You’ve dreamed about experiencing the childlike glee of jumping into a colorful pile of leaves. You’ve suppressed your sense of “trip envy” after seeing your friends post photos of themselves enjoying the brilliant scenery while sipping from a mug of homemade hot spiced cider. You’ve pictured yourself on a mountaintop surveying the land below as if the wondrous colors appeared just to welcome you to the northern wilderness. We can help you live this dream.

Our mountain adventure begins in the heart of “The Big Apple” (New York City) so it’s easy to combine with an urban adventure. We’ll pick you up in Manhattan and quickly transport you to a picturesque wilderness where you’ll enjoy the same views that inspired the artists of the Hudson School such as Thomas Cole, Edwin Church, and Albert Bierstadt.

This adventure is designed to maximize our chances of experiencing the colors of peak foliage so we’re heading up to the Adirondack Mountains near the border with Canada in case the colors arrive late this year. The Adirondack Mountain Park is a spectacular range that is bigger than Yosemite, Yellowstone, Glacier, and Joshua Tree National Parks put together. We’ll base ourselves in Lake Placid, home to both the 1932 and 1980 Winter Olympics, but we’re focused on exploring the mountains and lakes nearby. Of course that doesn’t mean we can’t be comfortable so you’ll be returning each night to the comfort of a resort hotel.

While in the “Dacks” we’ll hike to mountain views and paddle across lakes long used by the Mohawk and Oneida tribes. We’ll dine on local cuisine and night and roar down the bobsled track the next day. Heading South to catch the foliage in the Catskill Mountains, we’ll stop to experience a railbike adventure through the forest.

One of the highlights of our trip will be our stay at the legendary Mohonk Mountain House which has been run by the same family since it opened in 1869. Surrounded by 40,000 acres of pristine forest, Mohonk is the perfect base for us to explore the nearby Catskill and Shawangunk Mountains.

We’ll hike to the highest peak in the Catskills, up to where the view inspired naturalist John Burroughs to write, “The works of man dwindle, and the original features of the huge globe come out. Every single object or point is dwarfed; the valley of the Hudson is only a wrinkle in the earth's surface. You discover with a feeling of surprise that the great thing is the earth itself, which stretches away on every hand so far beyond your ken.”

While at Mohonk you’ll have time to hike, swim, paddle, go horseback riding, enjoy a carriage ride, or just sit back on the porch and enjoy the sunset over the mountains. We’re heading back down to New York City after our stay but we’ll make one last stop in the Hudson Valley to take in the beauty of Fall before our journey is complete.

CONTACT US TO SCHEDULE YOUR PRIVATE ADVENTURE

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Recommended Season: September - October
Difficulty level: MODERATE
Recommended Group Size: 4 - 12