Adirondacks - accommodations
 

We are planning a trip to the Adirondacks Oct. 10th to the 18th. We are interested in finding a hotel, efficiency, small cottage, that is off the beaten path. Not really interested in Lake Placid or Tupper Lake. Can anyone suggest a quiet area where accommodations can be found that does not get swamped with people?

Note that places go out of business left and right in the Adirondacks. The town featured in the attached link is indeed a lovely town, but, sadly, the Copperfield Inn is shuttered. There is a new place called The Alpine Lodge that looks good - but, like everything in North Creek, it is not waterfront.

You have chosen a very popular time to be in the Adirondacks and I doubt very much that you'll find decent accommodations that aren't booked.

My usual standbys are the Irondequoit Inn, Melody Lodge (no lake), Friends Lake Inn (will be booked for sure), Garnet Hill Lodge (family oriented), Morningside Camps (you'll only get in on a cancellation).

Sorry to not be more helpful. "Off the beaten path" in the Adirondacks seems reserved strictly for those who can afford second homes these days. Everything else is just so limited.

Check innatthebridge.com in Northville.

This is just a thought, but google the Gore Mountain website (ski mountain), and check the 'lodgings' section on that website. We used to rent little privately owned cottages in the area to go skiing. They weren't lakefront, but they were off the beaten path.

The website is www.goremountain.com, and has many listing of all kinds (B&Bs, cabine, hotels, motels, etc). That's where we always found out rentals.

Thanks for all the advice. I'd better get on reservations very quickly. We don't care if we are on a lake or not... just want a (clean) place to sleep between hiking.

Creincke - Call Melody Lodge. It might be perfect.

Irondequoit Inn might be nice for you too - it's a great property and a very uncrowded area.

(Did I mention that Melody has a GREAT restaurant??? LOL)

wliwl

LOVE Melody Lodge restaurant, I've never stayed at the Lodge. (I live not too far from there)

ah

We stayed at the Blue Moose Cabin for a week last year. We did stay in May when all of the Adirondacks was deserted. But the location was in a smaller town right on a smaller lake.

We really had a great time. We were fairly close to hiking trails and they provided a canoe to take out. We saw lots of beavers, muscrat, loons and Eagles right outside our door. I would recommend this cabin to anyone.

http://www.bluemoosecabin.com/

Thanks MFNYC for the reference to www.goremountain.com. There are MANY cabins and hotels that look like they will fit the bill for us. Thanks to everyone else for advice too. I've looked at it all.

Cathy

I have found several cabin rentals in various areas around the Adirondacks. Can anyone suggest which of these areas would be the best for access to hiking trails, access to waterfalls, other interesting sites? We plan to do day hikes, not backpacking.

1) Schroon Lake /Minerva /Johnsburg area
2) Long Lake area
3) Keene / Jay / Upper Jay area
4) Loon Lake area

Creincke - That's a tough one, as there is good stuff and great hiking all over the Adirondacks.

The Keene region is the "high peaks" area - so most of the hikes will be more challenging, although many can be done without an overnight, assuming you're in excellent shape.

We've done easy and hard hikes from the Schroon Lake area (easy = Boreas River, Peaked Hill -- hard = Tongue Mountain Range, Black Mtn, Treadway). Over the years we've done a few hikes from the Long Lake area too (easy = Goodnow Mtn -- harder = Blue Mtn, Owls Head, Snowy).

I guess I'd choose the cabin and then pick up a hiking book (maybe one by Barbara McMartin) and plan your hikes.

I maybe should have mentioned too that the Schroon (pronounce Skroon) Lake/Minerva area is somewhat flatter feeling than the more northern parts of the Adirondacks. It is closer to "conveniences" too (relatively speaking anyway).

But they are all nice areas. I think you'll feel more "out there" in Keene, Long Lake or Loon Lake (which I'm not very familiar with at all).

I maybe should have mentioned too that the Schroon Lake/Minerva area is somewhat flatter feeling than the more northern parts of the Adirondacks. It is closer to "conveniences" too (relatively speaking anyway).

But they are all nice areas. I think you'll feel more "out there" in Keene, Long Lake or Loon Lake (which I'm not very familiar with at all).

Sorry - one more thing. Here is a great forum on the Adirondacks:
http://www.adkforum.com/index.php

It's sort of annoying because you have to email the moderator to get permission to post, but there are lots of outdoorsy folks on there with great information.

Thanks for the reference to the forum. I just looked at it briefly, but it looks like there is a ton of information.

We had very good luck finding a last minute rental for a long weekend last fall with www.adkbyowner.com. We ended up with a beautiful house on Upper Saranac Lake, and we're going back for a week this year. Look under vacation rentals and your dates or by region.