Whiteface Veteran’s Memorial Highway

No need to hike – this 5-mile-long road goes nearly to the top of the fifth-highest peak in New York State

Don’t want to be a Forty-Sixer (somebody who climbs each of the 46 4,000-foot peaks in the Adirondacks)? That doesn’t mean you can’t check out the view from up high. This paved road winds from the valley in Wilmington below to nearly the summit of 4,867-foot-tall Whiteface, the fifth-tallest mountain in New York State. Of all the High Peaks, the top of Whiteface is the only one accessible by road. And the view is spectacular: you’ll see Lake Placid and the tallest peaks in the Adirondacks before you, and clear into Vermont.

At a glance
  • Expect delays in summer 2014; New York State is embarking on a multi-million dollar reconstruction project of the road, which opened in 1936 after seven years of construction.
  • A castle made of native stone, restaurant and gift shop are at the summit; an elevator, set inside a shaft carved out of the mountain, completes the journey to the top.
  • The highway toll is included as part of the Olympic Sites Passport, which provides admission to several area attractions.