9 Overlooked Towns In The Adirondack Mountains Worth Visiting

The Adirondack Mountains remain one of the most sought-after vacation destinations in New York, attracting not only travelers from across the state but also from neighboring Vermont and the Canadian provinces of Quebec and Ontario. Most itineraries circle the same landmarks, but beyond the well-known lakes and trails, a cluster of small towns quietly offers a different kind of Adirondack experience. Places like Tupper Lake, Inlet, Speculator, and Old Forge don't position themselves as destinations first; they operate around working waterfronts, ski hills with short lift lines, and main streets that function all year long, even when a quirky festival is being thrown. They're places people pass through on the way somewhere else, which is exactly why staying in them changes how the Adirondacks actually feel.

Long Lake

Long Lake stays under the radar mainly because it lacks the headline-grabbing scale of Lake George, even though it occupies a central position inside Adirondack Park and runs the full 14 miles from end to end. Summer and early fall show why it deserves more attention, when the calendar fills with water-based events like the Long Boat Regatta and the 90-Miler, both tied to the Adirondack guideboat tradition and the Northern Forest Canoe Trail.

June brings the Adirondack Boreal Birding Festival, a major annual highlight, but the town itself is worth visiting all year round. The Adirondack Hotel, situated across from Long Lake Town Beach since the 1850s and rebuilt in 1900, serves as a social hub, offering a restaurant, bar, and expansive porches that overlook the water. Beyond the shoreline, Buttermilk Falls follows the Raquette River at the south end of town with picnic tables nearby, and trails like Buck Mountain and Owls Head lead to historic fire towers that give you a better look at this beautiful spot.

Chestertown

Chestertown forms a tight Adirondack hamlet inside the Town of Chester, wedged between Lake George and North Creek, which explains why so many cars pass straight through. The built-up area surrounds Friends Lake and the northern edge of Loon Lake, offering numerous outdoor adventures. While the former lake remains private, tied to shoreline lodging, the latter offers beach access off Route 9, along with boat rentals through the Loon Lake Marina.

The Chester Challenge links a set of nearby hikes into a shared, ongoing project, rather than a one-day accomplishment, with routes that climb Kipp Mountain and Stewart Mountain directly from the area. These trails are steep in places but compact, designed with elevation gain and turnaround points in mind. Just beyond the hamlet, Wakonda Family Campground spans more than 80 acres, featuring cabins, campsites, and internal roads that function like a seasonal neighborhood rather than a quick overnight stop.

Schroon Lake

The Lodge at Schroon Lake is situated on 36 acres on the west shore of the town's namesake lake, offering a full-scale resort with 116 accommodations, including hotel rooms, cabins, chalets, and glamping sites. It also offers boat rentals, access to a private beach, and sports courts. This alone should be reason enough to visit this underrated town in the Adirondacks. Schroon Lake forms along the north shore of the lake, with Paradox Lake functioning as a second, nearby body of water connected to the same local network of access points.

This dual-lake setup is uncommon in Adirondack towns of this scale. Main Street runs a short walk from the water and the public beach. The Strand Theatre is also nearby and remains a central venue for film screenings and live events, as it has since its construction in the 1920s. While there isn't as large a variety of restaurants as in more popular Adirondack towns like Lake Placid, Schroon Lake is home to highly rated spots like Pitkin's and 9 Mile Coffee.

Elizabethtown

19th-century Greek Revival buildings line Court Street and the surrounding blocks in Elizabethtown. The town runs along the Boquet River, which cuts past its eastern edge and turns into a social space in warm months, with locals floating short sections, fishing its cold water, or walking the riverbank paths that stay close to town rather than disappearing into the backcountry.

On the uphill side, the Blueberry Hill Trail System forms a web of more than 30 interconnected trails managed by the town, complete with a warming hut and lean-to that sees steady use from hikers, mountain bikers, and winter snowshoers. It doesn't have the big attractions as some other Adirondack towns, but there's more than enough variety for all sorts of travelers. This includes Cobble Hill Golf Course, the Adirondack History Museum, and a weekly farmer's market during the growing season.

Old Forge

Old Forge is small compared to resort towns like Saranac Lake, but it is a fully stocked year-round playground located in the southwestern Adirondacks. McCauley Mountain Ski Center may not be as famous as other New York State ski destinations. Still, it dominates winter activity here with 21 trails, catering to beginners and experienced skiers alike.

In warmer months, the lift offers elevated views of the surrounding peaks. The Enchanted Forest Water Safari turns summer into nonstop motion with over 50 family-friendly attractions, including waterslides, pools, bumper cars, and a Ferris wheel. Old Forge Lake and the Fulton Chain of Lakes offer fishing, boating, and swimming, with Rivett's Marine providing rentals and services for those eager to get out onto the water.

Inlet

Fourth Lake pulls Inlet into view before the town itself does, spreading wide along the eastern end of the Fulton Chain while Route 28 slips straight through the middle of it. The reason Inlet gets overlooked is simple: it doesn't market itself as a base camp or launchpad to the Adirondacks, despite its incredible water access and trail systems. Arrowhead Park is one of the better places here to enjoy the beach, launch kayaks, or hang out by the shorelines on warm afternoons.

Rocky Mountain rises directly from the roadside and delivers a short, established hike that finishes above the Fulton Chain. The Town of Inlet system, which connects to the Town of Webb system, is one of the better places for snowmobiling in the area. While it requires a permit, you can wind through forests, go around lakes, and climb along snowy mountain paths. Inlet's commercial core is relatively small but active, with The Screamen Eagle/Matt's Draft House, Line Coffee House, and Mary's White Pine Bakery servicing the many cottages and rentals that surround the main strip and the lake itself.

Tupper Lake

Tupper Lake is situated in Franklin County and is named after the expansive lake that shaped its early logging economy. For decades, it was known more as a working community than a destination like Lake Placid, which is precisely why it remains overlooked. Dark skies set the tone in Tupper Lake. Night programs at the Adirondack Sky Center & Observatory draw people north after sunset for public stargazing, telescope sessions, and astronomy talks that take advantage of the region's reliably clear conditions.

Daytime brings a different kind of immersion. The Wild Center operates on a 31-acre campus inside town limits, built around hands-on interaction. Their signature Wild Walk rises into the treetops on a network of bridges and platforms, keeping visitors moving through the forest canopy. For something a little more challenging, the Tupper Lake Triad is a set of three short mountain hikes that feature steep elevation gains. When you're done, you can head back to town for dinner at Amado or Little Italy.

Speculator

Speculator hugs the shores of Lake Pleasant in the southern Adirondacks, a tiny village of fewer than 500 residents that manages to offer a surprising variety of attractions. Oak Mountain Ski Center is the town's winter anchor, with 22 trails, a quad chairlift, and miles of snowshoeing terrain that welcome families and beginner skiers as much as seasoned riders. Moffit Beach State Campground is located next to Sacandaga Lake, offering forested campsites, picnic areas, and flat trails.

Speculator is threaded with a small-town flavor, as seen in Logan's Bar and Grill and Lemon Tree Brewing. There's no doubt that this is one of the Adirondacks' smaller villages, and therefore, it is easy to miss on the way to more popular locations, such as Lake George. However, the variety of outdoor attractions really makes it worthwhile, including trails like Kunjamuk Cave and the Perkins Clearing Conservation Easement, which thread through forests and rock formations.

Warrensburg

Due to the popularity of nearby Lake George, Warrensburg rarely makes the headlines in Adirondack travel guides. Yet, it offers a surprisingly dense mix of outdoor adventure, local flavor, and historic character. Hickory Ski Center offers a quietly nostalgic winter experience with 19 trails spanning 1,200 vertical feet, vintage lifts, and uncrowded slopes ideal for families or skiers seeking a relaxed day on the snow.

Hackensack Mountain features three intersecting trails that climb 1,357 feet above town, offering opportunities for hiking, cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, and even mountain biking. Its quarried stone was used to shape much of the Victorian-era architecture that lines Main Street. Yearly events also make Warrensburg a must for anyone traveling to the region. This includes the World's Largest Garage Sale in October, a bargain hunter's paradise, which hosts hundreds of vendors.

What connects these New York State towns isn't nostalgia or novelty; it's scale and intention. Schroon Lake, Elizabethtown, Tupper Lake, and similar areas are places where outdoor access intersects with daily life, where events occur because locals attend, and where infrastructure reflects actual use rather than tourism trends. For travelers who already know the Adirondacks, these towns offer a clearer sense of how the region operates outside of peak weekends, brochure photos, and seasonal hype.