Take the family for this short hike to the summit of Cobble Hill, located right in the center of Lake Placid in the Adirondacks. Kids of all ages will enjoy this scenic view of the High Peaks and village of Lake Placid. 

We have discovered that a trip to the grocery store is best served after a bit of outdoor activity. Cobble Hill provides a quick remedy. The most challenging part of our climb up Cobble Hill is finding the entrance. The entrance via Mt. Whitney Way is a private road so there is no sign posted. We are here at the good graces of easements and owners. A few cars are already squeezed against the side of Mirror Lake Drive. We park and walk up the road a bit then turn around. The trail is about 20 feet from the main gate on the right. 

We sign in at the register and follow the rectangular yellow signs marked Cobble Hill. There is no need to search for trail markers, as signs are clearly posted that this is private land and we are only here because of the generosity of landowners. As the sign states, they only ask us "To be considerate. No littering, No dumping. No camping. No fires, No hunting. No trapping."

The Short Trail is an easy walk for the first quarter mile, then it turns rocky for the final assent. 

We get to the first outlook and the view is dramatic. To the south are the ski jumps and the High Peaks, to the northwest the village and Mirror Lake. Farther up is the summit with a different panoramic view of the ski jumps with clear outlooks of Cascade and Pitchoff.

This 0.9-mile walk with an ascent of 450 feet and elevation of 2,343 feet has spectacular views of the High Peaks and Olympic Village.

To access Cobble Hill take Mirror Lake Drive to Mt Whitney Way, a private road. Parking is not available on this private road. The trailhead is about 20 feet from the entrance. Turn right at the stone boulders marking the entrance and cross the wooden plank bridge. There is a small register with a rough trail map left by students of nearby Northwood School Outing Club. 

Diane Chase's Adirondack Family Time Tip

There is another entrance to Cobble hill via Cobble Hill Road. Cobble Hill Road is a shorter trek at 0.4-mile. From the junction of Route 73 and Route 86 continue northeast on Route 86 (also known as the Wilmington Road) past the Crown Plaza Golf Course. About a mile of the left is Cobble Hill. Follow Cobble Hill for about about 0.2 mile and turn onto Terrace Drive. There is a small parking area. Search for a sign that says: Cobble Trail. 

all photos and content ©Diane Chase, an excerpt from Diane's guidebook Adirondack Family Time: Tri-Lakes & High Peaks: Your Four-Season Guide to Over 300 Activiities (with GPS Coordinates), covering the towns of Lake Placid, Saranac Lake, Tupper Lake, Keene/Keene Valley, Jay/Upper Jay and Wilmington.Diane Chase, Adirondack Family Time. Diane Chase is the author of the Adirondack Family Time guidebook series and co-owner of the the young adult wilderness adventure program, Adirondack Outdoor Expeditions.