The Raquette Falls Trail is one of the most popular Adirondack backcountry ski routes in winter, and a wonderful hiking route along the river in summer.
How to get there
Follow Route 3 toward Tupper Lake. Continue to Coreys Road on the left. Follow Coreys Road for 2.6 miles to the trailhead parking lot on the right.
By the numbers
- Distance: 8.5 miles, round trip
- Elevation gain: about 50 feet, minimal
Hiking
Raquette Falls is much more popular as a ski trail, but it does see some use in the non-snow months. From the trailhead, you will enter the woods on a wide trail that continues all the way through to the DEC outpost. The trail winds over undulating hills, offering scenic views of the Raquette River. There are a couple of short, steep descents that bring you back down to the river’s edge just shy of the DEC outpost.
At the DEC outpost, there are three trails. The right leads down to the canoe launch and is part of the Canoe Carry and the Northern Forest Canoe Trail. The left leads to Dawson Pond, where the trail is very hard to find.
Straight leads to the falls, which are about 0.25 miles away. Start on a forest road and then take a right onto a narrow foot trail.
Hikers can continue past the Lower Falls on a trail with rough, at times steep, terrain along the Raquette River to the junction with the canoe carry trail. Adding this hiking loop would require about 2.5 more miles of hiking. The total round-trip distance would be just over 11 miles.
PLEASE NOTE: The narrow foot trail can be a bit slippery with odd footing and steep drops to the river, so take your time and be careful, especially with young children.
Cross-country skiing and snowshoeing
This trail is not groomed, but a lovely backcountry outing.
Camping
There are several lean-to locations along the Raquette River that can be accessed from the trail for camping.
Birding
This river and forest trail is home to many arboreal birds, including many warbler species. The old woods road ends at a grassy clearing near the rapids and the final cascade.
