Avalanche Lake is located in the middle of the High Peaks Wilderness. The lake is a popular hiking destination because of the dramatic rock faces that descend off the shoulders of Mount Colden and Algonquin Peak directly into the lake. The trail along the lake’s eastern shore makes for a fun, and exciting hike as numerous ladders lead hikers up and over large boulders and rock faces. At one point, the trail follows planks bolted to a vertical rock face called “Hitch-Up Matildas.”
Avalanche Lake is a popular hiking destination, though be prepared to spend an entire day getting there and back.
The trail from the north, which starts at the Adirondack Loj, is the most direct route to the lake. The trail is 5.2 miles one-way and ascends 2,535 feet.
For strong hikers looking for more adventure, the lake can be visited along a loop that includes Algonquin Peak.
Before heading out for a hike to Avalanche Lake, make sure you buy a map & guidebook for the area. In addition, you can call the Adirondack Mountain Club’s High Peaks Information Center to check current trail conditions.
A great deal of protection is afforded to the lake because of its location in the middle of a state-protected Wilderness area and its extremely remote location. If you are hiking or camping in the area, you can help protect Avalanche Lake by disposing of poop and other human waste properly and avoiding bathing in the lake with soaps or washing dishes in the lake.
Avalanche Lake was one of many lakes in The Adirondack Park that were impacted by acid rain. As a result, the lake was completely devoid of fish, though recently, brook trout were observed in Lake Colden just downstream of Avalanche Lake. Since the passage of the 1990 Clean Air Act amendments, acid rain has been reduced in the region, and many lakes are showing signs of recovery.
William Redfield named the lake in 1833 after it was discovered by a surveying party led by Judge John Richards and Major Reuben Sanford. Major landslides, perhaps referred to or thought to be avalanches, occurred on the side of Mount Colden in 1869, 1942, and 2011. The 1942 slide raised the lake level by 10 feet (3m).
Land cover in the Avalanche Lake watershed. Map created with Model My Watershed.
Open Water
0.02mi²
Perennial Ice/Snow
0.00mi²
Developed, Open Space
0.00mi²
Developed, Low
0.00mi²
Developed, Medium
0.00mi²
Developed, High
0.00mi²
Barren Land
Deciduous Forest
0.00mi²
Evergreen Forest
0.21mi²
Mixed Forest
0.05mi²
Shrub/Scrub
0.01mi²
Grassland/Herbaceous
0.16mi²
Pasture/Hay
0.00mi²
Cultivated Crops
0.00mi²
Woody Wetlands
0.00mi²
Emergent Wetlands
0.00mi²
3.79%
0.00%
0.00%
0.00%
0.00%
0.00%
0.47%
40.32%
9.71%
1.80%
30.14%
0.00%
0.00%
0.67%
0.00%
Stream network and watershed slope in the Avalanche Lake watershed. Red areas indicate locations with steep slopes. Map created with Model My Watershed.
1st Order Streams
1.05mi
Length in agricultural areas
0.00mi
Length in non-agricultural areas
1.05mi
Total stream length
1.05mi
15.30%
Hydrologic soil groups in the Avalanche Lake watershed. Map created with Model My Watershed.
A – High Infiltration
0.01mi²
A/D – High/Very Slow Infiltration
0.00mi²
B – Moderate Infiltration
0.03mi²
B/D – Medium/Very Slow Infiltration
0.00mi²
C – Slow Infiltration
0.29mi²
C/D – Medium/Very Slow Infiltration
0.00mi²
D – Very Slow Infiltration
0.20mi²
1.40%
0.00%
5.19%
0.00%
55.49%
0.00%
37.92%
Water Quality Data & Lake Management
Physical Properties
This status does not necessarily represent the current status of HABs in the lake. It indicates whether HABs have ever been reported in the lake.
0.38mi² A great deal of protection is afforded to the lake because of its location in the middle of a state-protected Wilderness area and its
Harmful algal blooms, commonly referred to as HABs, occur due to the rapid growth of specific species of algae. HABs are most often the results
Invasive species are non-native organisms that outcompete native species when introduced to a new environment. They can be animals, plants, or disease-causing organisms. These species
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