From left: Moose Mountain, Mount Alton and Whiteface Mountain can be seen in the background. Lake Placid, living up to its name, and a portion of the western shore of the Brewster Peninsula are seen in the foreground from the Shoreline Trail near the Lake Placid outlet dam on Friday, Oct. 18. (News photo — Chris Gaige)

LAKE PLACID — It’s no secret that this village has a ton of hiking options that transcend all ability levels. Just two weeks ago, we visited the Heaven Hill Trails, which offer stunning views of the High Peaks, and this week, we add a view of Lake Placid, the lake itself, to our pallet of hiking scenery as we venture into the Brewster Peninsula. I made my trip on a Friday, Oct. 18.

Getting there

The Brewster Peninsula Nature Trails can be a bit tricky to find. They are located on Peninsula Way. Driving from Price Chopper, this road is accessed off Saranac Avenue just after Simply Gourmet. There is a state Department of Environmental Conservation sign indicating trail access at the intersection.

Visitors might find a bit of confusion, as the sign for Peninsula Way says it is a private road, although public access to the trailhead by vehicle is permitted. Visitors should not drive past the trailhead on the road, and it is clearly marked as private beyond that point.

Peninsula Way is a dirt road and a popular walking route for pedestrians, at least up to and not beyond the trailhead — unless they own property or have permission to go farther. The trails are close enough to the village that many people choose to walk to the trailhead, an option worth considering — particularly if your lodging is along Saranac Avenue.

Signs at one of the junctions between the Brewster Peninsula Nature Trails and the Jackrabbit Trail are seen on Friday, Oct. 18. (News photo — Chris Gaige)

The trailhead is located on the left about a quarter of a mile from Saranac Avenue.

Into the woods

The trailhead’s sign-in registers are just beyond a yellow gate that blocks vehicles from the trails — which partially make (re)use of old access roads. As at any trail register, visitors should sign in. Not only does it help authorities mightily should you have the misfortune of requiring a search-and-rescue effort, but it also helps the DEC know how many people are using the trail. The department tracks this data carefully. It helps them determine where to best allocate resources for trail maintenance.

People should study the map at the register if they are unfamiliar with the trails. While labeling the trails a maze would be an overstatement, several junctions could leave newcomers confused. If you have a smartphone, I recommend snapping a photo of the map on your way in.

While people often head into the woods as a form of escape from their screens, visitors may take solace in the fact — should an emergency occur — that the Brewster Peninsula has reliable cell service.

Jack Irvin, of Lake Placid, enjoys an outing along the Brewster Peninsula Nature Trails near the village of Lake Placid on Friday, Oct. 18 with his three dogs, from left: Buster, Leah and Waldo. (News photo — Chris Gaige)

The main trail — which I did not see an official name for on the map — is smooth, flat and wide as it leaves the register. A beautiful short stroll through mixed deciduous and conifer woods leads to the first junction. I took a left and headed down the Boundary Trail toward the Lake Placid outlet and dam, as marked by a sign at the junction.

A scene to behold

Before I knew it, I heard the outlet’s water babbling through the woods, and I soon came to Lake Placid’s shoreline. A beautiful panorama emerged through the branches. Being a sunny day, Moose Mountain could be seen on the left. The Brewster Peninsula’s western shore was on the right. Whiteface Mountain jutted up behind the peninsula.

Lake Placid was serene, the water calm and crystal clear. Motorboat traffic — and any noise from it — was minimal and loons could be heard in the background. While they were too far away to see, their calls were carried effortlessly over the waters.

It was a marvelous view. I arrived at the water just in time for “golden hour,” that time shortly before sunset when the sun’s hue — magnified by the golden brown leaves yet to fall at the closing end of foliage season — seemed to paint the air a spectacularly transparent amber.

To put it simply, I was in the right place at the right time.

Looping along the shore

Turning right at the dam, the Boundary Trail becomes the Lake Shore Trail. Conditions became a bit more rugged. While the trail would still be considered nothing of difficulty for experienced hikers, this section of the trail network is considerably grittier. Being so close to the lake, it is rockier and muddier — even during periods of dry weather — than any other stretch of trail within the Brewster Peninsula Nature Trails.

People not looking to increase the trail difficulty or compromise the cleanliness of their footwear would be better served to turn around at this point and make their way back along the Boundary Trail to the junction with the main access trail. I took a gamble — still wearing office clothes from earlier in the day — and continued on.

Jumping from rock to rock and careful not to trip on any roots, I made my way along the peninsula, with glimpses of the outlet and McKenzie Mountain opening up between branches. The trail has several spots where the water — and the views — are unobstructed.

In the warmer months, these would all make for opportune swimming holes. Something to add to the calendar down the road.

The trails had a variety of interpretive signs, helping visitors to better understand the flora, fauna and land around them. There were also log benches to sit at along the route, although sitting down might leave a bit of dirt on your pants, something your tan khaki-fitted reporter wasn’t about to do.

I made it back to the main trail and completed the loop by heading back along it to the junction with the Boundary Trail. I walked back to the trailhead, signed out and was in my car before it was dark. Not a bad way to cap off the week. Not bad at all.

More information about the trails can be found at tinyurl.com/mph8na2r.