Lake Placid
Lake Placid, NY
An Adirondack village on Mirror Lake that hosted the Winter Olympics, with a lakeside path and Olympic ski jumps you can visit. Allow time for the walk around the lake and a stop at the Olympic sites in town.
Lake Placid lies at 1,801 feet (about 550 m) in the Adirondacks and hosted the Winter Olympics in 1932 and 1980, one of only four places in the world to do so (along with St. Moritz, Innsbruck and Cortina d'Ampezzo). In 1980 it was the scene of the "Miracle on Ice," the 4-3 victory of the US hockey team over the Soviet Union. The Winter Olympic Museum in the village recalls the Games; the sports venues include ski jumps and the bobsled run at Mount Van Hoevenberg. Mirror Lake lies between the village and Lake Placid itself.
Allow half a day for a stroll around Mirror Lake and the Olympic sites. The village has only a little over 2,200 residents, so it fills up quickly in high season and during events such as the Ironman.
- Nearest town
- Lake Placid, NY
- Category
- History & culture
- GPS
- 44.2795, -73.9799
Hours, fees and access change. Confirm with the operator or park before you go.
Good to know
Best time to go
The most pleasant months are usually June–August. Still fine, with some compromises, in May and September. Cold, short days in November–March. (Estimate from long-term temperature averages, terrain and pass seasons)
Nearby
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Campsites nearby
- Draper's Acres CampgroundCampsite5 mi from Lake Placid
- Meadowbrook CampgroundCampsite5 mi from Lake Placid
- Wilderness Campground at Heart LakeCampsite7 mi from Lake Placid
- Wilmington Notch CampgroundCampsite8 mi from Lake Placid · 54 pitchesTentsCaravansShowersToiletsWaste disposal
- Taylor Pond CampgroundCampsite17 mi from Lake PlacidTentsDrinking waterToilets
- Buck Pond CampgroundCampsite17 mi from Lake Placid
All campsites in New York · Campsite data: © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL 1.0 · Updated October 3, 2026
FAQs
Where is Lake Placid?
Lake Placid is in Lake Placid, NY, at GPS 44.2795, -73.9799. It is about 8 mi from Saranac Lake.
Can you camp near Lake Placid?
Yes. The nearest campsite listed in OpenStreetMap is Draper's Acres Campground, about 5 mi away; within 25 mi there are 30 campsites and motorhome stopovers.
What is there to see near Lake Placid?
Places worth a stop nearby: Whiteface Veterans Memorial Highway (7 mi), The Wild Center (23 mi), Ausable Chasm (31 mi) and Mount Philo State Park (37 mi).
When is the best time to visit Lake Placid?
The most pleasant months are usually June–August. Still fine, with some compromises, in May and September. (Estimate from long-term temperature averages, terrain and pass seasons)