The Brewster Peninsula Loop at Adirondack Park in Lake Placid, New York is an easy 2.1-mile loop hike that features views of Lake Placid and its surrounding mountains.
Trail names: Boundary Trail, Ridge Trail, Lake Shore Trail
Location: Peninsula Way, Brewster Peninsula Nature Trails, Saranac Lake Wild Forest, Lake Placid NY
Permitted uses: Hiking, Snowshoeing, Cross Country Skiing, Running, Mountain Biking. Camping is allowed at lean to’s or where “Camp Here” discs are displayed. We were unable to see any of these “Camp Here” discs during our hike. Depending on the situation, a permit to Camp may be required. Hunting, fishing and trapping are allowed with a license. Horseback riding is allowed on designated trails.
Prohibited uses: No motor vehicles allowed in wilderness areas, Do not damage or deface any plants, rocks, signs, structures or historical artifacts. Motor boats are not permitted in wilderness areas.
Hours: Open 24 hours
Fees and Parking: There is no fee to park or to use the trails. There is lots of room for parking, at least 11 cars or more.
Pets: Dogs are permitted on the trails.
Accessibility: This is not a wheelchair accessible trail system.
Hiker amenities: There is an Information Kiosk after passing through a gate at the start of the trail. Hikers are encouraged to register when they start and end their visit. There is a map posted at the Kiosk and a list of regulations. There are no restrooms and there are no trash bins, so please pack out all waste.
Length and Trail information: The trail was done as a loop and was roughly 2.13 miles long. We were visiting in order to see views of Lake Placid (west), but also enjoyed the tranquility of the mixed wooded forest. The hike is easy with few trip hazards or drastic changes in elevation. Most of the tricky footing is alongside the lake, due to big roots crossing over the trail. One of the disappointing features here is that the trail blaze markers are a mess. The blazes are few and far between and the colors are not consistent on the same trail. Most of the blazes we found were on the Lake Shore trail. We also noted that a lot of the blazes were placed very high up on the trees, and we surmised that this was so that the blazes would be seen even with a heavy snow pack during winter hikes, snowshoeing or cross country skiing. There are, however, some very nice engraved painted trail signs at most junctions. It would be wise to download a route before heading out on this trail system.
Despite this forest being very close to downtown Lake Placid, it’s very peaceful and quiet. During our visit we did not encounter many other hikers. We enjoyed the views of the lake and found a nice wooden bench alongside the trail to stop and have a snack. We also found several educational information placards which added to our enrichment during our hike. There were 14 of these placards installed along the Lakeshore Trail in 2002, but we only saw a few. The ones we found were still readable and were beautifully illustrated by illustrator and naturalist Sheri Amsel. There was supposed to be a self guided pamphlet with information on the trails and what grows there, but sadly there were none at the kiosk during our visit.
