Whether you are a visitor or a resident, all it takes is one drive through New York to see that we’ve got some of the most scenic roads in the country. The upstate New York area in particular has some really incredible scenery. No matter what the season, if you find yourself looking for a scenic drive through New York, the High Peaks Scenic Byway is one of the best options.

Great ready to embark upon the High Peaks Scenic Byway!
Doug Kerr/Flickr
Officially known as New York Route 73, it runs about 30 miles, from Underwood up to Lake Placid.
As the name suggests, the road runs through the Adirondacks' 46 high peaks.
Doug Kerr/Flickr
That means you'll have beautiful mountain views as you travel down the road. Each of these peaks is over 4,000 feet tall!
The road goes through some really gorgeous areas.
Mwanner/Wikimedia Commons
Lake Placid is perhaps most famous as the site of the 1980 Olympics. Other nearby attractions include Whiteface Mountain.

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Portions of the byway travel alongside the Ausable River.
Doug Kerr/Flickr
Several spots have pull-out areas where you can have a picnic lunch right by the riverside. Can you see why we think this is one of the most beautiful scenic byways in New York?
One popular attraction on the High Peaks Scenic Byway is Roaring Brook Falls.
Doug Kerr/Flickr
At around 300 feet, it's quite impressive! It's the highest Adirondack waterfall visible from the road.
The High Peaks Scenic Byway isn't very long and the actual driving time takes only about 40 minutes.
Alex Scrodin/Wikimedia Commons
You'll definitely want to plan for extra time to stop. There are so many lovely areas to take pictures on this route! There are great places to eat along the route as well!

If you’d like to check out the route in more detail, you can enter your starting address on Google Maps and hit the road.

Have you driven down the High Peaks Scenic Byway in New York? Share your experiences in the comments!

Looking for other scenic drives in New York? Then you’ll really enjoy the Seneca Lake Scenic Byway. And if you’d like to explore hikes around any of the stops along the byway, you can find some great trails by going to the AllTrails website.

If you’re still in the mood for more Empire State adventures, take a look at this video:

 

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More to Explore

More to Love about the Empire State

Lysa Allman-Baldwin | August 17, 2023

Where can we find festivals in New York?

  • The Syracuse Winterfest is a popular winter festival taking place every February featuring drink mix-offs, cook-offs, trivia games, and other activities.
  • Brick Fest Live which celebrates all things LEGOs is part of the popular traveling pop-up event that takes place in numerous cities, including The Empire State.
  • The New York State International Film Festival is one of the biggest festivals in the state, coming there every September and featuring over several hundred films.

Read on to learn more about some of the many other wonderful festivals in New York.

Where can we find flea markets in New York?

  • The Stormville Airport Antique Show & Flea Market in Stormville hosts over 600 vendors.
  • The Washington County Antique Fair in Greenwich is fantastic, but only open just a few weekends a year.
  • The Mower's Saturday Flea Market Woodstock is open from late May until November on the weekends and also on Wednesdays during July and August.

Read on to learn more about some of the many other fun flea markets in New York.

What are some of the best tours in New York?

  • The Rolling Hills Asylum – Located in East Bethany this is one of New York’s many abandoned asylums and is known for having regular ghost sightings.
  • The Stone Barns Center for Food and Agriculture – Located in Tarrytown, this center sits on 80 acres formerly belonging to the Rockefeller estate and focuses on sustainable food systems.
  • The New York State Capitol Tour – This tour in the capital building in Albany is rich with history and the architecture is magnificent.

Read on to learn more about some of the other great tours in New York.

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New York 73, NY-73, Lake Placid, NY, USA