Eight (8) Easy Short Walks and Hikes near Lake Placid and Wilmington (NY) that a three-year-old (3) could do!

Wilmington (NY) Cobble Lookout (Ledge)
I was recently emailed about Adirondack (ADK) hikes to do with a three-year-old kid and wanted to share my suggestions with you!

Keep in mind any of the suggestions below are good for people of all ages and abilities. Even if you used to climb the Adirondack High Peaks or still do, but just don't have the time. Enjoy!

These are just 8 of the 33 easy short hikes available in my guidebook, Adirondack Family Time: Tri-Lakes and High Peaks: A four-Season Guide to Over 300 Activities (with GPS coordinates.)

1) Wilmington Flume. There are a lot of new bike trails and walking trails all along and around. Be careful there is poison ivy along the trail somewhere. There are warnings posted. There are a variety of options that vary from about one-mile. The Flume is located off of Route 86, west side of bridge on Route 86 (past Hungry Trout Restaurant)

2) Wilmington's Cobble Lookout (Ledge): This trail is about a 1.4-mile RT hike.  A fun fact is that the stone mined from the nearby quarry was used to build the Whiteface Memorial Highway.

3) Lake Stevens Trail  This is located at the beginning of the Whiteface Memorial Highway. The walk is around the little "pond" That is also a great fishing spot for kids. It is specially stocked for children and kids do not need a license, but adults do. There are picnic tables also by the little bridge to enjoy a snack or lunch right by the water.

4) Whiteface Veterans Memorial Highway Nature Trail: There is a fee is drive the 5-mile tollroad to the summit of Whiteface. From the top there is an elevator available for anyone, especially with mobility issues, to take to the summit. There is also a nature trail to the right that can be challenging for anyone unsteady on his/her feet. Read the interpretive signs and enjoy the 360º view.

This guidebook also has 33 easy/short hikes
for Lake Placid, Saranac Lake, Tupper Lake
and the High Peaks
3) Cobble Hill in Lake Placid has an elevation of 2,345’ and a vertical ascent of only 462’ in a 0.9-mile hike. Take your time. There is a rocky scramble near the summit. The view is worth it for you and the rest of the family. 

4) Walk around Mirror Lake (about 2.7 miles loop and end up at the public beach where there is a playground)

The Heart Lake area of the Adirondack Loj: From Lake Placid take 73E toward Keene, turn right on Adirondack Loj Road. At the end of the road is Adirondack Loj and Heart Lake. There is a parking fee ($).

5) Mt Joe (2.3 round trip) is possible for a 3-year old but give yourself plenty of time. My daughter did it but it took us a long time. There are places that she needed to be lifted because rocks were too high for her to scramble up on her own.

6) Around Heart Lake is an easy one-mile walk and then go to the Heart Lake Nature Museum ( a one-room touch museum with an occasional arts and crafts happening.)

7) Owl's Head on Rt. 73 is 1.1-mile round trip located in Keene NY. To get there go about 3.5 miles from the Cascade trailhead turn onto Owl’s Head Lane. Continue .2 miles until you come to a Y. The trailhead is directly in front. Park to the left, off to the side. There isn’t a parking area. The Owl’s Head trailhead is surrounded by private property. This mountain is only available to climb during the weekday. Please be respective and mind the parking signs

8) Try out the Jay Covered Bridge. You can explore around the historic bridge and walk down to the river's shoreline. There are huge rocks to walk over. Please be careful, the water is swift. There is also a playground past the tennis courts.

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