Lake Arnold

  • Heart Lake, Lake Placid
  • info@lakeplacid.com

Hike Features

Ponds / Lakes

Lake Arnold is a small body of water located at almost 3800’ in elevation, making it one of the highest bodies of water in the Adirondack Park.

How to get there

From the intersection of Route 73 and Route 86 in Lake Placid follow Route 73 toward Keene. Continue for 3.25 miles to Adirondack Loj Road on the right – this is the first right after the Olympic ski jumps. Follow Adirondack Loj Road to its end at Heart Lake. There is a parking fee.

Key statistics

  • Distance: 9.7 miles round trip
  • Elevation: 3,750 feet
  • Elevation gain: 1,880 feet

Hiking to Lake Arnold

The hike follows along the busy Marcy Dam Trail before forking off toward Avalanche Camps. Once at Avalanche Camps you should be prepared for a steady and rather steep ascent over rocky terrain. The trail follows a very picturesque brook to a very tight-knit balsam/spruce forest.

There you will find Lake Arnold nestled at the base of Mount Colden, near the top of a high mountain pass, deep in the heart of the High Peaks Region.9.4 miles RT, steep ascent of 1582', Elevation 3750'

Snowshoeing

This is a great snowshoe outing and the trail can be counted on as being broken out. Expect heavy snow accumulation, especially above 3,000 feet in elevation.

The hike follows along the busy Marcy Dam Trail before forking off toward Avalanche Camps. Once at Avalanche Camps you should be prepared for a steady and rather steep ascent over rocky terrain. The trail follows a very picturesque brook to a very tight-knit balsam/spruce forest.

There you will find Lake Arnold nestled at the base of Mount Colden, near the top of a high mountain pass, deep in the heart of the High Peaks Region.