Northville–Placid Trail:
100 Years of Wilderness Adventure
When it comes to the quality of life, Fulton County has a distinct advantage. About 59 percent of the county is located in the Adirondack Park, affording residents and visitors a variety of top-notch recreational opportunities. One of them is the Northville–Placid Trail that begins in Northville and traverses 138 miles of Adirondack wilderness up to Lake Placid. Last year, the trail celebrated its 100th anniversary.
“It’s one of the premier long trails in New York State,” said Jonathan DeSantis, supervising forester for the Division of Lands & Forests, Region 5 for the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation. It usually takes the average hiker 10 days to two weeks to hike the whole trail, he said.
Experiencing the Trail
Keith Micoli of Hope, New York, who serves as the chair of the Northville–Placid Chapter of the Adirondack Mountain Club (ADK), sees this as an interestingly sized trail because it can be completed in less than two weeks, as opposed to other treks such as the Appalachian Trail and the Pacific Crest Trail that take around five months or longer to complete.
Even at 138 miles, the length of the Northville–Placid Trail shouldn’t be daunting.
“One thing I’m trying to communicate to people this year is that you don’t have to do the whole trail all at once,”
DeSantis said.
Micoli points out several shorter options: Northville→Piseco (40 miles), Piseco→Long Lake (50 miles), and Long Lake→Lake Placid (40 miles).
“People can break it up into manageable pieces,”
Micoli said.
Day Hikes & First Steps
There are even parts of the trail that make for a good day hike.
“You could start in Northville and go to where the trail crosses the river and turn around for a hike of about 10 miles,”
said Russ Byer of Rochester, who volunteers on a four-mile section including five lean-tos. For an introduction, DeSantis suggests hiking about 1.5 miles from just outside Northville to Mud Lake.
For those who want to tackle the whole trail but might lack experience, Micoli suggests going with a group. ADK and other organizations offer guided treks.
Centenary Celebration
Throughout 2024, organizations hosted events to celebrate the trail’s 100th anniversary.
Byer honored the history by hiking 40 miles using only clothing and gear available in 1924—canvas, leather, wood, and hemp—cooking over a twig fire.
“I wasn’t trying to be a reenactor; it was to honor the trail,” he said.
A century ago, much of the route followed wagon-wide logging roads. Today, those roads are forest again.
“It’s almost more wild and more difficult than it was 100 years ago,” Byer said.
Into the Wild
The trail is ideal for solitude seekers and gets about 1% of High Peaks traffic. Some sections pass through the most isolated parts of New York State—especially the West Canada Lake area.
“It’s a super remote, super wild area,”
DeSantis said.
DEC is rerouting road walks back into forest. A recent 16-mile project near Northville uses sustainable, purpose-built footpaths that highlight waterfalls, lakeshores, and other natural features.
Trail as a Classroom
For the past decade, Micoli has led a leadership program for women scientists at NYU on the NPT. The backcountry setting fosters teamwork, problem-solving, and confidence:
“You have to get along with people and productively resolve issues.”
Stewardship & What’s Next
The trail inspires care. Volunteers adopt sections, and groups like Lean2Rescue repair lean-tos with DEC and ADK. “We have a lot of plans for the future,” DeSantis said. “We’ll keep the trail open, usable, and keep improving it.”
Day Hikes & First Steps
Plan Your Adventure
Break the trail into segments that match your time and experience, or dip a toe with a scenic day hike near Northville.
Ready to Explore the NPT?
Questions about planning, segments, or guided options? See the resources above or call +1.518.725.7700.
Ready to Grow Your Business?
For more information, application guidelines, and to learn how the FCCRG can support your business journey, please contact us atv+1.518.725.7700.
All Rights Reserved. Website by