Outdoor winter activities around Lake George turn snowy mountains, frozen lakes, and quiet forest trails into a winter playground. Visitors can hit the slopes, head out with a guide, or see the Adirondacks from above.
Popular ways to spend a winter day outside include:
- Skiing, snowboarding, and snow tubing
- Guided winter hikes and snowshoe trips
- Ice fishing and small game hunting
- Winter tours of gorges and caves
- Scenic flights over snow-covered peaks
Skiing and Snow Tubing
Downhill skiing anchors many winter trips to the region. Gore Mountain in North Creek offers big-mountain terrain with a 2,537-foot vertical drop, while smaller community hills and free local tubing spots make for an easy afternoon closer to the lake.
See more options for skiing and snow tubing near Lake George.
Guided Winter Hikes and Backcountry Trips
A guide takes the guesswork out of winter conditions, gear, and route choice.
Hike with Jackson is led by Lake George native Jackson Donnelly, an Adirondack 46er and certified Wilderness First Responder. Trips include:
- Short hikes of 1 to 1.5 hours
- Half-day hikes
- Easy full-day hikes
- Custom hikes to specific mountains or High Peaks, based on conditions
Traction spikes are available to rent, and the service can connect hikers with local outfitters for snowshoes or cross-country skis.
Based in Olmstedville, Adirondack Mountain and Stream Guide Service leads four-season trips across the Adirondack Park. Winter outings include snowshoeing, cross-country skiing, and winter hiking, along with small game hunting and guided ice fishing trips.
Snowshoe Trails and Winter Tours
Some of the region's natural attractions stay open in winter, with a very different look under snow.
In Pottersville, Natural Stone Bridge and Caves Park opens more than 14 miles of snowshoe trails past its stone bridge arch, glacial boulders, and waterfalls.
Farther north, Ausable Chasm offers winter tours of the gorge it calls the Grand Canyon of the Adirondacks, with smaller crowds than summer.
Find more snowshoeing trails near Lake George for self-guided outings.
Scenic Winter Flights
Snow-covered peaks and a frozen lake make for a striking view from the air.
From Floyd Bennett Memorial Airport in Queensbury, Leaf Air LLC offers private scenic flights year-round, with routes that can include Lake George, the High Peaks, and Lake Champlain.
East of the lake in Fort Ann, North Country Heli-Flight runs helicopter tours from about 20 minutes to two hours. Its helicopter has cabin heat and a bubble window at every seat.
Snowmobiling and More Winter Adventures
Snowmobilers can explore the region's winter trails, while horse-drawn sleigh rides, ice skating, and winter festivals add even more ways to get outside.
-article.png)
