13 Things to Do in Lake Placid in the Winter

Zoom Down the Lake Placid Toboggan Chute

You will love this classic winter fun activity. Lake Placid's 30-foot wooden trestle toboggan chute sends you zooming out across frozen Mirror Lake on an old-school toboggan. The Toboggan Chute typically opens up for the winter season sometime around the first weekend of February. Depending on weather conditions, toboggans can travel more than 1,000 feet once they reach the frozen lake surface. You and up to three other people are welcome to ride an unlimited number of rides per session; tickets are $15 per adult and $10 per student. Be sure to bring cash.

Bobsled on the Olympic Track

Feel what it's like to ride a bobsled (with a professional driver and brakeman) as it thunders up to 50 miles per hour down an actual Olympic track. Located at Mt. Van Hoevenberg, the bobsledding track is over a half-mile long and is one of the only places in the world where you can try out the sport. It's open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday through Sunday, and you must be at least 9 years old and 52 inches tall to ride. Tickets are $125 a person, although a discount is available with the Olympic Sites Passport.

Go Dog Sledding

A winter dog sled ride around frozen Mirror Lake is a memorable and exhilarating experience. Thunder Mountain Dog Sled Tours and its team of Alaskan Huskies offer rides on a first-come, first-served basis Friday through Monday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; tickets cost $20 a person for a five-minute ride.

Also open on a first-come, first-served basis is Mike Arnold Dog Sled Rides, open Thursdays through Sundays. You can find it right in front of Golden Arrow Lakeside Resort; call 518-323-7622 to learn more. No matter which operator you go with, no need to worry about the ice—the drivers test it for safety before offering rides.

Go Ice Skating

At the Olympic Center, you can go ice skating during public sessions at one of two indoor rinks or the famous outdoor oval where Eric Heiden raced to win five gold medals in 1980. Tickets start at $10 a person; rentals are available on-site for an additional $10.

Skating on Mirror Lake is also an option. Each winter, a 2-mile track around the lake's entire perimeter is plowed, and you can access it for free every day of the week.

Ski Whiteface Mountain

With the highest vertical drop in the Northeast, Whiteface is one of New York's top ski resorts. Located among the High Peaks of the Adirondack Mountains, Whiteface was the site of all alpine skiing events in the 1980 Winter Olympics, and to this day operates as a U.S. Olympic Training Site. Ski and snowboard lessons and rentals are available for both adults and kids. Snag a season pass if you're a frequent skier, or buy a lift ticket for day trips and short getaways (one- to five-day tickets are available). Be sure to purchase your tickets well in advance, as walk-up tickets do sell out and are also not offered during the holidays.

Try Skeleton Sledding

Do you love an adrenaline rush? At the Lake Placid Olympic Sports Complex, you can try the sport of skeleton and rocket 30 miles per hour, head first, down an icy chute. Believe it or not, you need no prior experience to do this. An actual USA Skeleton Team coach/trainer will be present to help you get situated at the start and to offer a few tips for the ride. It costs $75 per ride, and you must be at least 48 inches tall and 13 years old to slide (teens under 18 must be accompanied by an adult).

Be A Biathlete

A combination of cross-country skiing and rifle shooting, the biathlon is yet another sport you can try out at the Lake Placid Olympic Sports Complex. The Discover Biathlon package includes a one-day trail pass and rental equipment, an hour-long ski lesson, professional instruction at the rifle range, and a video intro to this demanding sport. Tickets cost $65; the package is only available to those 13 and up.

Admire Wintry Scenes from the Cloudsplitter Gondola at Whiteface

Whether or not you ski, it's worth taking the scenic gondola ride from the base at Whiteface Mountain to the summit of Little Whiteface, where you'll be treated to far-reaching views across the snow-frosted Adirondacks. A lodge and an observation deck await up top, where you'll enjoy breathtaking views of Lake Placid, Lake Champlain, and the Adirondack Mountains. To ride, it costs $19-$25 (it's free for kids 6 and under). Rides are not available during certain holiday periods; before you go, check the website for the most up-to-date information on weather conditions.

Crunch Along on Snowshoes

Snowshoeing is a blood-pumping activity the whole family can enjoy. If you can walk, you can snowshoe! At the Olympic Sports Complex, you can rent snowshoes and explore 34 miles (50 kilometers) of trails around Mt. Van Hoevenberg, including three devoted solely to snowshoers. If this is your first time, consider booking a guided snowshoe tour, which comes with a trail pass, rental pair, water, and a snack. Tours run from two to four hours and cost $55 a person.

Enjoy Cross-Country Skiing

The Olympic Sports Complex also offers 34 miles (55 kilometers) of groomed trails for cross-country skiing, with the likes of Olympic gold medalist Bill Demong cutting his teeth here. It costs $32 per adult day pass, with daily rentals on offer for $25. Private and group lessons are also available. Trails are open every day from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the winter months.

Tour the Olympic Jumping Complex

If you've ever wondered what it feels like to look down the ramp of an Olympic ski jump, you can take the glass-enclosed elevator to the observation deck of Lake Placid's HS-128 meter jump. At the top, you can enter the ski jumpers' preparation room and take in a panoramic view of the Adirondack High Peaks. Open daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., it costs $20 per adult ticket; discounts may apply.

To experience the wonder of flying from the top of the ski jump tower yourself, hop on the four-person zipline (adjacent to the 100-meter ski jump), which will have you soaring up to 30 miles per hour.

Visit the Olympic Center

Located right on Lake Placid's Main Street, the Olympic Center was the site of some of the most memorable moments of the 1980 Winter Olympics, including the "Miracle on Ice" hockey game and Eric Heiden's five gold medal wins. You can participate in a guided tour of the complex. After your visit, hit up the Olympic Center Store, where you will find USA Hockey jerseys and other winter sports clothing like jackets and hats.

Appreciate Great Moments at the Lake Placid Olympic Museum

Located right on Main Street in Lake Placid at the Olympic Center, the Lake Placid Olympic Museum highlights the rich history of the 1932 and 1980 Winter Games.

Editor's note: The museum is currently undergoing renovation and is expected to be completed in late 2022; for now, you can check out the museum's virtual exhibits online, which cover everything from Olympic fashion to the visual design of the 1980 games.