Adirondack High Peaks Map + 3-Day MacIntyre Range Itinerary
Three of the 46ers in one weekend, from the Adirondack Loj.
3-day Adirondack High Peaks backpacking itinerary. 15-mile MacIntyre Range loop covering Wright Peak sunrise, Algonquin (NY's #2 at 5,114 ft), and optional Iroquois, three of the 46ers in one weekend from the Adirondack Loj.
“I’ve requested to book a Chain Lakes Loop guide on ExplorOFF, and it was the best idea ever! I highly recommend going with their guided option since you get a real human connection on the trail and don’t have to worry about a thing. Yulia was great to talk to!”
10 stops on a real mapEvery stop pinned in order→Every stop is a real pin, in order.
Wright, Algonquin & Iroquois · MacIntyre Range · New York
Every stop on this trip, in order, opens as one driving route in the Google Maps app. No copying addresses across one at a time.
5 of the stops on these 3 days.
Plan and book your 3 days in Adirondacks, one step at a time
How 3 days in Adirondacks split up
Hiking the Adirondack High Peaks is the classic New York alpine adventure, and this 3-day backpacking trip in the Adirondack High Peaks bases its logistics out of Lake Placid and the Adirondack Loj trailhead. This 15-mile MacIntyre Range loop lets you bag three of the famous 46ers, Wright, Algonquin, and Iroquois, while experiencing a stunning alpine sunrise.
Day 1: Hike to Base Camp
4 stops · Day one
Day 2: The Three-Peak Ridge Traverse
4 stops · Day two
Day 3: Return to Trailhead
2 stops · Day three
Hike to Base Camp
Depart the Adirondack Loj parking lot by mid-afternoon. Hike up to a designated wilderness site at the base of Wright Peak, pitch your tent, and pack your food securely into a required bear-resistant canister. Cook the first trail dinner and turn in early, the next morning starts before dawn.
Not the order you want? Drag a stop, or use the arrows beside it. Stops move between days too.
Drive from~9 mi to the Adirondack Loj · car required · DriveBase your logistics out of Lake Placid, host of the 1932 and 1980 Winter Olympics. The Adirondack Loj is 9 miles south on Adirondack Loj Road. Lake Placid is about 5 hours from New York City (I-87 north to Route 73) and 2.5 hours from Montreal. No public transportation reaches the trailhead, so a car is required.
- Adirondack Loj / Heart Lake trailhead
GPS 44.182891, -73.963788 · gateway to the High Peaks · ViewpointThe Adirondack Loj trailhead at Heart Lake is the gateway to Wright, Algonquin, Iroquois, Marcy, and many other High Peaks. Parking reservations are required May through October at $25 per day through the Adirondack Mountain Club (adk.org). Without a reservation, park at the free South Meadow lot (adds 1.5 miles each way) or arrive before 7 am on weekdays.
Hike in to base camp below Wright Peak~2.5 mi · designated wilderness site · HikeDepart the Adirondack Loj parking lot by mid-afternoon and hike up to a designated wilderness site at the base of Wright Peak. Pitch your tent and pack your food securely into a required bear-resistant canister. Cook the first trail dinner and turn in early, because the next morning starts before dawn.
Hudson River whitewater rafting · Aro AdventuresGuided trip · all gear included · activityWant to add water to your Adirondack weekend? Book a guided Hudson River whitewater rafting trip with Aro Adventures, with all gear included. It pairs well with the High Peaks if you have an extra day around your Lake Placid base.
The Three-Peak Ridge Traverse
Wake up for a 3:30 AM alpine start. Climb to the tundra zone of Wright Peak (4,580 ft) for sunrise, if the sky is clear, the dawn light over the open ridge is the trip's emotional peak. Traverse the open granite slabs to Algonquin Peak (5,114 ft), New York's second-highest mountain.
Not the order you want? Drag a stop, or use the arrows beside it. Stops move between days too.
- Wright Peak (4,580 ft) for sunrise
3:30 AM alpine start · open tundra · HikeWake up for a 3:30 AM alpine start and climb to the tundra zone of Wright Peak (4,580 ft) for sunrise. If the sky is clear, the dawn light over the open ridge is the trip's emotional peak. Stay strictly on solid rock above the treeline to protect the fragile alpine vegetation.
- Algonquin Peak (5,114 ft)
NY's #2 · 8.7 mi · 3,651 ft gain · Hard · HikeTraverse the open granite slabs to Algonquin Peak (5,114 ft), New York's second-highest mountain. The Algonquin Peak and Wright Peak via Algonquin Trail route is rated 4.7 from 3,154 reviews on AllTrails: 8.7 miles, 3,651 ft of gain, Hard, out and back. Doing the MacIntyre Range as a backpack instead of a day hike, with sunrise on Wright and no one else around, changes the experience completely.
Iroquois Peak (4,840 ft), optional spur0.7-mile out-and-back · HikeAdd the optional 0.7-mile out-and-back spur to Iroquois Peak (4,840 ft) before leaving the ridge. It is the third of the three 46ers on this loop and a short detour from the main traverse.
Famartin / CC BY-SA 4.0Camp near Marcy BrookDescend Avalanche Pass · ladders & scrambles · lodgeDescend steeply through the ladders and boulder scrambles of Avalanche Pass to camp near Marcy Brook for the second night. Keep your food in the bear canister and camp only at a designated wilderness site.
Return to Trailhead
Enjoy an easy, mostly downhill morning hike along forested trails and stream crossings back to Heart Lake. Plan to be back at the parking lot before noon, with time to head into Lake Placid for a celebratory lunch.
Not the order you want? Drag a stop, or use the arrows beside it. Stops move between days too.
- Hike out to Heart Lake
~3 mi · easy, mostly downhill · HikeEnjoy an easy, mostly downhill morning hike along forested trails and stream crossings back to Heart Lake. Plan to be back at the parking lot before noon, with time to head into Lake Placid for a celebratory lunch.
G. Edward Johnson / CC BY 4.0Celebrate & stay in Lake Placid1932 & 1980 Winter Olympics host town · lodgeHead into Lake Placid, host of the 1932 and 1980 Winter Olympics, for a celebratory lunch and a night in town. From here you can plan which of the remaining 46ers to bag next, such as Cascade Mountain via the free shuttle from the Cascade Welcome Center.
Book the 2 nights
Beds near the trailheads are the one thing on this trip that genuinely runs out. Everything else can be decided later.
Tell us your dates and we will do the calling. We check every booking site, put your points and card perks against the cash price, and email you this plan back with the best room we can find for each night. Nothing is charged and you decide at the end.
Request to bookWhat to pack for Adirondacks
Built from this route, not a generic list. Every line says why it is here.
On every day of this trip
On your feet
Because you are sleeping indoors
For the driving days
Specific to Adirondacks
Essential wilderness regulations & planning.
Protect the alpine tundra
Stay strictly on solid rock surfaces when hiking above the treeline to avoid destroying the fragile, slow-growing alpine vegetation. DEC summit stewards are on the alpine summits July through September to educate hikers and protect the vegetation.
Bear canister & camping rules
A bear canister is required for any overnight stay in the High Peaks Wilderness, and it is not optional. Camp only at designated wilderness sites: no camping within 150 ft of water, trails, or roads, and none above 3,500 ft except at designated sites.
Maximum 8 people per group
Group size in the High Peaks Wilderness Area is capped at 8 people. Plan your party accordingly before you head in.
Go July through September
Peak hiking runs July through September with long days and full trail access. Black flies are brutal in June, so bring head nets and strong repellent. Late September to early October brings peak fall foliage and the best weather of the year, with crowds thinning after Columbus Day weekend.
Trailhead parking reservations
Parking reservations are required May through October at the Adirondack Loj trailhead, $25 per day through the Adirondack Mountain Club (adk.org). Without a reservation, park at the free South Meadow lot (adds 1.5 miles each way) or arrive before 7 am on weekdays.
Getting there needs a car
Lake Placid is about 5 hours from New York City (I-87 north to Route 73) and 2.5 hours from Montreal. The Adirondack Loj is 9 miles south of Lake Placid on Adirondack Loj Road. No public transportation reaches the trailhead, so a car is required.
Everything you'll actually want to know.
Hiking in the Adirondacks high peaks: the questions people ask most.
No. No permits are required for day hiking or backpacking in the High Peaks Wilderness. However, a bear-resistant canister is required for any overnight stay, and parking reservations are required at the Adirondack Loj trailhead from May through October.
We'll find the cheapest way to do this trip.
Tell us your dates and we price the plan you just built: every booking site, the hotels direct, and your own points and card perks against the cash price. You get it back by email with a link for each night and what it saved you.
- It is free. The hotel pays us, not you. You pay their normal price.
- Nothing is charged and nothing is held. You decide at the end, or you walk away.
- Beds near trailheads are the part that runs out. Everything else can wait.
The figures below are estimates from local nightly rates, so you know the ballpark before you ask. The real number comes back once we have checked what is free.
- 2 nights, sites along the route
2 × $22$44
- 1 night, a room in Lake Placid before you start
from $113 a nightfrom $113
Yulia, ExplorOFF founder★★★★★5.0 from 20+ guided tripsGoogleAirbnbFrom$2,0702 people, 2 nights- Everything in Glamped, plus a local guide
- Airport pickup, every drive, all the gear
- Weather turns, they rewrite the day
Written and walked by Yulia Vasilyeva · Co-founder · Lead planner and guide
Three years leading guided hikes in the Pacific Northwest, rated 5.0 by 20+ verified guests, and she builds every custom itinerary herself. Based in Seattle.
Booking Adirondacks
Everything below is booked with the operators direct. We earn a commission on some of them, which is what keeps the itineraries free to read.
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What adventurers say about us.
All reviews are from verified guests. ★★★★★ 5.0 average from 20+ bookings.
"Felt like going out with a really knowledgeable friend who just happens to know everything about the area. No awkward tour-guide energy, just a magnificent day."
"Yulia is an incredible guide. She knew every trail, every viewpoint, and exactly how to pace the day for our group. The photos she took of us were stunning. 100% booking again."
"I was visiting Seattle solo and this was the best decision I made on the trip. Yulia picked me up, had snacks, and took us to a trail I never would have found on my own. Absolute must-do."
"We did this as a couple's trip and it was perfect. Yulia adapted everything to us, our pace, our interests, our photo obsession. The mountain views were unreal."
"Phenomenal experience. Yulia has deep local knowledge and a real passion for the outdoors. She went out of her way to show us the hidden gems tourists never see. Will remember this forever."
"I've done a few guided hikes and this was by far the best. Yulia is warm, funny, and genuinely expert. The trail she chose had the most insane wildflower bloom, we got so lucky."
Fees, reservation windows, shuttle dates and trail closures are planning estimates. Confirm hours, road status and any reservations with the land manager before you go.
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How it works
- An email the morning each window opens, never the day after.
- A 14-day heads-up so you can line up your group and dates.
- Win odds and a ranked backup plan for every trail you pick.
Didn't win? We keep watching. We check recreation.gov every day for The Enchantments, Half Dome and Angels Landing, and email you the moment a sold-out date frees up. Cancellations are the second chance most people never hear about.
“I’ve requested to book a Chain Lakes Loop guide on ExplorOFF, and it was the best idea ever! I highly recommend going with their guided option since you get a real human connection on the trail and don’t have to worry about a thing. Yulia was great to talk to!”