The Northville-Placid Trail is a historic trail navigating North and South stretching a total of 135 miles. It traverses beautiful woodlands, waterways, bogs, wetlands, and is often hiked in sections. The two sections in Long Lake are known as the NPT -South and the NPT – North.
Northville-Placid Trail South – the local trailhead for this section is found at route 28N approx 1.6 miles east of Hoss’s. This section offers two options that are great for local hikes or x-c ski adventures. The Three-Brook Ski Loop is a section of this trail designed for skiers to enjoy backwoods country, or hikers can follow the trail to the newer Northville Placid Trail Spur which links to Mt. Sabattis Recreation Area and Mountain Bike Trails. Hikers can leave a car at both the NPT South Trail head and Mt. Sabattis for a 5 mile through day hike. Coming out on Mt. Sabattis offers terrific views of Long Lake. Through hikers offer continue on to Tirrell Pond and can link up to Blue Mountain hiking trail, about 10.2 miles.
The Northville-Placid Trail North. This trail is generally considered for the serious backpacker heading north towards the High Peaks, Lake Placid and Averyville Road. But for day trippers or those doing the Long Lake Hiking/Paddling Challenge, you can enjoy a shorter hike options to Catlin Bay which is a great stop for a picnic on the shores of Long Lake. Hikers can continue on to Kelly’s Point, Rodney Point, Plumley’s Landing before eventually heading into the remotest section of this trail known as Cold River Country, also the former home of Noah John Rondeau. The Seward Mountain Range rises from the Cold River Valley to form some of the wildest an d most beautiful country found in the north-eastern United States. From Shattuck Clearing, the Northville Placid Trail continues another 25 miles to the high peaks region of Lake Placid.
Many side trips can be made to waterfalls, ponds, streams and mountain tops. It is possible to hike segments of the trail without going the entire distance.
There is an active volunteer group which stewards the trail and also runs a social media page too.
The trail is in sections
- Section 1. Northville to Benson – 12.32 miles
- Section 2. Benson to Whitehouse – 21.51 miles
- Section 3. Whitehouse to Piseco – 9.19 miles
- Section 4. Piseco to West Canada Lakes – 15.05 miles
- Section 5. West Canada Lakes to Wakely Dam – 16.16 miles
- Section 6. Wakely Dam to Lake Durant – 12.21 miles
- Section 7. Lake Durant to Long Lake – 13.95 miles
- Section 8. Long Lake to Shattuck Clearing – 12.49 miles
- Section 9. Shattuck Clearing to Duck Hole – 11.84 miles
- Section 10. Duck Hole to Lake Placid – 13.66 miles