America's Scenic Byways

Central Adirondack Trail

153 miles -

From Glens Falls to Rome, 153 miles of spectacular scenery come into view as the Central Adirondack Trail traces an arc through the center of the Adirondack Park in Northern New York.

Beginning above the Hudson River in Glens Falls, the Central Adirondack Trial travels north to the shore of Lake George where a mountain-rimmed view takes in the southern portion of the lake’s 32-mile length. Along the Hudson River and up into the Adirondack Mountains, the route reaches its northern arc as it passes through Indian Lake and Blue Mountain Lake.

History and culture are on display at the world-famous Adirondack Museum, while trailheads and boat launches are more prevalent, allowing discovery of lake shores, ponds and peaks at a slower pace. Adirondack Great Camps of the Guilded Age are open for tours, while glimpses of moose, bear, and deer are not uncommon. Beginning its southward arc, the route passes by the Fulton Chain of Lakes, connecting Raquette Lake, Inlet and Old Forge.

Heading south and out of the Adirondack Park, the Central Adirondack Trail reaches the historic city of Rome, where the National Park Service tells the important revolutionary war role of a now restored Fort Stanwix, while the Erie Canal Village’s horse-drawn ride on an original section of the Erie Canal enjoyably recalls another exciting time in our nation’s history.