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.

The High Peaks Scenic Byway, officially known as New York Route 73, runs about 30 miles, from Underwood up to Lake Placid.

Doug Kerr/Flickr

As the name suggests, the road runs through the Adirondacks’ 46 high peaks, so you have beautiful mountain views as you travel down the road. Each of these peaks is over 4,000 feet tall!

Doug Kerr/Flickr

The road goes through some really gorgeous areas. Lake Placid is perhaps most famous as the site of the 1980 Olympics. Other nearby attractions include Whiteface Mountain.

Mwanner/Wikimedia Commons

Portions of the byway travel alongside the Ausable River. Several spots have pull-out areas where you can have a picnic lunch right by the riverside.

Doug Kerr/Flickr

One popular attraction on the High Peaks Scenic Byway is Roaring Brook Falls. At around 300 feet, it’s quite impressive! It’s the highest Adirondack waterfall visible from the road.

Doug Kerr/Flickr

The High Peaks Scenic Byway isn’t very long and the actual driving time taking only about 40 minutes. You’ll definitely want to plan for extra time to stop. There are so many lovely areas to take pictures on this route!

Alex Scrodin/Wikimedia Commons

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.

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.

Doug Kerr/Flickr

Mwanner/Wikimedia Commons

Alex Scrodin/Wikimedia Commons

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

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