EPIC EV ROAD TRIPS
The Adirondacks
EV Road Trip: The Adirondack Region
The Adirondack Mountains mountains in Northeastern New York approximately 160 miles (260 km) wide and covering about 5,000 square miles (13,000 km2). The region contains more than 100 peaks, including Mount Marcy, which is the highest point in New York at 5,344 feet (1,629 m). The Adirondack High Peaks, a traditional list of 46 peaks over 4,000 feet (1,200 m), are popular hiking destinations. Although the mountains are formed from ancient rocks more than 1 billion years old, geologically the mountains themselves are relatively young, created during recent periods of glaciation. Because of this, the Adirondacks are sometimes referred to as "new mountains from old rocks."
The Adirondack Mountains have long been known for their pristine waters. I remember environmentalists sounding the alarm over acid rain when I was young - one of the great concerns for those in my home state of New York was that it would sully the waters in this region.
There are over 200 named lakes here - add to that the number of smaller lakes, ponds, and other bodies of water and it totals more than 3,000. Some of the most notable lakes around the mountains are Lake George, Lake Placid, Lake Tear of the Clouds, and Saranac Lake. The region also has over 1,200 miles (1,900 km) of river, including the Hudson River, the Raquette River, and the Saranac River.
The entire region lies within what is known as Adirondack Park, a New York state protected area of over 6,000,000 acres (2,400,000 ha). The park was established in 1892 by the New York state legislature to protect the region's natural resources and to provide recreational opportunities for the public. It covers over 20 percent of New York state's land area, which makes it a fairly significant part of Upstate New York. Still, it is considered ‘out of the way’ due to a lack of major highways traveling through the area, and many New Yorkers - like myself - rarely venture into this part of the state.
The Adirondacks typically experience pleasantly warm, rainy weather in the summer (June–August), with temperatures in the range of 66–73 °F (19–23 °C) - cooler than the rest of New York State due to the higher elevation. Summer evenings in the Adirondacks are chilly, with temperatures ranging on average between 45–54 °F (7–12 °C). Winters (December–March) are harsh and cold, with temperatures ranging from 18 to 23 °F (−8 to −5 °C) by day and −2 and 4 °F (−19 and −16 °C by night. It’s not uncommon to still have snow in the higher peaks of the Adirondacks late into the spring season, when most of the rest of the state hasn’t seen the white stuff for a while.
A few photo ops I’d like to experience at some point…
Indian Head Lookout: One of the most Instagrammed spots in the Adirondacks.
Whiteface Veterans' Memorial Highway: Drive to a summit with panoramic views.
OK Slip Falls: Tallest waterfall in the Adirondacks.
More information is available online at experienceouradirondacks.com.
Have any tips for me? Email me!
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Lake George, New York
There are 479,950 lakes in the lower 48 states, but only one is known as ‘The Queen of American Lakes’. That would be Lake George, located at the southeast base of the Adirondack Mountains, in the northeastern portion of the U.S. state of New York. It lies within the upper region of the Great Appalachian Valley and drains all the way northward into Lake Champlain and the St. Lawrence River drainage basin. Lake George extends about 32.2 mi (51.8 km), is 187 ft (57 m) deep, and ranges from one to three miles (1.6 to 4.8 km) in width. It is situated between the valleys of the Hudson and St. Lawrence Rivers, on the route between Albany, New York, and Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
A meeting for Paulie’s Push, to be held in the greater Albany area, is how I chose Lake George, NY as the first Adirondack Mountains destination for my EV road trips - and my first out-of-town campsite for Red Rocket. Lake George is just under an hour away, the closest Adirondack town to Albany, so it seemed like a good starting point.
Lake George has a year-round population of under 1,000 residents, but during the summer months it swells to as high as 50,000. In 1791 President Thomas Jefferson is said to have visited the lake and described it as “without comparison, the most beautiful water I ever saw.” That may be part of the reason behind the Queen nickname - the actual reason appears to be unknown. The lake is renowned for its crystal-clear waters, which are reportedly among the cleanest in the United States, due to its mountain-fed springs, protected forests, and limited exposure to pollutants. In 2004 it was recognized by Travel + Leisure Magazine as having “the cleanest water in the United States.”
MILLION DOLLAR BEACH DAY USE AREA
Beach Road Lake George, NY 12845
$10.00 Per Car - NYS Empire Pass Accepted
This popular swimming area is located on the southern shore of Lake George. Known as "Million Dollar Beach", it is within walking distance of the village of Lake George and DEC's Lake George Battleground Campground and Lake George Battlefield Day Use Area. Changing rooms, restrooms, and showers (available in the beach house), volleyball court on the beach, picnic tables, grills by the beach, a large swimming beach.
Million Dollar Beach in Lake George, New York, earned its name from the $1 million investment required to develop it into a public beach. The beach opened in 1951, and the substantial cost was primarily for transporting and spreading sand to create the sandy shoreline that visitors enjoy today. Over the years, further investments have been made to enhance the beach's facilities. In 1989, a $3.7 million bathhouse was added, and between 2014 and 2015, an additional $6.3 million was spent on improvements.
PROSPECT MOUNTAIN VETERANS MEMORIAL HIGHWAY
2175 US-9 Lake George, NY 12845
$10.00 Per Car - NYS Empire Pass Not Accepted
Prospect Mountain Veterans Memorial Highway features a 5.5 mile two-lane highway with three overlooks - The Narrows, Lake George, and the ‘Eagle’s Eye’ - on the way to a 2,030-foot summit offering panoramic 100-mile views of the Adirondack High Peaks, as well as Vermont’s Green Mountains, New Hampshire’s White Mountains, and (on a very clear day) the Laurentian Mountains of Canada. A continuously-running viewmobile to the summit offers the remains of the world’s largest cable railroad, as well as even more breathtaking views. A picnic area and hiking trails are also offered at this piece of property run by
I visited Lake George on a Sunday and Monday in early June, before the ‘high season’ begins. Because the beach isn’t open on weekdays until later in the season, and because I wasn’t sure of the boat tour schedule or restaurant hours for Mondays this early in the season - I decided to do those things on Sunday and leave Prospect Mountain, open seven days a week from late May through early November, for Monday. The rain had decided to wait until Monday, as well, and it began to drizzle as I drove up the park entrance. A sign said that visibility was “fair”, and I asked the gentleman at the toll booth what that meant. “Poor,” he told me. Wildfire smoke from Canada, which created a haze that you can see in most of my other photos, mixed with rain, left very limited visibility. Had it not been for the $10 admission charge - Prospect Mountain does not accept the New York State Empire Pass - I would have gone for the drive. I decided paying $10 for a lousy view and limited photography opportunities wouldn’t be a wise investment, so I skipped it on this visit. Maybe I’ll come back. If not, there’s always Whiteface Veterans’ Memorial Highway on a future visit to the Adirondacks.
LAKE GEORGE STEAMBOAT COMPANY
57 Beach Road Lake George, NY 12845
Starting at $27
I originally had planned to spend the afternoon lounging at Million Dollar Beach, but had a change of heart when I got there and saw a substance that looked like something akin to algae floating across the surface. The Lake George Steamboat Company is a 10-minute walk from the beach, and having already parked for free via my Empire Pass meant I’d save the $10 parking cost at the marina or whatever metered parking cost. Score! A tour boat ride it would be.
The Minne-Ha-Ha is one of the last steam paddle wheel ships in America. She takes an hour-long cruise six times a day, along with a Friday night Pirate Adventure Cruise. Featuring a tour narrated by the captain, and an authentic steam calliope concert at the end of each cruise.
It was on the boat tour that I learned that the substance floating was actually pollen - a lot of pollen, courtesy of a torrential downpour the night before. Pollen is generally safe to swim in, unlike toxic algae. Still, I’m glad I took the tour, because I got to see a whole lot of Lake George that I wouldn’t have seen from the shore, including the country’s only women-only resort… the childhood home of Georgia O’Keefe… Millionaire’s Row, once the home of oil and gas millionaire Royal C. Peabody, designed by the same architect who designed Madison Square Garden. We passed mansions that have been under development for years, and a private island that has been in the same family for a century.
LAKE GEORGE RIVERVIEW CAMPGROUND
3654 US 9 Lake George, NY 12845
$62.50/night (50-amp riverside); rates may vary.
Plan A for this trip was to reserve a site at Hearthstone Point State Park campground. When camping on a road trip I generally prefer national parks or state parks, as they tend to be more amenable to Teslacampers than those that are privately-owned. I check to see what’s in the area, and then I look for a water view, and electric - 50-amp preferably, but 30-amp will do. A quick AI search (Grok or ChatGPT, I can’t remember which) lead me to Hearthstone Point, which was said to have sites on the water. A review of BaseCamp/CampADK showed some water views. Unfortunately, Hearthstone is one of the state parks without electric hookups. Since the closest Tesla Superchargers were a distance from Lake George, and I didn’t want to deal with range anxiety during my trip on the scenic highway the next day, I decided to keep looking.
Next I found the Lake George Riverview Campground.
Nestled on a serene peninsula along the Schroon River just 4 miles north of Lake George Village, Lake George Riverview Campground offers 170 campsites, including riverside and beachfront spots, each equipped with 20/30/50 electric, water, sewer, a picnic table and a fire ring. It also offers a number of tent sites just feet from the river. The campground offers a natural sand beach and a pool, as well as canoeing, kayaking, and tubing in what they call “nature’s water park.” It also offers complimentary Wi-Fi, an arcade, a playground, and a convenience store.
I reached out to the campground via email in advance of my trip, explaining the type of camping I planned to do and asking for guidance in selecting a site. They wrote back the very next morning, suggesting that two of their tent sites would be great for Tesla camping: 6 and 7. They advised that these were tent sites that were situated alongside their kayak launch, with six being more private but a bit further from the river, and seven being less private but closer to the water. Both, I was assured, were directly on the water. I first tried for seven but a glitch occurred, and it showed as unavailable after the confirmation screen. I went for six, next, and it took. And it turned out that site 6 was the perfect campsite for my style of camping…
Site 6 is on the very end of a road containing sites on each side - those on the right are right along the riverbank. Sites 6 and 7 straddle the campground’s kayak launch - it’s directly to the right of site 6, on the other side of the fencing shown above. Site 6 also has a view of the metal bridge that brings US-9 over the river. You can listen to the rapids beneath it gurgle at night, and when the bridge is lit up it’s a very pretty sight.
Site 6 is expansive, with enough room to fit three or four cars, which the rules at Riverview permit - no limit so long as they fit. It’s also far more private than other sites, many of which leave little room from one site to the next. Without the guidance of staffers via email I might have chosen any number of sites along the riverbank, but each would have had me within feet of an RV on either side. The staff here recommended six and seven because they are ‘tent sites’, but either would be an excellent ‘Tesla site’, as well. I let the staff member in the office know that during my visit.
Tesla campers like a few things: privacy, a good view, and functional electric. This site had all of these things: the electric (20/30/50) was flawless throughout my visit, and I could park my Model 3 at various angles for views of the bridge, the kayak launch ramp, or the greenery. I had neighbors in site 7 who definitely seemed entertained by my setup process and photoshoot, but they were far enough away so that, if they were offering commentary, I couldn’t hear it.
The campground has bathrooms just a short walk away with private rooms containing both a toilet and shower. They were modern and clean. It also offers a swimming pool, beach (see photo above), and kayak rentals. It has several pavilions, as well as a camp store. Side note: a grocery store and McDonalds are within walking distance of the campground, as well.
