Long Lake via Northville-Placid Trail Head (Tarbell Road)
Spanning an impressive 135 miles from Northville to Lake Placid, the Northville-Placid Trail (NPT) is a true test of endurance for any hiker. The Schenectady Chapter of the Adirondack Mountain Club acknowledges those who complete this epic journey across the Adirondacks with a commemorative patch, available to both thru-hikers and section hikers since 1970. The Adirondack Mountain Club's Schenectady Chapter calls this trail "one of the most interesting and perhaps least known features of the Adirondack Mountains region."
The best part? The Tarbell Road trail head is just steps away from Loon’s Nest Cabin.
Development of the NPT began in 1922 by the newly formed Adirondack Mountain Club as its first major project. They completed the trail in 1924, and since then, it has undergone a few reroutes, and the NPT is now maintained by the Northville-Placid Chapter of the Adirondack Mountain Club and the NY State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC). It's primarily used for hiking, backpacking, snowshoeing, and cross-country skiing.
The NPT runs through some of the most remote areas of the Adirondack Park, making its way through forests and up hills, around rivers and ponds; a few sections will also bring you to road walks in Piseco, Wakely Dam, and Long Lake. The scenery changes constantly as you make your way along the NPT, and traversing this trail is a wonderful way to experience the beauty of nature and the Adirondacks.