Guide
Adirondack Cabin Rentals: Where to Stay in the Park
The Adirondack Park covers about 6 million acres of northern New York, with more than 3,000 lakes and 30,000 miles of rivers and streams. Mt. Marcy, the tallest summit in the High Peaks, stands 5,344 feet above the sea, and DEC reminds hikers that the air cools about 5 degrees Fahrenheit for every 1,000 feet they climb. About 44 percent of the park is state Forest Preserve, kept forever wild by the state constitution. The rest is private land holding 101 towns and villages and about 123,000 year-round residents. Adirondack cabin rentals are all on that private half, so the question for any stay is how far it is from the public land you came to walk.
For most visitors the answer starts on Route 73. The road climbs from the Northway through Keene Valley, past the Adirondack Mountain Reserve and a string of High Peaks trailheads, before it reaches Lake Placid.
The Park
The state created the park in 1892. The Forest Preserve inside it holds nearly 2,000 miles of trail, and Visit Adirondacks, the regional tourism site, divides the whole into ten regions. A town’s name on a booking site says little about which trails are close. Look at a map before you look at the photos.
Route 73
Plan parking first. DEC states that it and other agencies enforce No Parking zones along Route 73. The Town of Keene bans parking on Johns Brook, Market, and Adirondack Streets in Keene Valley and tows violators. DEC warns that trailhead lots fill early. Choose a rental near the trailhead you intend to use, and ask how many cars the property can hold.
The Adirondack Mountain Reserve, a private tract along the road, holds trailheads for Noonmark, Round Mountain, and others. From May 1 through October 31 it requires a free reservation for parking and for day and overnight access, booked at hikeamr.org, with same-day spots released at 4 a.m. Walk-ins are turned away. Dogs, drones, and off-trail travel are prohibited on the reserve. The system covers only that land.
The High Peaks
The High Peaks Wilderness covers 275,460 acres, the largest wilderness area in the state, with Algonquin Peak at 5,114 feet second to Marcy. The Eastern Zone has its own rules. Campfires are not allowed. Dogs stay leashed at all times. Day groups are limited to 15. Once snow lies 8 inches deep, skis or snowshoes are required.
Weather changes on the way up. DEC advises traction devices for ice at higher elevations. In fall, the leaves on the trail hide roots and rock and make the footing slippery.
Lake Placid
Route 73 ends in Lake Placid, the center of the northeast. Visit Adirondacks lists its Olympic sites, paddling on Mirror Lake, and High Peaks hiking among its draws, with skiing at Whiteface Mountain and fly fishing on the Ausable River nearby. The Whiteface Veterans Memorial Highway carries cars toward the summit in the warm months, and ORDA has opened it from mid-May to mid-October in recent seasons.
The Town of North Elba and the Village of Lake Placid license rentals jointly under a 2023 local law. Permits come in two kinds. A hosted rental is allowed in every zoning district. An unhosted rental is allowed only in certain districts, and none in the town or village residential districts. Town permits are capped, with waitlists. Each rental needs a representative who answers 24 hours a day and lives within a 60-minute drive. The owner must give every renter a Good Neighbor flyer and a parking plan. The town posts a public list of active permits. Find the address on it before you book.
Saranac Lake
Saranac Lake is the hub of the region Visit Adirondacks calls Always Franklin. The tourism council lists the Saranac Lake 6er and the Tupper Lake Triad among its hiking challenges, along with paddling in the St. Regis Canoe Area and skiing at Titus Mountain.
The village is rethinking its rental rules. Rules adopted in 2023 require an annual application and cap the number of rentals in each residential zone. In October 2026, according to WCAX, the trustees stopped accepting new applications for a year to judge whether the rules work. WCAX counted about 80 registered rentals in 2023 and about 115 now. A listing in the village should carry a current village permit. Ask the host for the number.
Old Forge
The central lakes around Old Forge are the snowmobile side of the park. Riding the Town of Webb’s trail system requires a town trail permit on top of New York registration, and the town reopens the system in early December when the snow allows. Ask a host whether the property connects to a trail or needs a trailer to reach one.
The Lake George area has its own guide: Lake George cabin rentals.
Seasons
Color begins in mid-September on the high ground and in the north, according to Visit Adirondacks, then spreads through October. That makes late September the month to come for a ridge walk and mid-October for the lakes.
Spring is the month not to plan a summit. Each year DEC asks hikers to postpone trails above 2,500 feet until they have dried and hardened, an advisory that can last into June and names Marcy, Algonquin, Gothics, Whiteface, and others. On low trails, DEC asks hikers to walk down the center, mud and all, to limit erosion. A cabin booked for late April or May suits the low trails and the lakes.
Some back roads close: DEC does not maintain Jay Mountain Road from October to April, and some easement lands close to the public during the fall big game season. Read DEC’s weekly backcountry notices before any trip. Against ticks, DEC advises light-colored, tightly woven clothing, pants tucked into socks, frequent checks, and staying in the center of the trail.
Rules and Taxes
New York restricts firewood. Untreated firewood may not be brought into the state, and firewood cut in New York may not travel more than 50 miles from its source unless it has been heat-treated and labeled “New York Approved Heat-Treated Firewood/Pest Free.” Buy it near the cabin. If a host leaves wood, ask where it was cut.
DEC does not allow overnight stays at trailheads or roadside pull-offs, sleeping in a car included, except at sites it has marked. Plan a late arrival around the drive to the rental.
Taxes depend on the county. Airbnb lists a 5% room occupancy tax in both Essex and Franklin counties, on top of New York sales tax. Compare stays on the final price.
Before You Book
- Which trailhead you plan to use, and how many minutes it is from the property.
- In Lake Placid or North Elba, whether the permit is hosted or unhosted, and whether the address is on the town’s list.
- In Saranac Lake, the current village permit number.
- How many cars fit at the property, since roadside parking on Route 73 is enforced.
- Whether the road is plowed in winter, and whether the cabin has a place to dry boots and gear.
The questions to ask a host cover the rest. A group sharing a house should read the guide to large group stays.
More mountain country is in the guides to Catskills cabin rentals west of the Hudson and Maine cabin rentals from the coast to Katahdin.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do you need a reservation to hike from the Adirondack Mountain Reserve?
Yes, from May 1 through October 31. Parking and day and overnight access take a free reservation at hikeamr.org, with same-day spots released at 4 a.m. Walk-ins are turned away.
When is fall foliage in the Adirondacks?
Color begins in mid-September on the high ground and in the north, according to Visit Adirondacks, then spreads through October. Late September suits a ridge walk and mid-October the lakes.
Can you hike the Adirondack High Peaks in spring?
Not above 2,500 feet until the trails dry and harden. DEC asks hikers to postpone those trails each spring, an advisory that can last into June. A stay in late April or May suits the low trails and the lakes.
Can you bring firewood to the Adirondacks?
Not from out of state. Untreated firewood may not be brought into New York. Firewood cut in New York may not travel more than 50 miles from its source unless it has been heat-treated and labeled.
Do Lake Placid vacation rentals need a permit?
Yes. The Town of North Elba and the Village of Lake Placid license rentals jointly under a 2023 local law, and town permits are capped with waitlists. The town posts a public list of active permits.