Lake George Rentals: Villages and What to Expect

Lake George lies in the southeastern Adirondacks, about 32 miles long and never more than about 3 miles wide, with 82 miles of shoreline and water as deep as 187 feet. The surface lies at 320 feet. Mountains stand over both shores: Prospect over the village at the south end, the Tongue Mountain Range on the west, and Black Mountain and Sleeping Beauty on the east. Lake George rentals are spread along both sides in Warren and Essex counties.

The Lake

The water is a public supply. The Lake George Park Commission notes that the lake is the main source of drinking water for the Village of Lake George and the Hamlet of Ticonderoga, and the reserve supply for the Town of Bolton. When the Commission made boat inspection mandatory in 2014, five invasive species were already known here: Eurasian watermilfoil, curly leaf pondweed, spiny water flea, zebra mussels, and Asian clams.

DEC counts it among New York’s top five bass waters. Lake trout reproduce on their own, and the state stocks landlocked salmon every year. In winter, ice anglers fish the shoreline bays for perch and crappie.

Lake George Village

The route starts at the south end, about 60 miles north of Albany and 220 miles north of New York City by I-87, the Adirondack Northway. The village is the lake’s commercial center. Million Dollar Beach is the state beach, with a two-lane boat launch.

On Fort George Road, the state’s Lake George Battlefield day-use area holds the ruins of Fort George, begun in 1759, on ground that served as a major military camp in the French and Indian War and as a hospital and supply base early in the Revolution. It opens from late May to early September.

Prospect Mountain stands over the village. A 5.5-mile, two-lane state highway climbs to the 2,030-foot summit, with views to the Green Mountains in Vermont, the White Mountains in New Hampshire, and the Adirondack High Peaks. The road opens in late May and closes on Veterans Day, with a per-vehicle fee and no pets. Hikers can start on Smith Street in the village instead. The trail climbs 1,630 feet in 1.5 miles.

Bolton Landing and Tongue Mountain

Route 9N follows the west shore north to Bolton Landing. The county’s tourism office counts it among the lake’s quiet mountain towns. Four miles past it, Northwest Bay Brook is a state hand launch for canoes and kayaks, with room for 15 cars.

North of Bolton the Tongue Mountain Range forms a ridge between Northwest Bay and the main lake, ending at Montcalm Point. DEC’s Tongue Mountain Range Trail follows the ridgeline for about 10.8 miles, from the Deer Leap trailhead to the Northwest Bay Trail near Montcalm Point. Deer Leap itself is 1.7 miles from the lot, and the Five Mile Point Trail is 2.8. The Montcalm Point loop covers 6 miles with 1,390 feet of climbing.

Watch the ledges. DEC lists the timber rattlesnake, a threatened species, in isolated populations along the eastern edge of the Adirondacks. It is active from late April to mid-October, often emerging only in mid-May this far north. Keep at least 6 feet away and let it move off.

Hague and Ticonderoga

Farther up 9N is Hague, another of the tourism office’s quiet towns. The town beach has a hard-surface ramp that requires a fee or a permit, and about three miles north of the hamlet DEC keeps a second ramp with parking for 24 cars and trailers.

Ticonderoga, in Essex County, is the lake’s north end. Mossy Point, two miles north of the village on Black Point Road, is the big launch on the east side, with a pumpout and parking for 100 cars and trailers. Gas, food, and lodging are in Ticonderoga, Hague, Bolton Landing, and the village of Lake George.

The East Shore

Much of the east shore lies in the Lake George Wild Forest, 72,508 acres of state land on both sides of the lake. Coming back south, Black Mountain’s trail climbs 1,239 feet in 2.5 miles from Pike Brook Road. Sleeping Beauty is 2.1 miles from the Dacy Clearing lot to a 2,347-foot summit. At Shelving Rock, the mountain trail gains 610 feet in 1.7 miles, and the Pines along the shore are for day use only. Buck Mountain, at 2,334 feet, is 3.3 miles and 1,980 feet of climbing from its western trailhead.

In winter, Buttermilk Road and Gay Pond Road are left unplowed as snowmobile routes, and skis and snowshoes are allowed on every hiking trail in the Wild Forest.

Boating Rules

The Lake George Park Commission sets the rules on the water. The speed limit is 45 miles per hour from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. and 25 at night. Within 100 feet of docks, moorings, and anchored boats the limit is 5. Stay at least 100 feet from a diving flag. Personal watercraft may operate only from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m., at 5 miles per hour within 500 feet of shore, with an operator at least 14 years old. Anchoring is banned within 200 feet of private shoreline, and Sandy Bay and Paradise Bay allow no anchoring or tie-offs at all. The Commission enforces its noise rules strictly.

Any boat with a motor of 10 horsepower or more must carry a Commission decal. A visitor can buy one for a day or a week from the Commission or a local vendor. Buy in person if the trip is soon, because online orders take 7 to 10 business days. A boat kept on the lake for 21 days in a row needs the annual decal.

From May 1 through October 31, every trailered boat must be inspected before it launches. The inspection is free, takes about five minutes, and goes fastest when the boat arrives clean, drained, and dry. Washing is free too. The Commission lists stations at Lake George village, Bolton Landing, Hague, Ticonderoga, and South Bay in Whitehall. A launch requires the green plastic seal and wire. A paper inspection card will not do. Anyone inspected at the Adirondack Welcome Center near Exit 18 must ask for the green seal.

Seasons

Summer is the peak, by the tourism office’s account, when the beaches fill. September and October bring fall color and smaller crowds. September is the month to come. The inspection stations, the Prospect Mountain road, and the launches are all still open.

April is the month to skip. The Prospect Mountain road and the Battlefield stay closed until late May. The tourism office calls spring quieter, with waterfalls at full flow. Late May, once the roads open, is the quiet window.

From March 16 to May 14, New York bans brush burning. A fire pit under 3 feet high and 4 feet across is still allowed with clean, dry wood or charcoal, as long as someone watches it.

Rental Rules

Permits are set by each town. A Warren County table of local laws, prepared in December 2024, lists permit systems in Bolton (adopted 2021), Hague (2024), and the Town and Village of Lake George (2018), along with Chester, Lake Luzerne, and Warrensburg. Queensbury requires registration with the county. Horicon and Stony Creek had no rental law. Several of the town laws cap guests by bedroom count or by an inspection and set overnight quiet hours. In Hague, some newer permits carry a three-night minimum from May 15 to October 15.

Warren County adds a 4 percent occupancy tax to rentals of 30 days or less. New York has charged sales tax on short-term rentals since March 1, 2025. The county warned in 2025 that Airbnb was collecting the state tax but not the county’s. Compare stays on the final price, and ask the host how the county tax is handled. Ticonderoga is in Essex County and outside the Warren table, so ask the host what the town requires.

Before you book, ask the host:

• Which town the house is in, and its permit number.
• The permitted number of guests and cars, and any minimum stay.
• Whether the dock or mooring comes with the stay, and whether a boat is included with its decal.
• Where the nearest launch and inspection station are, if you are trailering a boat.
• The quiet hours the town sets.

The questions to ask a host cover the rest. The lake lies inside the Adirondack Park, covered in the Adirondacks guide, and visitors comparing big northern lakes can read the guide to Lake Winnipesaukee.

The Catskill Park, New York’s other Forest Preserve park, is covered in the guide to Catskills cabin rentals. The guide to Maine cabin rentals covers that state from its tidal beaches to Katahdin.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do boats have to be inspected before launching on Lake George?

Yes. From May 1 through October 31, every trailered boat must be inspected before it launches. The inspection is free and takes about five minutes. A launch requires the green plastic seal and wire.

What is the speed limit on Lake George?

45 miles per hour from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. and 25 at night. Within 100 feet of docks, moorings, and anchored boats the limit is 5.

Do you need to register a boat on Lake George?

Yes, if it has a motor of 10 horsepower or more. A visitor can buy a day or week decal from the Lake George Park Commission or a local vendor. Online orders take 7 to 10 business days.

When is the Prospect Mountain highway open?

From late May until Veterans Day. It charges a per-vehicle fee and allows no pets.

What is the best month to visit Lake George?

September. September and October bring fall color and smaller crowds. The inspection stations, the Prospect Mountain road, and the launches are all still open in September.