Learn All About Snowshoeing in the Adirondacks: What It Is, Where To Go & Who Has Rentals
Garnet Hill Lodge offers options for both activity and relaxation. Spend the day exploring the cross-country ski and snowshoe trail network, then retreat to the cozy Log House to warm up by the fire. Ski passes are included with overnight stays! Learn More »
Snowshoeing is one of the most accessible and fun outdoor winter activities in the Adirondacks. Although it is often mentioned in the same sentence as cross-country skiing, snowshoeing is a completely different experience that can be enjoyed off-trail, while hiking, or even in your own backyard.
Snowshoeing: It Makes Hiking in the Winter Easier
Snowshoeing is similar to hiking or walking, but the unique structure of snowshoes allows you to stay on top of deep snow instead of sinking into it. They're easy to use and are strapped over regular boots. Snowshoeing is also great exercise, and a kid-friendly activity.
Find Places to Snowshoe & Get Your Rentals
Snowshoeing doesn't require a ton of space or specialized trails, although some places do offer designated snowshoe trails, sometimes in conjunction with cross-country ski trails. Below, you'll find places where you can go snowshoeing, and we've specifically highlighted ones that offer rentals if you need them.
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Where to Snowshoe When You Need Rentals
Garnet Hill Lodge
Adirondack Riverwalking & Forest Bathing
Location: Saranac Lake & Lake Placid Areas
Details: Adirondack Riverwalking & Forest Bathing offers guided snowshoeing/forest bathing trips with rentals included. For 2020/2021 they are only guiding individuals, couples, and groups who are comfortable together through social distancing.
Ausable Chasm
Location: Ausable Chasm
Details: Snowshoes and ice cleats are available for rent at Ausable Chasm, a unique Adirondack attraction that offers self-guided and guided winter tours.
Beaver Brook Outfitters
Location: Wevertown
Details: Beaver Brook Outfitters provides well-maintained rental equipment including snowshoes, skis, and snowboards. Unlike most rental shops, they carry boots in full and half sizes and they will find one that fits you.
*Please note: Beaver Brook Outfitters offers snowshoe rentals only; there are no trails there. And, make sure you navigate to their Wevertown location, not North Creek or Lake Luzerne.
Friends Lake Inn
Location: Chestertown
Details: Friends Lake Inn has 16km of snowshoeing trails and snowshoes available for guests to use. They even offer a romantic Snowshoe Package for adventurous couples.
*Please note: Snowshoes are only available for guests of the Inn.
Garnet Hill Lodge
Location: North River
Details: Garnet Hill Lodge is one of the region's top places for snowshoeing and cross-country skiing, with miles of scenic groomed trails on their property. They offer rentals out of their Outdoor Center, as well as half-day, full-day, or season passes to their trail network; trail passes are free for overnight guests at the lodge.
Check out a map of trails here.
High Falls Gorge
Location: Wilmington
Details: High Falls Gorge's winter season runs from November or December to March, when you can see incredible ice formations along their granite cliffs on the waterfall walk. They also offer snowshoeing on a separate, one-mile, wooded nature trail. Rentals are typically available for on-site or off-site use.
Lapland Lake Nordic Vacation Center
Location: Northville
Details: Lapland Lake has been named #4 out of the Top 10 Snowshoe-Friendly Nordic Centers in North America by Snowshoe Magazine. Enjoy 12km of marked and mapped dedicated snowshoe trails on their private property. The terrain ranges from flat to rolling hills to steep grades.
Natural Stone Bridge & Caves Park
Location: Pottersville
Details: Natural Stone Bridge & Caves Park offers 14.5 miles of snowshoeing trails to explore the old Sink Hole, the Beaver Stump Loop, or the Bobcat Ledges. See interesting geology, and check out their annual Stone Bridge Caveman 6K and 15K Extreme Snowshoe Races come February.
*Please note: Natural Stone Bridge & Caves Park is closed until the snow conditions are more favorable for snowshoeing.
Adirondack Interpretive Center
Location: Newcomb
Details: The Adirondack Interpretive Center has 3.6 miles of interpretive trails on their 236-acre property and snowshoes are available to rent for $5/pair. Reservations are required for snowshoe rentals, and those interested in making a reservation should email aic@esf.edu to do so. If the center has availability of staff and snowshoes on your desired date, they will meet you for a contactless rental process.
Adirondack Outdoor Supply Co.
Location: Speculator
Details: Adirondack Outdoor Supply Co. rents snowshoes by four-hour blocks, the day, the weekend, or the week. They are the official dealer of MSR Snowshoes & Poles in the Speculator region.
Blue Mountain Rest
Location: Blue Mountain Lake
Details: Blue Mountain Rest is a vacation lodge and rental agency that offers a snowshoe/cross-country ski special from December 15 to April 20. There are over 100 miles of trails in and around Blue Mountain Lake and Indian Lake.
Cascade Cross Country Ski Center
Location: Lake Placid
Details: Get snowshoe and ski rentals at Cascade Cross Country Ski Center, where they have 20km of groomed trails suitable for all skill levels.
Cunningham's Ski Barn
Location: North Creek & Lake Placid
Details: Cunningham's Ski Barn has two locations where they offer snowshoe and ski rentals. The North Creek location is just minutes from Gore Mountain and the Lake Placid location is close to Whiteface Mountain.
*Please note: Cunningham's Ski Barn offers rentals only.
Gore Mountain's Nordic Center
Location: North Creek
Details: You can explore the trails at Gore Mountain's Nordic Center, where snowshoers are welcome on all terrain (just stay along the sides of the cross-country ski trails) as well as a Snowshoe Hill. These are well-groomed, well-lit trails with snowmaking capabilities.
High Peaks Information Center
Location: Lake Placid
Details: The High Peaks Information Center rents out snowshoes, cross-country skis, microspikes, and bear canisters. The Mount Jo Trail located at the center is considered a great choice for beginner snowshoers.
Lake Placid Club Nordic Center
Location: Lake Placid
Details: The Lake Placid Club Nordic Center offers daily snowshoe and ski rentals. They have 25km of groomed trails, views of the High Peaks, and are adjacent to the Jack Rabbit Ski Trail.
Lake Placid Ski & Board
Location: Lake Placid
Details: Snowshoe, ski, and snowboard rentals are offered at Lake Placid Ski & Board, located close to Whiteface Mountain. Rent for a day, a weekend, a week, or the entire season.
*Please note: Lake Placid Ski & Board offers rentals only.
Paul Smith's College VIC
Location: Paul Smiths
Details: Paul Smith's College VIC has a cross-country ski and snowshoe center with 20km of groomed trails for snowshoeing, classic skiing, and skate skiing; 40km of groomed and maintained trails for classic skiers and snowshoers; and 10km of maintained snowshoe-only trails. There's a range of trail difficulties and lengths.
Mt. Van Hoevenberg
Location: Lake Placid
Details: Mt. Van Hoevenberg offers guided snowshoe tours and rentals at the Olympic Sports Complex led by a professional guide. All 50km of their trails are available to snowshoers, and there are three designated snowshoe trails as well.
Whiteface Club & Resort
Location: Lake Placid
Details: The Nordic Center at Whiteface Club & Resort provides 15km of gentle sloping, professionally groomed, and track-set trails that intersect with the Jack Rabbit Trail. Tubbs snowshoes and Alpina ski equipment are available to rent.
More Places to Snowshoe Once You've Got Your Gear
Camp Santanoni
Location: Newcomb
Details: The R.W. Rage Jr. Memorial Trail offers access to the Connector Trail that leads to Camp Santanoni, considered to be one of the most "sophisticated and distinguished" of the remaining Adirondack Great Camps. Snowshoeing and cross-country skiing are permitted on all the property's hiking trails, and three Camp Santanoni Winter Weekend events are held annually.
Caroline Fish Memorial Trail
Location: Chestertown
Details: The 2.6-mile Caroline Fish Memorial Trail is used for hiking, mountain biking, cross-country skiing, and snowshoeing.
Amy's Park
Location: Bolton Landing
Details: Amy's Park, owned by the Lake George Land Conservancy, consists of ponds, marshes, and forests. Snowshoeing is permitted on the four hiking trails.
Castle Rock Trail
Location: Blue Mountain Lake
Details: The 3-mile Castle Rock Trail is a moderate loop that offers a great view of Blue Mountain Lake, which is a sight to see when frozen. The hike to the summit is a fairly gently slope.
Cat & Thomas Mountains Preserves
Location: Bolton Landing
Details: Maintained by the Lake George Land Conservancy, the Cat and Thomas Mountains Preserves have well-marked trails and allow for snowshoeing.
Cole's Woods
Location: Queensbury
Details: Cole's Woods offers multiple trails for snowshoeing and cross-country skiing. Snowshoers are asked to stick to the dedicated snowshoe trails. Park at the Fire Road or Aviation Mall parking lots for easy access to the snowshoe trails.
See a map of Cole's Woods trails »
Coney Mountain
Location: Tupper Lake
Details: Family-friendly Coney Mountain is considered an excellent choice for those new to snowshoeing.
Dynamite Hill Recreation Area
Location: Chestertown
Details: Dynamite Hill Recreation Center has a trail system with a variety of terrain for snowshoeing, cross-country skiing, biking, and hiking.
Fern Park Recreation Area
Location: Inlet
Details: Find fully-groomed, single and double track cross-country ski trails at Fern Park Recreation Area that are also open to snowshoers.
Hackensack Mountain Park
Location: Warrensburg
Details: Three trails make up 3.5 miles for cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, biking, and hiking at Hackensack Mountain Park. Pro tip: Stop by The Pizza Shop just down the road from the trailhead after your snowshoe adventure and pick up a Local Flavor.
Hudson River Recreation Area
Location: Warrensburg
Details: The Hudson River Recreation Area of Lake George Wild Forest (also known as Hudson River Special Management Area and Warren County Cross-Country Ski Trails) has about two miles of multi-use trails. In the winter you can see a great view of the frazil ice that forms on the river bank.
Jack Rabbit Ski Trail
Location: Lake Placid
Details: Maintained by the Barkeater Trails Alliance, this popular winter trail offers prime opportunities for snowshoeing and cross-country skiing. Snowshoeing is permitted on all sections of the trail. As long as you stay on the marked Jack Rabbit Ski Trail you don't need to pay a fee to traverse the sections that lie within the groomed sections of Whiteface Club, Lake Placid Club, and Cascade X-C Ski Center.
Pack Demonstration Forest
Location: Warrensburg
Details: Trails at Pack Demonstration Forest are used for snowshoeing, cross-country skiing, biking, and hiking. Pro tip: Make sure to check out the historic Grandmother Tree, part of the Warren County Tree Challenge.
South Meadow Road to Marcy Dam
Location: Lake Placid
Details: Located about 8 miles from the Marcy Dam summit, the South Meadow Road offers an alternative route to Marcy Dam and it's used for snowshoeing and cross-country skiing.