PET FRIENDLY Adirondacks

Whether you embrace the wilderness or dabble on its edges, the Adirondacks offer you and your pet plenty of opportunities to frolic and relax together. First, whether you want to stay in a hotel, motel, bed and breakfast, or cabin or cottage, you've got plenty of pet-friendly lodging choices to pick from, from Warrensburg to Plattsburg.

ADIRONDACK FOREST PRESERVE
If hiking is your focus, the public lands administered by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) that are part of the six million-acre Adirondack Forest Preserve are pet friendly. Your dog can be off leash on these lands, though rangers caution that you need to sure that you truly have voice control of your dog. If a deer shoots by while you're hiking and your pooch is off leash, will he heed your call or run off in pursuit? Also remember that when you're hiking in the Adirondacks, you're on land that coyotes, black bears, bobcats, and lynx call home. Also be aware that trapping and hunting are permitted in the Preserve. Be sure to take whatever precautions you need to keep both of you safe.

In campgrounds within these lands, dogs need to be kept on a 6-foot leash, and cannot be left unattended. In the Eastern High Peaks, they also need to be kept on a leash in primitive and lean-to sites, on the trails, and at elevations above 4,000 feet. Dogs are not permitted on any of the beaches or bathing areas or in buildings.

Dogs are not permitted on DEC lands throughout the Saranac Lake and Lake George Island areas. Any areas within the Preserve under the administration of the New York State Department of Parks, Recreation, and Historic Preservation are guided by their own set of rules.

OTHER FUN STUFF TO DO
There is so much natural beauty to enjoy within environs of the Adirondacks. You and your pooch can enjoy the cooling waters of Raquette River as it heads into Buttermilk Falls in Long Lake. Just take Route 28/30 three miles south of Long Lake and make a right onto North Point Road. Two miles down you'll see signs for the falls. Park and it's just a short walk in.

If you want quieter waters, nothing beats the Lake George Dog Beach, located on Beach Road, between Lake George Steamboat Company and Million Dollar Beach. Your pooch is welcome there, off leash, both on the beach and in the water. Just be sure to be a good citizen and pick up after your canine, if need be.

If you're up in the Adirondacks towards the end of September for the foliage and most certainly if you have a pug of your own, plan your trip to include the annual Halloween Pugs and Pumpkins Party in Lake Luzerne, with the proceeds going to Adirondack Save a Stray.

After working up an appetite hiking, there are plenty of places to sate your hunger and quench your thirst with your pup in tow. Some of our favorites are Lake Placid Pub & Brewery, which overlooks Mirror Lake and has a dog-friendly beer garden; Christie's on the Lake in Lake George, with its two pet-friendly lakeside patios; and George Henry's Eatery & Drinkery in Warrensburg.