Whiteface Inn to Mirror Lake—3.5 miles
The character of the next section of the trail is radically different, as it winds its way around and through the Village of Lake Placid. There are a number of road crossings and just over 0.6 mi of road walking.
Directions:
From Whiteface Inn Rd, enter the Whiteface Club property on Lodge Way, follow the obvious red and white Jackrabbit markers. This section of trail on the golf course is only marked in the winter and only open to the public for winter use from December 1 to March 31. Please stay on the marked Jackrabbit route at all times. The marked route purposely avoids the groomed trails of the Whiteface Club Nordic center as much as possible. Those wishing to ski the groomed tracks should purchase a trail pass.
Once past the golf course, the trail again traverses several parcels of private land before reaching the Jackrabbit - Brewster Peninsula Trails section at the Whiteface Club property boundary. BETA has installed new signage in this area to inform trail users that they are indeed on private land and to please respect this privilege. The trail is relatively flat and then crosses a usually unplowed road, and proceeds to reach a bridge below the Lake Placid dam at 0.8 mi. Crossing the bridge, the trail swings sharp right for 25 yards, then bears left across a long bridge, and proceeds mostly on the flat for 0.3 mi to a junction. Continuing straight ahead, some minor ups and downs lead to the parking lot at the Dack Shack Restaurant on Saranac Avenue at 1.7 mi. Side note - this makes for an excellent lunch stop when skiing the trail, and there’s a Stewart’s across the street if that’s more your style.
Now crossing Saranac Avenue, most skiers will end up walking for 200 yards to the left of a convenience store and down the road past the Lake Placid Center for the Arts to a bridge across the Lake Placid Outlet (Cold Brook). Past the bridge, the trail resumes on the right, climbs into the woods, and then swings left to cross the road at 2.2 mi, after which it descends through thick woods to a bridge over the Lake Placid Outlet. After a few more ups and downs, the trail reaches Wesvalley Road, crosses it, and climbs moderately to the Crowne Plaza at the top of a hill at 3.2 mi. To continue, walk past the Crowne Plaza and descend to the Lake Placid Post Office. Bearing left of the Post Office, cross under the Lake Placid Toboggan Slide to the south end of Mirror Lake at 3.5 mi (11 mi from North Country Community College [NCCC] in Saranac Lake).
Directions:
From Whiteface Inn Rd, enter the Whiteface Club property on Lodge Way, follow the obvious red and white Jackrabbit markers. This section of trail on the golf course is only marked in the winter and only open to the public for winter use from December 1 to March 31. Please stay on the marked Jackrabbit route at all times. The marked route purposely avoids the groomed trails of the Whiteface Club Nordic center as much as possible. Those wishing to ski the groomed tracks should purchase a trail pass.
Once past the golf course, the trail again traverses several parcels of private land before reaching the Jackrabbit - Brewster Peninsula Trails section at the Whiteface Club property boundary. BETA has installed new signage in this area to inform trail users that they are indeed on private land and to please respect this privilege. The trail is relatively flat and then crosses a usually unplowed road, and proceeds to reach a bridge below the Lake Placid dam at 0.8 mi. Crossing the bridge, the trail swings sharp right for 25 yards, then bears left across a long bridge, and proceeds mostly on the flat for 0.3 mi to a junction. Continuing straight ahead, some minor ups and downs lead to the parking lot at the Dack Shack Restaurant on Saranac Avenue at 1.7 mi. Side note - this makes for an excellent lunch stop when skiing the trail, and there’s a Stewart’s across the street if that’s more your style.
Now crossing Saranac Avenue, most skiers will end up walking for 200 yards to the left of a convenience store and down the road past the Lake Placid Center for the Arts to a bridge across the Lake Placid Outlet (Cold Brook). Past the bridge, the trail resumes on the right, climbs into the woods, and then swings left to cross the road at 2.2 mi, after which it descends through thick woods to a bridge over the Lake Placid Outlet. After a few more ups and downs, the trail reaches Wesvalley Road, crosses it, and climbs moderately to the Crowne Plaza at the top of a hill at 3.2 mi. To continue, walk past the Crowne Plaza and descend to the Lake Placid Post Office. Bearing left of the Post Office, cross under the Lake Placid Toboggan Slide to the south end of Mirror Lake at 3.5 mi (11 mi from North Country Community College [NCCC] in Saranac Lake).
