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Have a safe and enjoyable outdoor recreational experience on the lands and waters of the Adirondacks. Properly plan and prepare for your outdoor adventure. Minimize the impact on the mountains and forests, rivers and brooks, ponds and lakes, and the wildlife of the Adirondacks.
Check the Backcountry Information for the Adirondacks web pages for more detailed information on access, outdoor recreation infrastructure, and conditions for those planning to recreate in the Adirondacks. This bulletin provides only the most recent notices.
Emergency Situations: If you get lost or injured, keep calm and stay put. If you have cell service, call 911 or the DEC Forest Ranger Emergency Dispatch, 518-891-0235.
Check mountain weather conditions before heading out this weekend.
Packing the proper gear for a hike is very important, and you should be prepared to encounter all conditions. See our recommended packing list and safety tips. Watch DEC's HikeSmartNY video for more information.
Parking restrictions along Route 73: Be safe, enjoy your hike, and avoid a parking ticket. Do not park on the shoulders of State Route 73 in the four-mile section of 73 between Chapel Pond and the Rooster Comb Trailhead. Parking is allowed at trailheads and other designated pull-offs. Hikers planning to use the AMR parking lots and hike any of the nearby trails should identify alternate hikes before arriving, as the lots fill quickly.
Plan Ahead
Check weather and trail conditions, regulations, and advisories before you travel. Have an alternative plan ready to ensure you can make the most of your time in the Adirondacks.
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Research your planned route ahead of time and bring a map with you. Leaves are beginning to fall and trails are becoming covered making them more difficult to follow.  Keep your head up while hiking to remain aware of trail markers and be sure to know where trail junctions are along your route.
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Active Wildlife: Fall is an important time for wildlife as they rush around preparing for winter by storing food, building shelters, or making long migrations. Give wildlife their space. Disturbing them can have serious impacts on an animal’s ability to survive the winter. Be alert on roadways for active moose and deer.
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Essentials for Fall Hikes
- Waterproof hiking boots with wool socks
- Warm layers to prevent hypothermia including hat and gloves
- Wind protectant layer for open overlooks and summits
- Headlamp with extra batteries- even if you plan to be down in the daylight
- Plenty of food and water
- Thermos of hot cocoa, coffee, tea, or soup to warm up or in case of emergencies
- First aid kit
- Emergency essentials you should always have in your pack:
- Space blanket
- Matches and fire starters
- Pocket knife
- Para cord or rope
- Iodine tablets or water filtration system
- Extra batteries
Prepare
Properly prepare to better ensure a safe and enjoyable outdoor recreation experience. Weather forecasts and conditions can and do change quickly. Check the current National Weather Service Forecast, and be prepared for the forecasted conditions, or change your plans.
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Fall Paddling: If you plan to take in the fall scenery on the waterways this fall, remember that the water has cooled significantly. Wear or pack warm layers. Always wear your personal flotation device while on the water this time of year.
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Campers: The ground is getting colder with the dropping temperatures. It’s time to start using sleeping pads and cold temperature rated sleeping bags. For extra warmth, try filling up a Nalgene with hot water right before bed and tucking it in your sleeping bag overnight. Be sure to pack warm layers like a winter hat and gloves for those chilly nights and mornings.
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Colder Temperatures: Daily temperatures are getting colder which means temperatures on summits, in the mornings and in the evenings, can be near freezing and frosty. Wear warm layers and pack extra to stay dry and prevent hypothermia. Pack a windbreaker, hat and gloves to help keep you warm when on exposed overlooks and summits.
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Prevent Hypothermia: Dress properly, stay dry, and add or remove layers to regulate your body temperature. Carry plenty of food and water. Eat, drink and rest often. Being tired, hungry or dehydrated makes you more susceptible to hypothermia. Pack extra non-cotton, warm and wind protectant layers including hat and gloves for summits.
Practice Leave No Trace
 Follow proper trail etiquette to maintain minimal impact on the environment and the natural resources of the Adirondacks, as well as ensure an enjoyable outdoor experience for all visitors by following the Seven Principles of Leave No Trace.
Leave the Leaves!
- The vibrant and colorful leaves that have fallen on the trails can be an incredible sight. They can be tempting to pick up and take with you or take photos with, but try to leave the leaves where they land.
- As leaves on the ground decompose, they add very important nutrients such as nitrogen, potassium, and calcium back into the soil. These nutrients keep soils healthy which help the trees produce a healthy abundance of leaves year after year.
- Leaving the leaves where they land helps protect fall foliage for years to come.
General Conditions/Notices
Learn the conditions you will encounter from Adirondack Backcountry Information.
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Holiday Weekend: The Columbus Day/Canadian Thanksgiving holiday weekend is 10/12-14.
- Expect to encounter many vehicles on the road and many people on the trails and waters this weekend.
- Trailhead parking lots and interior campsites in popular areas will fill early.
- Plan accordingly and seek backcountry recreational opportunities in other areas of the Adirondacks.
- See the Recent Notices section for the plans for Route 73 and Route 3.
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Travel: Check NY511 for road closures and conditions.
- The Lake Placid Classic Half Marathon will be held from 8 a.m. to noon on Saturday. The race route includes the section of State Route 73 between River Road and Main Street (Route 86). The road will be closed to one lane between Main Street and the Horse Show Grounds. Runners will be crossing the road and running on the left shoulder between the Horse Show Grounds and River Road. Use caution.
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Fall Foliage: See the Fall Foliage Report to learn the location and the extent of the colors across the Adirondacks.
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Weather: Check the National Weather Service or NY Mesonow for updated hazardous weather notices and for current conditions and forecasts for the location where you plan to recreate.
- Autumn Conditions in the Adirondacks – Be Prepared:
- The sun sets earlier – carry a flashlight or headlamp.
- Temperatures are cooler – below freezing temperatures are forecast Friday night – dress in layers of non-cotton, wicking fabric, and pack extra clothing.
- Chance of showers Sunday – pack rain gear.
- Those hiking to the higher summits should also pack a winter hat and gloves.
- Always carry the following items on any hike or paddle:
- Water
- Working headlamp or flashlight and extra batteries
- Map of the area
- Food or snack
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Drones: Drones are motorized equipment, and operating drones on lands classified as wilderness, primitive, or canoe is prohibited.
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Watch for Moose and Deer:
- Motorist should be alert for moose and deer on and along roads.
- Moose and deer actively seek mates in autumn.
- Moose-vehicle collisions are troublesome – two have occurred already this fall.
- Moose are much larger and taller than deer.
- Their large body causes greater damage, and, when struck, their height often causes them to impact the windshield of a car or pickup truck, not just the front of the vehicle.
- Moose are especially difficult to see at night because of their dark brown to black coloring and their height - which puts their head and much of their body above vehicle headlights.
- Use the moose sighting form to report all moose sightings.
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Ticks: Follow these steps to protect against ticks and prevent disease:
- Wear light-colored, long sleeve shirts and long pants.
- Tuck shirts into pants, button or rubber band sleeves at the wrist, and tuck the bottom of pant legs into your socks.
- Use an insect repellent, and follow label directions.
- View these additional tips for tick prevention.
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Hunting Seasons: Big game, small game, and waterfowl hunting seasons are open or will open soon.
- Hikers should be aware that they may meet hunters bearing firearms or archery equipment while hiking on trails.
- Please recognize that these are fellow outdoor recreationists with the legal right to participate in these activities on forest preserve and conservation easement lands.
- Hunting accidents involving non-hunters are extremely rare.
- Hikers should wear bright colors if it makes them feel safer.
- Seasonal Access Roads:
- Seasonal access roads typically remain open until the end of the northern zone regular big game hunting season unless snow or other conditions warrant an early closure.
- Seasonal access roads are dirt and gravel which can be rough.
- Four-wheel drive SUVs, pick-up trucks, and other high clearance vehicles are recommended for driving on these roads.
- Roads may be narrow – use caution, drive slowly, and watch for oncoming vehicles.
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Fire Danger:
- Fire Danger Rating is Low throughout the Adirondacks.
- DEC forest rangers extinguished seven wildland fires in September. All were started by un-extinguished or improperly maintained campfires. Be safe with campfires.
- Check the Fire Danger Rating Map to determine the Fire Danger Rating Area and updates to rating.
Hikers & Campers
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General Information:
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Trail Conditions:
- Trails may be wet and muddy in low areas and along water.
- Wear footwear suitable for hiking through wet and muddy areas.
- Please protect trails and trailside vegetation – stay in the center of the trail and walk through mud and water, not around it.
- Be aware that water levels will increase during and immediately after significant rain events - low water crossings may be difficult to cross.
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Bear Resistant Canisters:
- Using bear-resistant canisters ensures campers don’t lose food, prevents creating nuisance bears, and is required for overnight users in the Eastern High Peaks Wilderness until November 30.
- All food, toiletries and garbage must be stored in bear-resistant canisters.
- DEC encourages the use of bear-resistant canisters and other practices to avoid negative encounters with bears throughout the Adirondacks.
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Mountain Summits:
Bikers
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General Information: Biking
- Trail Conditions:
- Trails may be wet and muddy in low areas and along water.
- Please don’t ride on muddy trails. They are easily rutted and damaged through use - if you are leaving tracks, turn back.
- The Barkeaters Trail Alliance provides information on the status of mountain bike trails in the Tri-lakes region of the Adirondacks.
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E-bikes: Electric-powered bikes are prohibited on all bike trails on the Forest Preserve.
Boaters, Paddlers and Anglers
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General Information
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Boat Launches: Until the end of October, gates will be closed overnight at the Mossy Point and Rogers Rock Boat Launches on Lake George as part of a pilot program to increase protection from aquatic invasive species on the lake.
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Conditions:
- Water levels in rivers and streams are in the average to above average range.
- Check the USGS Current Water Data for New York for stream flow of selected waters.
- Water temperatures continue to cool.
- DEC strongly recommends anglers, boaters and paddlers wear personal flotation devices (PFDs aka lifejackets).
Climbers
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Rock Climbing Route Closures: All rock climbing routes are open. DEC appreciates the cooperation and understanding of the climbing community during the closure period. Rock climbers also volunteer to identify nesting pairs, nest sites, and observe nest sites until the young fledge.
Recent Notices
Notices below reflect recent changes in conditions and recreation infrastructure work completed by DEC and its partners. Check the Adirondack Backcountry Information web pages for ongoing issues and more detailed information.
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Columbus Day/Canadian Thanksgiving Weekend Plan for Route 73 & Route 3: DEC and partners will be undertaking additional efforts as part of a comprehensive effort to ensure the safety of motorists and hikers around some of the busiest trailheads in the Adirondack High Peaks.
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Update: Vehicles illegally parked along Ausable Road will be towed.
- Temporary 45 mph speed limit zones will be set up on:
- State Route 73 on either side of the Roaring Brook Falls Trailhead;
- State Route 73 on either side of the Cascade Mountain and Pitchoff Mountain Trailheads; and
- State Route 3 on either side of the Ampersand Mountain Trailhead.
- Electronic variable messaging boards and other signs will warn motorists of the temporary lower advisory speeds and alert hikers walking along and across state highways.
- Law enforcement agencies will increase their presence during the holiday weekend, enforcing speed limits, parking restrictions, and other traffic laws.
- Additional forest rangers will be positioned at trailheads and other locations during the busy holiday weekend.
- Avoid accidents and tickets, obey all traffic and parking regulations.
- Hikers are encouraged to plan hikes on lesser used, lower elevation trails around the Adirondacks, hike one of the alternative hikes in the High Peaks Region, or, in the Lake Placid area, and use the Whiteface-Lake Placid Hiker Shuttle (See below).
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Boreas Ponds Tract:
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Update: A new ADA accessible lean-to has been constructed on a site overlooking Boreas Ponds. This was a combined effort of DEC Staff, NYS Department of Corrections and Community Supervision Moriah Shock Camp Crew, and members of Lean2Rescue.
- A 1.3-mile section of the Boreas Road, between the Four Corners Parking Lot and the Brace Brook Parking Lot, will open this weekend.
- Parking is limited to the four number parking spaces in the parking lot.
- Parking is prohibited on the shoulders of the road.
- There are no developed trails or campsites.
- Access to the surrounding lands is via bushwhack only.
- Campers can camp at large provided they are more than 150 feet from any road, trail, or surface water.
- The road and parking lot will remain open until the end of the northern zone regular big game hunting season unless snow or other conditions warrant an early closure.
- Gulf Brook Road is open to motor vehicle use to the Four Corners Parking Lot.
- Hikers and horseback riders may travel one mile between the parking lot to the Boreas Ponds dam.
- Hikers and horseback riders may also travel on any of the numerous miles of roadway.
- Bicyclists may ride on Gulf Brook Road and the roadway to Boreas Ponds as far as the gate which is located 500 feet from the Boreas Ponds dam.
- Paddlers may carry one mile to access the water near the Boreas Ponds dam or drop off canoes/kayaks, and equipment at a waterway access site on LaBier Flow, 0.1 mile away from the Four Corners Parking Lot before parking.
- Paddlers may then paddle halfway down LaBier Flow and carry 0.3 miles to access the water near Boreas Ponds dam.
- Campers can camp at large providing they are more than 150 feet from any road, trail, or surface water.
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Essex Chain Lakes Complex: Gates on two roads providing hunters and others motor vehicle access to additional lands and roadside primitive tent sites will open Friday.
- Camp Six Road has three roadside primitive tent sites and a parking lot at the end - one mile from the Chain Lakes North Road.
- The gate at the Outer Gooley Club on the Chain Lakes Road South is open providing access to three primitive tent sites and a parking area 1.5 miles beyond the gate. Two additional tent sites are located past the gate at the seasonal parking area - one further north on the Chain Lakes Road South and one at Pine Lake.
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Big Moose Conservation Easement: The Stillwater Mountain Fire Tower Trail and the summit of the Stillwater Mountain is closed to public use as of October 8. The trail and summit will reopen on December 20.
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High Peaks Wilderness:
- The Garden Trailhead Parking Lot is open. The Town of Keene will continue to operate The Garden Hiker Shuttle between the Marcy Field Parking Lot and The Garden Trailhead on weekends from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. through Columbus Day/Canadian Thanksgiving.
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Sable Highlands Conservation Easement: The Barnes Pond Road, which provides access to six primitive campsites and the interior of the Barnes Pond Public Use Area, is open for public motor vehicle use. The road will remain open until the end of the northern zone regular big game hunting season unless snow or other conditions warrant an early closure.
Highlighted Trip - Whiteface-Lake Placid Hiker Shuttle
The free shuttle will run 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. for the four-day Columbus Day Weekend. The last shuttle leaves Lake Placid from Mirror Lake Park at 2:47 p.m.
*Please note: service dogs are the only animals allowed on the shuttle.
The shuttle will stop at the following locations:
- Golden Arrow Lakeside Resort
- Mirror Lake Park (across from High Peaks Resort)
- Whiteface Landing trailhead
- Copperas Pond trailhead
- Bear Den Mountain trailhead
- Whiteface Mountain Ski Lodge
Hikes:
Download shuttle schedule.
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Copperas Pond, which has a lean-to, two tent sites, a jump-off rock, and nice views of Whiteface Mountain. Continue for another 0.7 miles to Owen Pond and enjoy views of 3,616-foot Stewart Mountain and 3,892-foot Kilburn Mountain.
