Lake Placid is a large lake located in Lake Placid, NY. The lake is known for its exceptional water quality, majestic views, and rich history. The lake is surrounded by the McKenzie Range to the west and Whiteface Mountain to the north. To the south are the Adirondack High Peaks which are visible from much of the lake.
Most of the lake is situated in the Town of North Elba, while Echo Bay lies in the Town of St. Armand. Visitors to the Village of Lake Placid often confuse Mirror Lake with Lake Placid. Mirror Lake is a small lake directly adjacent to Lake Placid that is visible from the downtown area of the village. Lake Placid is located just to the north and isn’t readily visible from the major roads and highways that pass through the area.
Lake Placid is a popular destination and attraction in the Adirondack region. If you are looking to boat on the lake itself, a state boat launch is located at the southeast end of the lake. Just down the road, there is a smaller launch into Paradox Bay which is more suitable for canoes and kayaks. Lake Placid is large and can be challenging for small craft such as canoes and kayaks. Here are a few other things to do while visiting Lake Placid:
Hike to the outlet of Lake Placid along the Penninsula Trails. There is excellent swimming in this area as well.
Take a boat tour of Lake Placid and learn about the area’s rich history.
If you are looking for a longer hike, you might want to venture to Whiteface Landing at the north end of the lake; adventurous people may continue to the summit of Whiteface Mountain.
Lake Placid is oligotrophic, meaning it has low levels of nutrients and algal growth. This makes Lake Placid an exceptional lake for swimming and other forms of recreation. It is important that everyone enjoying the lake takes steps to help protect it. This means disposing of waste properly, limiting the use of fertilizers, and maintaining septic systems. The lake has had harmful algal blooms (HABs) reported in the past, which can pose a threat to both humans and wildlife. Efforts to reduce nutrients from entering the lake can help keep Lake Placid healthy and avoid the recurrence of HABs. The large amount of public land surrounding Lake Placid and within its watershed serve as a natural buffer or defense for the lake, a major reason why it has such excellent water quality.
The lake also has aquatic invasive species present, which can impact the recreational use of the lake, alter fish populations, and reduce biodiversity. Variable-leaf milfoil is found in Paradox Bay. Boaters launching, retrieving, or passing through this area should be sure they follow the Clean, Drain, Dry principles to prevent new introductions of invasive species and prevent the spread of milfoil to neighboring lakes.
Lake Placid is often confused with the lake in the Lake Placid film, which is actually a fictional lake based in Maine. Don’t worry you won’t find giant alligators in Lake Placid. Some people believe the lake is haunted by Mabel Smith Douglass. She disappeared on September 21, 1933, while rowing the lake. Divers found her body 30 years later off of Pulpit Rock along the east shore of the lake. A book, A Lady In The Lake, was later written about the incident. The Village of Lake Placid was home to the 1982 and 1980 winter Olympic games. Though the lake itself has no connection to the Olympics many people enjoy visiting the venues when in the area. Lake Placid is one of the largest headwater lakes found in the Lake Champlain Basin. The lake flows into the Chubb River and then to the West Branch Ausable River before entering the Ausable River which flows into Lake Champlain.
Land cover in the Lake Placid watershed. Map created with Model My Watershed.
Stream network and watershed slope in the Lake Placid watershed. Red areas indicate locations with steep slopes. Map created with Model My Watershed.
Hydrologic soil groups in the Lake Placid watershed. Map created with Model My Watershed.
Lake Protection Groups
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.
Lake Placid is oligotrophic, meaning it has low levels of nutrients and algal growth. This makes Lake Placid an exceptional lake for swimming and other
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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