Adirondack Snowshoe Fest
After hosting the 2017 World Snowshoe Championships, Saranac Lake took on the joy of this international experience to host a new snowshoe weekend called Adirondack Snowshoe Fest. This family-friendly weekend is fun for all ages and abilities!
On-site registration, or visit Dewey Mountain for more information.
Saranac Lake: We call it home, you'll call it unforgettable
Snowshoeing at Dewey Mountain Recreation Center and the Paul Smith’s College VIC offers two different, uniquely Adirondack experiences.
Dewey’s trails twist and turn up the gentle slopes of the mountain, which is a short drive from downtown, while the base lodge provides a cozy meeting space for toe warming and friend making. The VIC is an Adirondack sampler — you’ll pass through every ecosystem in our forests except high alpine tundra as you explore the extensive trail network. The wide, well-marked paths skirt ponds, dip through open forest, and cross wetlands on boardwalks. You’ll love the scenery as much as the adventure!
Schedule of Events — February 17 - 19, 2023
Friday, Feb. 17 at Dewey Mountain Recreation Center:
6:00 p.m. - 8:00p.m. Campfire snowshoe shuffle. Travel the lit trails of Dewey from campfire to campfire and recharge with toasted marshmallows and hot chocolate along the way! $10 per person
Saturday, Feb. 18 at Dewey Mountain Recreation Center:
9:00 a.m. Race registration opens.
10:00 a.m. 5K and 10K races start. (Registration is $10 on the morning of the event)
11:30 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. Children's Snowshoe Scavenger Hunt & Icicle Obstacle Course. ($5 day pass fee)
1:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m. Snowshoe Orienteering Challenge. Test your navigation and map reading skills with one of our 2 orienteering courses. ($5 day pass fee)
1:30 p.m. - 2:45 p.m. Guided Sensory Snowshoeing.
A relaxing and playful guided snowshoe walk on gentle terrain, with a focus on using all of your senses to explore nature around you. Snowshoes included. Guided by Adirondack Riverwalking.
$10 per adult, $5 per child (6 years and up)
1:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. Campfire and Marshmallows.
Sunday, Feb. 19 at Paul Smith's College VIC:
9:00 a.m. Race registration opens.
10:30 a.m. 5K and 15K races start (Registration is $10 on the morning of the event)
9:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m. Join Paul Smith's College student and exceptional birder, Nicholas Main during Snowshoe Fest for an easy introduction to birding from the VIC Great Room (9:00 a.m. - 9:30 p.m.) followed by a snowshoe on the trails in search of the Canada Jay and other species (9:45 a.m. - 11 a.m.). Program is free but trail pass and snowshoes required. 9 a.m. -11 a.m. Call ahead for more information.
2:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. David Wells will be playing in the Great Room during Snowshoe Fest.
Registration will be on-site the day of the event
Snowshoe race details
5 km Snowshoe Race
Racers will start and finish at the VIC, racing clockwise around the Heron Marsh. The course passes through gorgeous stands of hard and softwood forests, across a bog, and over a waterfall! [10 year age groups]
10 km and 15 km Snowshoe Race
The 10 km and 15 km courses follow the 5km course route for the first lap and go the distance for our endurance racers. These courses manage some serious hill climbs and pass by some beautiful winter vistas. [10 year age groups]