Adirondack Scenic Railroad — Attraction in Town of Harrietstown

This is a review for The Rail Explorers bike rides, who share the tracks with the Adirondack Scenic Railroad. Both are two of the most popular attractions in the Adirondacks. The Rail Explorers bike rides is run by an Australian couple Mary-Joy Lu, and her husband, Alex Catchpoole.

The ride on specially built rail cycles (made in Korea) runs on of part of the 119 miles of state-owned rail tracks between the town of Remsen and the village of Lake Placid. The rail bike ride -- running since the summer of 2015 -- has been widely successful with up to six outings a day over the summer, many sold out. For that reason book your trip in advance (online or the phone). We took a ride early last fall, (2016) on the early side of the leaves turning, but with enough color to let you know it ain’t summer. After meeting at Saranac Lake's historic rail station, our group headed off via bus to a clearing in Clear Lake, where our bright red bikes were waiting. (There are two seat and four seat versions. Each comes with a brake and each rider is required to wear a seat belt).

After a thorough safety briefing, we were off. The ride, mainly downhill, is pure joy. Zipping by pristine lakes, and flashes of fall foliage, you can hit speeds of around 20 miles per hour. There are guides stationed along the route, where the tracks go over roads. After setting off, and getting a feel for the bikes, your guides spread each bike out, so there is no one directly in front or behind you. This gives you the feeling you are one your own, with this part of the Adirondacks all to yourselves. The ride is for everyone – from little kids to grandparents! There’s minimal pedaling to do, and your fellow riders share it. The ride, a little over seven miles, takes about an hour. The group after us took the trip in reverse. As of this writing, there was a court battle set to determine if NY State would allow Rail Explorers to continue to use the tracks, which have been target to be ripped out to make way for a mixed use trail, a plan put in place by Department of Environmental Conservation and Department of...

This old railroad station no longer receives trains. Instead, it is a main trailhead and parking lot for the Adirondack Rail Trail, which will eventually run from Lake Placid in east, through Saranac Lake and out west to Tupper Lake. The tracks and ties are now gone, and the upgraded trail is open for hikers, bikers, skiiers and snowmobiles (but not other motor vehicles). New York State has done a nice job fixing this trail and adding signage and gates. The road crossings in Saranac Lake can be perilous. The old station itself was closed when I visited in in winter. Train buffs can still ride the rails seasonally between Thendara, near Old Forge, and a...

This is THE reason we come to Saranac Lake and Lake Placid. Family friendly. Great staff and just the right length of a trip with the kids. I hope that the group that runs it wins their court case against the state and is able to save the railroad line. Without the ADK Scenic RR, Saranac Lake and Lake Placid just become overpriced...