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Snow-covered Adirondack peaks at blue hour with pink alpenglow on the summits above a frozen lake

Winter in the
Adirondacks

18 places to ski and ride, all on one map, from Whiteface Mountain’s 3,430-foot drop to a free town hill with a rope tow.

Find your mountain

Illustration

What are you up for?

  • A snowshoer on a deep snowy trail among spruce trees with mountains fading into cloud
    SnowshoeingComing soon
  • People skating on a cleared frozen lake at dusk with a warming fire on shore
    Skating & winter carnivalsComing soon

The Range

Adirondack ski mountains, side by side

  1. 3,430
    Whiteface
  2. 2,537
    Gore
  3. 1,200
    Titus
  4. 1,010
    West
  5. 650
    Oak
  6. 633
    McCauley
  7. 575
    Royal
  8. 500
    Snow Ridge
  9. 329
    Mt. Pisgah
  10. 140
    Beartown
  11. 65
    Dynamite Hill
Height is vertical drop in feet, drawn to scale from each mountain’s published figure. Outlines are illustrative, not terrain.

Ski areas closest to Watertown

Straight-line miles, so check your route. See the full list

  1. 34miSnow RidgeSmaller hill, Turin
  2. 51miMcCauley MountainSmaller hill, Old Forge
  3. 72miTupper Lake Cross-Country TrailsCross-country, Tupper Lake
  4. 83miOak MountainSmaller hill, Speculator

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.

Know a place we missed?

This guide grows every season. Tell us about your favorite hill, trail or warming hut.

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