lake Placid.
Adirondack Loj
- Parking: $10/day (non-members), $5 afternoon. Self-pay envelope system when no staff at the site
- Information Center with 24/7 bathrooms
- Water fountains outside
- “Hungry Hiker” food stand opens after 2 PM (honestly, wasn’t too impressed with the burgers even though we were starving!)
- Bear canisters available for rent (a must for multi-day hikes)
- Staff are super helpful with trail information
- Arrive by 6:00-6:30 AM for parking!
Mount Jo – The Perfect Warm-up Hike
The Mount Jo Overlook Trail is only 3 km, but don’t let that fool you. It’s ranked in the top 3 (Adirondacks area) on AllTrails, and I see why. The rocky path gives you a real taste of Adirondack hiking, and the views are fantastic. We made it Friday afternoon as our warm-up hike, and it was perfect. If you’re new to hiking in the Adirondacks, Mount Jo is your trail.
Heart Lake
The trail around Heart Lake is perfect for a relaxing walk. We did it after our Mount Jo hike, and it was just what we needed. It’s flat, well-maintained, and the lake views are beautiful. Whether you want to stretch your legs after a big hike, take an evening stroll from your campsite, or enjoy a family walk, this trail delivers. Not every trail in the Adirondacks needs to be challenging – sometimes an easy lakeside walk is exactly what you want.
