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Activities Nearby.
Big, private and pretty enough to spend your entire vacation at, Fourpeaks can also be a convenient home base for outdoor activities, sports and tourist attractions in the High Peaks and the greater Lake Champlain Region--especially for longer stays.  CLICK & GO!  (On this page.)   Swimming and Floating  Fishing  Fishing Guides  Fishing for Kids  Biking  Canoes and Boats  Skiing  Hiking  Attractions  Educational and Arts Things to do  Food Shopping,  Recreational Shopping   Restaurants,  Beer & Wine  City Visits   More vacation activities at Fourpeaks Yellow Pages, A Guide to Vacation Resources in our area. Fourpeaks Adirondack Activities Home Page.   Fourpeaks (Select) Internet Links.   (On the next page.)   Coming for golf? 30 attractive Adirondack links to pick from.  

Biking.
• AuSable River Flats. Prettiest 30-mile stretch of easy touring in the Adirondacks (from Keene Valley to Clintonville). The "rest" portion for the Summer Triatholon (July) goes right by AuSable River Flats at Stonehouse Road. We're on a A NY State Scenic River Corridor.
• At Camp. Use our hiking trails with mountain bikes. Watch out for people. Be considerate. Take Stonehouse Road. Be careful about dirt road traction problems.
• Whiteface Mountain. Take the lift up and bike down. For thrillseekers and others. Bike rentals. Trail fees. 518-946-2223.
• More Mountain Bike Trails. Woods roads and jeeps trails? Send for "Mountain Bike Trails in Essex County," (12pp) with 25 of them: Essex County Dept. Public Works, 518/873-3666
• CLICK HERE for more about Bike Rentals at Fourpeaks 5-page Guide to Resources.

Canoes & Boats
• Taylor Pond Best canoing for Fourpeaks's visitors looking for natural beauty not over-run with Lake Placid touristas. (Please don't tell your friends about this. It'll get crowded. Ugh!)   CLICK HERE for swimming at Taylor Pond (on this page).  CLICK HERE for more about Taylor Pond and how to get there.
• Mirror Lake Paddle Boats $12/hour. Canoes & kayaks, too.
• Jones Outfitters, 37 Main Street, Lake Placid, 518-523-3486
• CLICK HERE for more about Canoe Rentals at Fourpeaks 5-page Guide to Resources.

Swimming and Floating.

• "Parking Lot" Wading, floating & picnicking at our favorite river spot just one mile from Stonehouse Road. CLICK HERE for Jay map that shows deep swimming spots (swimming holes) in the river nearby.
• Jay Rapids.  Just 2 miles down the road at the site of factories, mills and stores in bygone days. A favorite local spot. Fun for the kids. The Jay Covered bridge is down. (CLICK HERE for the story.) CLICK HERE for (NY Times article) "Where the Pools Are Never Crowded, And Water Slides Are Nature's Own."
• Lake Everett.  Dammed up section of the West Branch at Wilmington, a Town Beach, tables, barbecue and games. Safe swim area & float. Good canoeing. Fishing for kids. 6 miles.
• Taylor Pond.   Swim at a primitive sandy beach a mile away from anybody. This secluded beach is 1 mile by canoe or hike it. (Fourpeaks guests have found this to be a special treat!)   CLICK HERE for canoeing at Taylor Pond (on this page).  CLICK HERE for more about Taylor Pond and how to get there.
  CLICK HERE for float photos and to learn about bringing, buying and maintaining tube/ring floats for Fourpeaks river fun.
  

Skiing  (No dogs alowed on trails.)
• Whiteface Mountain  Downhill skiing. Greatest vertical drop east of the Rockies. Site of the 1980 Olympic Winter Games. NY State operated Olympic venue. Conditions and ticket information, special rates: 518-946-4318. 6 miles.
• Mt. Van Hoevenberg  Groomed cross-country trails. Snow-making equipment. Rentals. NY State operated Olympic venue. 518-523-2811. 12 miles.
• Cascade  X-Country Trails Groomed trails & Rentals. Private facility. 518-523-9605. 12 miles.
• Jack Rabbit. Extensive network of cross-country trails. For a trail conditions: 518-523-1365. 17 miles.
• CLICK HERE for more about Ski Rentals at Fourpeaks 5-page Guide to Resources.

Hiking Trails.
New York State Trails. (Opinion) Thanks to Adirondack Mountain Club popularizing and irresponsible commercialism by the Lake Placid hotel/motel/restaurant operating business community, the New York State public lands in the Lake Placid-Keene Valley area are dangerously overused. Trails are eroded, sometimes many feet below the normal grade, overly wide, littered and devoid of a natural appearance. They are so crowded in season that forays into these overly popular state owned lands no longer bear any resemblance to a wilderness hiking experience. The New York State Department of Conservation has spearheaded new usage regulations and urges vacationers to find less crowded places for recreational hiking. [CLICK HERE for a link to more on this subject from Greg Smith, nature photographer, including a summary, comments and the full text of the April 1, 2000 HIGH PEAKS UNIT MANAGEMENT PLAN (New York State DEC).]
Private lands like those at Fourpeaks are one alternative to overcrowded public lands in the High Peaks. Perfect for recreational hiking (from short walks anyone can easily manage to moderate 2-5 mile day hikes), we urge our guests to get out and explore. Fourpeaks is bordered by four 2,000-foot peaks, with exciting mountain views, and 1/4 mile foot path on the East Branch of the ASuSable. 700 acres of accessible wilderness, field, forest and stream, with no crowds or wornout trails. No driving to get there, either. Guests can just step out of their door for a short walk or an all day expedition on our private mountain valley. [CLICK HERE for Fourpeaks Hiking Trails and Beauty Spots.]
Want more? There are other uncrowded places for hiking on private lands in the vast, almost unused, nearby Jay Wilderness. And away from the Lake Placid-Keene Valley crowd on State land at Hurricane Mountain and Slide Brook on the road to Elizabethtown. Ask and we'll help you find them.

Attractions
• Whiteface Mountain Ski/Bike Area.  Something going on year round. Olympic downhill skiing over? Take the lifts for the views or for mountain biking. Bike rentals. Trail fees. 518-946-2223.
• Ski Jumps. They won't let you make the jump. But you can take the elevator up and look around. Fee. 518-523-2202.
• Bobsled Run. Summer or Winter. Luge or bobsled? Pricey. Are you ready. Take the trolley ride. Fee. 518-523-4436.
• AuSable Chasm. An area attraction for many years. Still a beautiful walk. Ends with a boat ride. Route 9N near Keeseville. 15 miles. 518-834-7454.
• Parc Safari. Animals from all over the world--a zoo to ride through. Amusement park. Activities. Lots of fun. Our favorite. Be an international traveler! This is in nearby Hemmingford, Quebec, Canada. 1-800-465-8724. 1-1/4 hour drive. CLICK HERE for more.
• High Falls Gorge 518-946-2278
• Great Escape in Glens Falls 518-792-3500
• Enchanted Forest in Old Forge 315-369-6145
• Santa's Workshop, North Pole.  Visit Santa year-round (or almost) at his home in the Adirondacks (Wilmington, NY). An oldie and a little tired but (some say) a goodie. For really little kids. Amusement park. Entertainment. Route 431 off of Route 86, near Whiteface Mountain. Tape Message 518-946-2211. 6 miles.
• Frontier Town. Sorry--CLOSED FOR GOOD JULY 2000.

Educational Things To Do
• The Adirondack Museum.  The finest exhibits. Almost world class. Crowded Summers. Route 30, Blue Mountain Lake, NY. 65 miles. 518-352-7311.
• Adirondack Park Visitor Center.  Beautiful guided walking tours. Nature exhibits. Route 28N, Newcomb, 582-2000. Can be combined with a fun round trip including a ghost town.
• Kent-Delord House Museum. Champlain Valley in the 1850's and after. Furniture. 19 Cumberland Avenue, Plattsburgh, 561-1035.
• John Brown Farm. The home and grave of abolitionist John Brown. A bit of history for the kids. State Historic Site, 1/4 miles off of Route 73, just south of Lake Placid, near the Ski Jump, 523-3900.
• Lake Placid Museum. In the old railroad station on Averyville Road. Adirondack sports, country store, June to September, 523-1608.
• Pure Adirondack Maple Syrup.  See it made, learn about it, buy some and visit a sugarbush at the Uihlein Sugar Maple Research-Extension Field Station, Bear Cub Road (8/10 mile from the Ski Jump, off of Military Turnpike), Lake Placid NY 12946.

Things to do in the Arts.
• Pendragon Theater Saranac Lake NY. 18th Season. Year round performances and cultural activities. Best theater in Upstate New York. Serious drama, always good, sometimes remarkable. Our favorite. 518/891-1854.CLICK HERE for website link, more information and performances.
• The Depot Theatre Westport NY at the Amtrak train station. 20th Summer Season from late June to September. Broadway type shows like Harvey, Radio Gals, Sylvia and Guys and Dolls if you like that. 518/962-4449.
• Montreal, Quebec.  The Paris of North America. A rainy day trip for the urbanite. Bi-Lingual (French and English) experience. Art and history museums. Restaurants par excellence, French and all ethnic foods. 1-1/2 hours.

Food Shopping

• Keene Valley (14 miles from Fourpeaks, good for a fun food shopping stop on the way up to Fourpeaks).
  Valley Grocery Store, Route 73 (Main Street) downtown Keene Valley. 518-576-4477. An old-fashion market (been there for years and years) that still wraps the cut meat with paper and string. Excellent meat and poultry. Some vegetables. Open year round.
  Town and Country Gourmet, a new place in Keene Valley. 518-576-9731. Fresh baked bread, cakes, lots of high quality cheeses and deli stuff. Al fresco lunch with beer and wine. Open year round except November and unexpected closings. (Phone ahead if you're serious about shopping there.)
  Rob Hasting's Rivermede, a real farm stand. 518-576-4686. Home grown vegetable in season, maple syrup from his own sugarbush, ranch grown chicken and lamb, Christmas wreaths and more. Open every day July to mid-September; weekends only May to Christmas. Worth a stop!
  
• Jay (2-1/2 miles from Fourpeaks). Devin's Market. 7-11 convenience shopping plus homemade sandwiches, real New York Store cheese and local color. Open year round. Closed Sundays. Gas at owner's garage next store, 946-2235. (Say we sent you!)
  
• AuSable Forks (8 miles from Fourpeaks).
  Stewart's. An efficient, friendly Northcountry 7-11. Best gas prices, 647-8294.
  Rod's in AuSable Forks. Best convenience store for local color. Gas, food and laundromat. Say Hello! to Rod.
  Grand Union II (Country) Supermaket, Ausable Forks. This was the last supermarket in the world without a scanner! Tops took over the Grand Union (August 2001) and put in machine scanners but they're still learning how to use them. Lots of fun. Very friendly. Meet Mike the new manager. Say Hello to Dave, the butcher. 518-647-5480.
  
• Plattsburgh (35 miles from Fourpeaks, Interstate most of the way).
  Price Chopper. Worth the drive for the best food in the area. Caters to Montrealers and other upscale shoppers. Superbig supermarket. Wide selection of specialties, fresh fish with lobster tank, meats and vegetables. Sushi take out. Bakery.
  
• Lake Placid (17 miles from Fourpeaks, scenic mountain roads most of the way).
  Price Chopper. Not as big as Plattsburgh. Attractive parking lot and decor.
  
• Elizabethtown (18 miles from Fourpeaks, good for food shopping on a drive to Essex and Lake Champlain.).
  Adirondack KK Ranch Country Store, Hubbard Hall, Cout Street, Elizabethtown. 518-873. Food imports from all over the world, fine cheeses, their own farm vegetables in season, homemade pesto, baguettes weekends and more from Montreal. Open year round. Knowledgeable Barbara and Greg Krieger, your food purveyors.
  Grand Union II (Country) Supermaket. Full service supermarket to supplement shopping at Barbara's shop (see above).
  
• Seasonal Roadside Stands
  Northern Orchards, Jarvis Road, just south of Peru. 643-9718. All fresh vegetables in season. The best quality. All home grown on the farm or from selected nearby growers. Apples and pumpkins, too, of course. 12 miles. Let us show you the backroads to get there through Harkness to the Peru orchard plain (scenic views).
  Pray's, Route 9N, Keeseville. 14 miles. Wide selection. Very popular.
  Tailgate Vendors (from Malone and points west), Saranac Avenue, about 2 miles outside of Lake Placid at the railroad tracks. Family gardeners bring their produce in season. 17 miles.
  

Recreational Shopping
• Adirondack Craft Furniture. George Jacques, Adirondack Furniture Builder. 518-576-2214 PO Box 545, Keene Valley, NY 12943 (George is the nephew of Gil Jacques, famed Adirondack Craftsman. Quite a bit of George's production furniture is in our camps today and just a few of Gil's one-of-kind crafts pieces. See the Birch Bed at The Cabin.) George also deals in Antiques.
• Antiques.  The Birch Store in Keene Valley for what you'd expect. Bushey's New and Used Furniture, Beekmantown Road, Plattsburgh, 518-563-5716 for adventure antiquing, fun stuff of all kinds. Lots of places in Lake Placid, including a Co-op for varied stuff. And Burlington is a gold mine if you're planning a ride accross Lake Champlain. Let us know your interests and we'll help you find!
• Jay Crafts. Put the Village of Jay (Route 86 and Route 9N, just 2 miles from Fourpeaks) on your shopping list. See Sue and Terry at the Young Studio and Gallery 518-946-7301, Lee and Sheri at the Jay Craft Center 518-946-7824 plus umpty-ump more craft shops in Jay nearby. CLICK HERE for Jay, NY the center of Adirondack Life (map).
• Vermont Ferry.  1 hour scenic crossing. Port Kent to Burlington, a college town, restaurants, shops. CLICK Ferry Schedules or phone 802-864-9804. (15 miles to Port Kent.)

Meals & Restaurants We eat at these places and reccommend them. Not listed in order of preference. It depends on what you're looking for. They're all good for what they give. Depend on Martin to guide you. We can tell you more on the phone or in person. Price rated average for 2007 and all are worth it.
Nicola's on Main (***) Main Street, Lake Placid. 523-4430. American and Greek menu, too. Mike (Mike's Pizza) owns this (and a diner in town, too). Excellent broilings--look at the veal chop and broiled cod. Hand-tossed creative pizza. Creative ambiance since they moved to new location '06. Go for Nicola's and not the steakhouse option. An all around nice restaurant. (Maybe the best in town.) Tell Mike I sent you. $60-95 for dinner for two, including beverage.
The Deer's Head Inn (***) Court Street, Elizabethtown (35 mins.). 873-6514. The Deer's Head Inn in nearby Elizabethtown for fine country dining in the manner of years ago. Good chef, good wine. About $90 for dinner for two. Try this when Lake Placid Restaurants--especially in season and on hot weekends--are hectic, overbooked and impersonal.
Pete's Steakhouse (***). 29 Main Street, Lake Placid. 523-3560. Well prepared, well presented standard American cuisine with a flair. Pretty restaurant. Lake view seating. Order duck breasts in fruit sauce (medium rare) in advance as this may not be on the menu when you come. Tell Pete I sent you. About $90 for dinner for two, including beverage.
Taverna Mykonos (** 1/2) 38 Saranac Avenue, Lake Placid. 523-1164. Relaxed, pleasant atmosphere run by a family from Astoria. Excellent Greek food prepared in open kitchen. Watch Gabriel at work. Chat with him. (Owns the motel next door.) Get help with the mezza choices. Greek wine and beer. Nice atmosphere and nice folks. About $80 for dinner for two, including beverage.
Freestyle Cuisine (***1/2) 51 Main Street, Lake Placid. 523-5900. Eclectic, improvisational food. You'll be amazed at the chef's creations! Bon appetit. Nice wine list with good wine prices. About $110 for dinner for two, including beverage.
Aki Sushi and Japanese Restaurant (**) Main Street, Lake Placid. 523-5826. New '05 and very welcome! Excellent quality and variety. For beginners and experts alike. Tell George I sent you. Good sake. About $50 for dinner for two, BYOB.
China City Chinese Restaurant (*) 15 Main Street, Lake Placid. 523-8866. Excellent quality meals all prepared to order. Watch the chef wok and cook. Take a break from ordinary vacation dining! Eat in or Take out. Clean and neat, but nothing fancy. About $20 for dinner for two, BYOB.
The Brown Dog Deli & Wine Bar (* 1/2) 3 Main Street, Lake Placid. 523-3036. New York style deli. Take out or dine in with lake view seating. Monday-Saturday. Open for lunch. Evening light fare 5-9 PM. Quality designer sandwiches, salads, gourmet hot plates, wine and beer. Unique style of service: fill in your own food ticket (like at a sushi bar), limited waiter service. Doggy atmosphere. About $60 for dinner for two, including beverage.
Anthony's Restaurant & Bistro. (****) Upper Cornelia Street (right off the Interstate), Plattsburgh (35 mins.). 561-6420. Varied menu, the best restaurant in the area. Good bar. Fine wine chosen by Drew, the owner. Ask his advice. Eat at the bistro for relaxed atmosphere, lower price, or dine with a white table cloth around the swimming pool (dry). $50-100 for dinner for two, including beverage.

Beer & Wine
• Saranac Pale Ale. (Not for Coor's Lite or Bud Lite drinkers!) Can't get your well made local beer? We reccommend Saranac Pale Ale. Available at all supermarkets and groceries. Hops. Flavor. Good price.
• Wine & Liquor Warehouse. Plattsburgh, Smithfield Boulevard. Best wine buys, best selection.
• Northway Discount Beverage. 34 Riley Avenue, Plattsburgh, 518/561-0710. Where Martin buys his beer. Look for Korbor PaleAle, Harpoon IPA and more premium beers.
• Visit Martin's wine cellar and ask for a loaner if you're stuck. Sizeable wine and beer collection.

City Visits
• Plattsburgh. The Lake City. Northcountry Events Calendar.   Commercial center for serious needs. Shopping mall, two good restaurants, just lots of movies (Hoyts 562-0101) and a few better movies, including foreign movies (The Strand 566-7185), New York State University, former Air Force Base. A half hour away on the way to Montreal (40 miles only) or on the Lake Champlain tour (Essex, Westport, Elizabethtown, back to Jay).
• Montreal. The Paris of North America. Complete Events Calendar.One of the most attractive cities in the world. European flavor (as opposed to American or anglo-Canadian) with world class museums, botanical gardens, Biodome, best restaurants, Old Town and shopping items not available here in the States. Easy border crossing. No passports for U.S. Citizens.

Fishing.
• Fly fishing the AuSable River attracts thousands of visitors each year. The season starts on the AuSable around May 15 when flies are out. Ponds and small streams start earlier.
  
• AuSable River, West Branch.  A narrow river with rapid waters for the most part. Very popular. Written up in all the fishing magazines. Crowded. The most popular site is the stretch of the river, midway between Lake Placid and Wilmington. A portion of the river is a scenic "no-kill" area. In season it is so popular that it seems there may be more fisherman in the stream than fish. 10-12 miles.
  
• AuSable River, East Branch.  A mostly flat section in a rural setting between Keene and Clintonville. Find it right at the foot of Stonehouse Road. Fly fishing best in the turbulent spots and deep pools. Here are some very pretty places, frequented by locals and a few Canadians, which are never crowded. 2-8 miles.
  1) About 1/2 mile North from the old covered bridge in Jay. Look for large rock outcropping in river on your left. Rock narrows stream bed and causes fast current and deep pools.
  2) Junction of the E and W branch of the AuSable. Enter by Top's Supermarket parking lot.
  3) West branch of the AuSable about one mile N from AuSable Forks by old dam site.
  4) Learn about more spots from native fishermen. They always bring something home. They work the river, pond and small streams mostly with just rod and reel. No guides available, but you could tag along.
  
• Lake and Pond fishing with rod and reel for brown or brook trout starts as soon as ice is out around mid April. Bass and pike around mid May. Many places for this. Try Taylor Pond.
  
• Fishing Guides.  Many seasoned fisherman who are new to the area hire a guide at least for their first day. Are you a novice? Don't have the gear or the expertise, but want to learn? A guide will start you off right. It's a pleasant way to learn about the best spots, gear and successful techniques. Guides are able to supply rod and all necessary gear. For lake and pond fishing guides will have canoes and boats plus belly floats for exciting remote locations. There are many guides. $100 to $200 (depends on time and number of persons) will guarantee a catch. Several places in the area offer gear, including seasonal lures, guides and free advice for this popular sport. CLICK HERE for Fishing Guides and Gear at Fourpeaks Yellow Pages.
  Fishing for Kids.
  
• Lake Everest at the Wilmington Town Beach--just 6 miles away. Stand at the shore and let her go. Lots of fun fishing for kids. [See how the Russell kids did it at our Photo Guest Book Pages.]
  
• Stevens Lake (just inside the gate to Whiteface Mountain Drive) is stocked with trout. For kids and handicapped only.
  

Fourpeaks Guide to Resources. Not really the Yellow Pages. The vendors on this page don't pay to get listed. Our Guide to Resources is an outgrowth of names and numbers we've provided guests in the past to help them find useful services. Everything about where to find fishing guides and gear, horseback riding, sleigh rides, hay wagon rides, bike/canoe/ski/car rentals and much more.


Fourpeaks (Select) Internet Links  Activities Nearby, Adirondack Resources, Adirondack Photos, Weddings, Travel. It's the world out there on the web. Much of the "writing" is uneven. A lot of it is just empty puff. Graphic presentations overuse gimmicks like frames, marquees, bouncing banners and blinking things. But there is a fund of useful information and beauty out there, too. Here are a few websites for the consideration of our Fourpeaks guests. The sample graphics and text will help you decide before you CLICK!

Fourpeaks offers lots more than just lodgings. Browse our 10 activity pages for 20 miles of private hiking/skiing trails, an unequalled nature experience with no people. River swimming, floating, wilderness canoeing, fishing at the famed AuSable River nearby. And just R&R in our accessible wilderness. [CLICK HERE for Fourpeaks Adirondack Activities.]

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Are you in this picture? Fourpeaks hosts now welcome paying guests to a 700-acre rest and playground for vacations in the Adirondack Great Camp tradition. Couples appreciate Fourpeaks secluded settings. Adventure families have fun exploring our accessible wilderness. Folks with dogs enjoy the open spaces to run their pets. A private nature retreat, a place for restoring personal energies. Are you in this picture?  CLICK HERE to find out!    [More about this at Frequently Asked Questions.]

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