The State Wants to Limit Who Can Hike the High Peaks. The Public Is Not Convinced.
A $600,000 DEC report recommends daily visitor limits at four of the most popular High Peaks trailheads. More than 85 people showed up to a public meeting. Most were against it. The comment period closes June 1.
The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation released a 121-page report in April recommending daily visitor limits at four of the most popular High Peaks trailheads — and the public reaction has been sharp.
The report, produced by Oregon-based consulting firm Otak Inc. under a contract awarded in 2023, recommends restricting access at the Adirondack Loj and South Meadows trailheads on Adirondack Loj Road, the Garden trailhead in Keene Valley, and the Cascade Mountain trailhead on Route 73. It stops short of calling for a mandatory permit system at all times but says one “may be necessary” if other methods fail to keep visitor numbers below recommended thresholds.
The DEC is treating 2026 as a planning and public outreach year, with visitor limits potentially taking effect in 2027. Public comments are being accepted at forestpreserve@dec.ny.gov through June 1.
What the Report Says
Current levels of visitor use on weekend days and holidays during the summer season create parking, traffic circulation, crowding, and public safety issues, according to the report. It proposes measuring crowding by tracking the number of people on summit areas, how frequently hikers encounter each other on trails, and vehicle traffic at key parking locations. The full 121-page report is available at dec.ny.gov.
What the Public Said
More than 85 people attended a virtual public meeting in late April. Most speakers opposed any limits. The central complaint: the $600,000 study measured how crowded hikers felt rather than any actual environmental damage to the trails or wilderness areas.
“New York state ran an effective ad campaign using my tax dollars,” said one speaker. “Then they use my tax dollars to study the problem that the ad campaign created, and now you want to restrict my access to my land.”
The Adirondack Mountain Club called the report an important first step. Most other speakers were less enthusiastic.
What It Means for the Tri-Lakes
The High Peaks are the economic engine of the Lake Placid and Keene Valley corridor. A permit system would reshape how visitors plan trips to the region — and could affect local businesses, guides, and outfitters who depend on spontaneous summer traffic.
It would also mark a significant shift for the High Peaks Wilderness, which has never required permits for hikers on public land. The Adirondack Mountain Reserve, a private 7,000-acre property, has required parking reservations since 2021 — but that is private land with a conservation easement, not the public Forest Preserve.
The comment period closes June 1. Submit comments to forestpreserve@dec.ny.gov. The full report is available at dec.ny.gov.