cross country skiing and snowshoeing in Northern New York

The Cross Country Ski Areas of New York is an organization dedicated to cross country ski centers in the state of New York with groomed ski trails and services such as lessons, rentals, kids programs, food and beverage service, weather and ski conditions, and a Google map locater, and more.

Lapland Lake XC Ski & Vacation Center (518/863-4974, www.laplandlake.com) in Northville, New York features a touch of Finland from the food, and the two resident reindeer, to the Finnish woodburning sauna and children's games. For full page of info click here Lapland Lake XC Ski & Vacation Center. There are 50 km of groomed trails for classic and skating with 4 km of lighted trails and 12 km of snowshoe trails. Lessons and xc ski and snowshoe equipment rentals available. Napa Kikku is great entertainment for kids at Lapland Lake on the weekends, where they play on a sled attached to a long pole to run circles on a frozen pond. Lakeside campfires are also popular with family lodgers and night skiers. Winner of the Best in the Mid Atlantic in the Best XC Ski Resort Poll for 2002 and 2003. CCSAA member

Garnet Hill Lodge in North River, NY (800-497-4207, 518-251-2444, www.garnet-hill.com), home of the "Adirondack Ruby" in an old garnet mining community is now under new owners, who have plans to upgrade the operation. The mine tailings are multi-leveled with open areas sculpted with hills, slopes, flat areas, and mountain vistas. The resort has 36 km of trails groomed for classic and skate skiing and 30 km of snowshoe trails. Garnet Hill has lake and mountain views, accommodations in 3 facilities and dining, rentals, snowshoes, and lessons. There are 2 km of lighted trail night skiing and a working sugarhouse in the spring. Garnet Hill is at 2,000 feet elevation and it has a full ski shop (Ski Shop phone 518-251-2150). For a full page of info click Garnet Hill Lodge.

The Adirondack Ski Touring Council (ASTC) was developed in 1986 as a nonprofit corporation to promote cross country skiing, and to build/maintain the Jackrabbit Trail, which runs for 35 miles (56 km) from Keene, NY to Paul Smith's College. In recent years, ASTC has expanded its mission to assume winter maintenance of other popular ski trails including the Connery Pond and Hayes Brook Truck Trails plus Marcy and Wright Peak ski trails.

Western New York XC Ski Areas

Byrncliff Resort & Conference Center (585/535-7300, www.byrncliff.com) in Varysburg, between Buffalo and Rochester, is a hidden gem on 400 acres of rolling hills in western New York. For a full page of info click Byrncliff Resort and Conference Center. There are 20 km of groomed trails for classic and skating with 8 km of lighted trails. This is the most extensive night skiing in the state. This is a golf course but the property is double the size of the course and goes through the forested terrain. Rentals and lessons are available. Skier special on the weekends - skiing and rentals with dinner and a drink.

Bristol Mountain Nordic Center at 5589 South Hill Road in Canandaigua, NY where there are 3 km of groomed trails with 1.2 km lighted for night skiing and covered in snowmaking. The center located outside of Rochester offers XC ski and snowshoe rental equipment and XC ski lessons.

Endless Trails Guesthouse in Hubbardsville, NY is adjacent to the 130-mile Brookfield Trails System (multi-use trails with equestrian, snowmobile) in rural central NY. The guesthouse has 4 bedrooms with private baths and a family suite. There are box stalls or outside paddocks for your horse, sleigh rides, full BF, and interpretive tours on this 350-acre beef cattle farm near Colgate University.

Other New York XC Ski Areas

Friends Lake Inn & Nordic Center in Chestertown, NY is in the Adirondacks with gracious accommodations in 17 luxurious country inn rooms. There are 37 km of scenic wooded trails groomed for xc skiing and snowshoeing. Friends Lake Inn is known for its excellent dining and wine collection. There are lessons and xc ski equipment and snowshoe rental available. Friends Lake Inn is in the southeastern Adirondacks off of the Northway at Exit 25 and is near Gore Mountain and the Natural Stone Bridge and Caves.

Osceola Tug Hill XC Ski Center in Camden, NY where they boast of more than 300 inches of annually. There are 40 km of groomed trails for classic and skate skiing. Lessons, xc ski and snowshoe equipment rentals are available. CCSAA member

Mountain Trails Cross Country Ski Center is in Tannersville, NY in the northern Catskills on Route 23A. It has 35 km of trails groomed for xc skiing on 300 acres of old logging roads. There's rental equipment and a retail shop. CCSAA member