A Wheelchair Accessible Fall Weekend Getaway to the Adirondacks
If you are looking for a fantastic fall destination, the Adirondacks are perfect. They offer great views of the fall foliage with scenic drives and a comfortable atmosphere. There are also many wheelchair-accessible things to do in the area. This is my guide to a wheelchair-accessible fall weekend getaway to the Adirondack Mountains.
Getting There
If you already live in New York State, it’s an easy drive to get to the area. If you are traveling from out of state and don’t plan on doing a road trip here, however, the closest airport to fly into is in Albany, NY. You would then need to rent a car and drive the rest of the way (usually a couple of hours).
Wheelchair Accessible Fall Weekend Getaway to the Adirondacks: Where to Stay
The two towns I recommend staying in are either Lake Placid or Saranac Lake. They are both located within the mountains and are close to major attractions, although Lake Placid is most centrally located. Both offer charm and plenty of dining and activity options.
There are multiple accessible hotels to choose from in both areas and they all vary in price. Some of the more affordable options include the Crowne Plaza and Hampton Inn and Suites (for Lake Placid) as well as Best Western and Hotel Saranac Curio Collection by Hilton (for Saranac Lake).
If you are camping, like I did, there are also plenty of campgrounds to choose from. When I visited, we stayed at the North Pole Resorts camping area. While there were no specific ADA sites, there are premium full hook-up sites that allow for extra room. The sites were well maintained and had a gravel surface.
Wheelchair Accessible Fall Weekend Getaway to the Adirondacks: Things to Do
While I only had a weekend here, I found plenty of wonderful fall wheelchair accessible activities to keep me busy. Our main reason for visiting was to enjoy the fall foliage, and there are a number of ways you can do this, but the area offers other interesting sights as well.
1. Drive up Whiteface Mountain
This scenic drive offers great views of the mountains with several scenic overlooks. While there are no designated parking areas at these small pull-offs, you can easily enjoy the scenery from your vehicle.
At the summit, however, there is a small parking area with designated handicap spaces. From here, you can see not only the mountains, but Lake Placid as well. There is a castle like building that has some bumps and cobblestones but I was able to manage to get to the scenic viewing areas on the ground floor. In the summer, you can also purchase refreshments here.
Your drive down the mountain will offer different scenery with a chance of seeing Lake Champlain in the distance. No matter where you look though, the views are incredible.
2. Climb to New Heights in a Gondola ride up Little Whiteface Mountain
A wheelchair accessible gondola will take you to the summit of Little Whiteface Mountain, allowing you to experience spectacular views along the way. The gondola follows the ski lifts up a cleared path to the summit and on a clear day, you can see for what seems like forever.
Once at the top, staff will stop the gondola and put a ramp in place for easy on and off. From there, you can go to the scenic viewing areas, which again highlight the mountains and Lake Placid. If the weather cooperates, you can also see Whiteface Mountain from the summit as well.
Unfortunately, visiting in the fall can mean unpredictable weather. When I visited it was raining at the base and sleeting at the summit! Make sure to dress in layers, as you never know what mother nature will throw at you. The views were still great however, and eventually the fog cleared to offer us a glimpse of the amazing views.
3. Take a Scenic Drive
It’s practically impossible to go into the mountains and not have beautiful scenery all around you. However, there are some designated routes that are considered especially worthwhile. A map for these drives can be found on Scenic Drives & Byways | Official Adirondack Region Website (visitadirondacks.com). I’ll mention just a few here.
Riverside Drive Loop
A 9.3-mile drive which starts on Route 73 parallels and follows the Ausable River and offers many photo opportunities.
Franklin Falls Loop
This 46-mile drive is great for admiring the fall foliage and offers many scenic views. It begins on Route 86 East towards Wilmington.
Adirondack Log Road
This 9.6-mile road offers Mountain views and is one of the most photographed drives in the Adirondacks.
River Road
An 8.2-mile there and back route that offers mountain and river views and is a great way to see the changing leaves in the fall.
Rapid Descent Trail
This 14-mile loop road allows you to explore the backroads and heads to the town of Jay where you can see rapids and a covered bridge.
4. Visit an Old Covered Bridge
Just outside of town, in Jay, NY, there is an old wooden covered bridge. There is a small parking area at the bridge and you can still walk (or roll) across it. It is quite scenic and is very accessible. This makes for a great stop to get out and take some pictures along one of your scenic drives.
5. Learn about Olympic Ski Jumping
Lake Placid was once home to the winter Olympic games and remains an active training area to this day. Visitors can get a taste of what some of these athlete’s experience by visiting the Ski Jump. These two large and imposing structures can easily be seen from the main road, but are even more awesome viewed up-close.
At their base, is a visitor area that has accessible restrooms, a gift shop and small café. For the full experience, take the wheelchair accessible gondola up to the top of the hill. One of the ski jumps, has an elevator which you can take to get almost to the top of the jump.
An accessible viewing platform will give you the same perspective the athletes get just before they ski down. It also offers great views of the mountains and foliage around you. There is also a viewing platform that lies between the two jumps, the first part of which is accessible by a somewhat steep ramp.
If you are really brave, and have some mobility to climb steps, you can zip line down and over the second ski jump to really get the feel for what the Olympic athletes experience.
6. Visit the Olympic Museum
Located in downtown Lake Placid, this museum features artifacts from the games held in town in the 1980’s. This is also where the famous ice arena is located which was home to “the miracle on ice” when the USA beat Russia in men’s hockey. They even made a movie about this event.
7. Get a New Perspective with a Boat Ride on Lake Placid
If visiting during the warmer months, get a new perspective of the area by traveling onboard a pontoon boat. Lake Placid Marina and Boat Tours offers hour-long sightseeing tours on Lake Placid. On these covered boat tours, you will learn more about the area and some of the stately homes that line the shores.
Make sure to contact them in advance however, as they will need to arrange a ramp (usually they use a piece of wood) to allow wheelchair users to board the boat. No restrooms are available during the tour, so make sure to go ahead of time.
For a different kind of boat ride, try a steam boat! Located on Lake George (also in the Adirondacks… it’s a big area) the Lake George Steamboat Company offers accessible scenic steamboat rides. All of their boats are accessible via a ramp but the Minne Ha Ha and the Lac du saint Sacrement both have lifts to the upper decks.
8. Get in Touch with Nature at High Falls Gorge
Granite cliffs surround four waterfalls creating a beautiful atmosphere and the High Falls Gorge. A quarter-mile accessible trail takes you to a bridge and allows you to see two out of the four waterfalls in the area. There are also benches along this path which offer a great place to rest for those with limited mobility.
You will also have the opportunity to touch a rock that is over 1.5 billion years old. The Anorthosite boulder, which is similar to the rock found on the moon, is the base rock found in the Adirondacks. Located just outside of the visitor center, make sure to check out this piece of history.
Accessible parking and restrooms are onsite at the visitor center, which also features a café and gift shop.
Final Thoughts on a Wheelchair Accessible Fall Weekend Getaway to the Adirondacks
No matter what time of year you visit, the Adirondacks are amazing, but I find that they are especially beautiful in the fall. Following my guide to a wheelchair accessible weekend getaway to the Adirondack Mountains will help you plan the perfect fall weekend getaway.
If you want to explore other areas of the state, check out my top 10 wheelchair accessible things to do in Upstate New York.
