Where to ski in the Adirondacks
4 big mountains, 8 smaller hills and 6 cross-country centers, from Whiteface Mountain’s 3,430 feet of vertical to a free town hill with a rope tow and a warming hut.
- Big mountain
- Smaller hill
- Cross-country
- Big mountain
Whiteface Mountain
Wilmington, Essex County
3,430Vertical ft97Trails11LiftsThe greatest vertical in the East, by the mountain's own count, and a 2.1-mile run down the Wilmington Trail.
- Big mountain
Gore Mountain
North Creek, Warren County
2,537Vertical ft108Trails14LiftsMore than 100 trails, with snowmaking water drawn from the Hudson River since 1996.
Cross-country
- Big mountain
Titus Mountain
Malone, Franklin County
1,200Vertical ft50Trails10LiftsThree terrain parks and neon night tubing alongside day and night skiing, at the north edge of the region.
Night skiing · Tubing · Terrain park
- Big mountain
West Mountain
Queensbury, Warren County
1,010Vertical ft35Trails6LiftsLit from top to bottom with full snowmaking, the mountain says. Only its five expert glades stay dark.
Night skiing · Tubing · Terrain park
- Smaller hill
Oak Mountain
Speculator, Hamilton County
650Vertical ft22Trails4LiftsA quad chair, a T-bar and two surface lifts on a 650-foot family hill in the southern Adirondacks.
Night skiing · Tubing
Tentative opening: Friday, December 11, 2026, weather and snowmaking permitting.
- Smaller hill
McCauley Mountain
Old Forge, Herkimer County
633Vertical ft21Trails5LiftsOld Forge's hill since 1958, with the deepest published snowfall on this list.
Cross-country
- Smaller hill
Royal Mountain
Caroga Lake, Fulton County
575Vertical ft28Trails4LiftsKeeps one of Gore's historic gondola cabins on site, and you can step inside.
Terrain park
- Smaller hill
Snow Ridge
Turin, Lewis County
500Vertical ft31Trails5LiftsPublishes about 230 inches of snow a year, up on Tug Hill in lake-effect country.
Night skiing · Terrain park
- Smaller hill
Mt. Pisgah
Saranac Lake, Essex County
329Vertical ft6Trails1LiftsSaranac Lake's village-run hill, where one T-bar serves all six trails and you choose how far up to ride.
Night skiing · Tubing
The village lists the 2026-27 opening date as to be announced.
- Smaller hill
Beartown Ski Area
Beekmantown, Clinton County
140Vertical ft2LiftsFounded in 1957 by the Clinton County Ski Council and still volunteer-supported.
Night skiing · Cross-country
- Smaller hill
Dynamite Hill
Chestertown, Warren County
65Vertical ft1Trails1LiftsA free 65-foot beginner hill run by the Town of Chester, with a rope tow and a warming hut.
Tubing
- Smaller hill
North Creek Ski Bowl
North Creek, Warren County
9Trails2LiftsThe village-side corner of Gore, with day and evening skiing and roots going back to a 1934 rope tow.
Night skiing · Terrain park · Cross-country
- Cross-country
Mt. Van Hoevenberg
Lake Placid, Essex County
44Groomed kmLake Placid's Olympic Nordic venue, with 5 km of snowmaking and a 30-point biathlon range.
- Cross-country
Lapland Lake
Northville, Hamilton County
38Groomed kmFounded in 1978, with a trail system designed by 1960 U.S. Olympic skier Olavi Hirvonen.
- Cross-country
Cascade Welcome Center
Lake Placid, Essex County
12Groomed kmAn Adirondack Mountain Club center less than five miles from downtown Lake Placid, groomed for classic and skate.
- Cross-country
Dewey Mountain
Saranac Lake, Franklin County
Town-owned, with most of the lower trails lit for evening skiing.
Night skiing
- Cross-country
Garnet Hill
North River, Warren County
55Groomed kmA weekend shuttle lets you ski down, then ride back up.
- Cross-country
Tupper Lake Cross-Country Trails
Tupper Lake, Franklin County
Free, dog-friendly groomed trails, kept up by volunteers working with the town.
Looking for these? Don’t count on them this season
Big Tupper, Tupper Lake
Closed. The town's tourism site says the owners plan to reopen, with no date.
Hickory Ski Center, Warrensburg
Did not operate in 2025-26, and we found no plan for 2026-27.
Indian Lake Ski Hill, Indian Lake
A local page says the T-bar no longer runs. The town skating rink is still listed.
Listings checked November 6, 2026. Hear something different? Tell us.
Adirondack skiing: questions people ask
How many ski areas are in the Adirondacks?
This guide lists 18: 4 big mountains, 8 smaller hills and 6 cross-country centers. Snow Ridge, on Tug Hill, sits just outside the Park boundary.
What is the biggest ski mountain in the Adirondacks?
Whiteface Mountain in Wilmington, with 3,430 feet of vertical, which the mountain bills as the greatest in the East. Gore Mountain in North Creek is next at 2,537 feet.
Where can you ski at night in the Adirondacks?
Lights are on at North Creek Ski Bowl, Titus Mountain, West Mountain, Oak Mountain, Snow Ridge, Mt. Pisgah and Beartown Ski Area. For cross-country after dark, Dewey Mountain lights most of its lower trails. Nights vary, so check before you go.
Where can you go snow tubing in the Adirondacks?
Titus Mountain, West Mountain, Oak Mountain, Mt. Pisgah and Dynamite Hill all list tubing. Check for reservations and start dates, which often come later than skiing.
Where is the best place to cross-country ski in the Adirondacks?
It depends what you want. Garnet Hill has 55 km groomed, Mt. Van Hoevenberg has Lake Placid's Olympic trails and biathlon range, Lapland Lake has 38 km trackset, and the Tupper Lake trails are free.
Is there anywhere free to ski in the Adirondacks?
Dynamite Hill in Chestertown is a free town beginner hill with a rope tow, when there is enough snow, and the Tupper Lake cross-country trails are free too.
What is the closest skiing to Watertown, NY?
Snow Ridge in Turin, about 34 miles from Watertown in a straight line.
When does Adirondack ski season start?
It depends on snow and snowmaking. Gore usually opens in late November and runs to mid-April. Snow Ridge averages a Thanksgiving opening. Oak Mountain has set a tentative opening of December 11, 2026.