The Whiteface Mountain Veterans Memorial Highway

I love it up here. Went today, end of September, to catch the fall foliage, as well as with what seemed like a huge chunk of the Adirondacks too! The line to get up the mountain was long (~40 minutes before we even got to the toll house) but since we weren’t in a hurry it wasn’t so long. They had staff members on foot apologizing for the wait and explaining that only a certain number of cars can go up etc.
The drive itself was beautiful. Many stop offs for fantastic views! There was some construction along the highway which made the road a bit bumpy, but still by all means drivable without incident.
When you reach the attendant at the top, you proceed to the parking. You can choose to take the elevator up the mountain or walk the trail. The line for the elevator was a half hour, and the trail took about 10 minutes up. The trail has side rails, rocks, and steps at most points which made it easy to navigate. There’s a bathroom at the castle on the top and a snack bar/​lunch type place (watch out though cash only and the snacks /​food were pricey).
The view from the top was stellar. The trail was easy to navigate, albeit slightly steep for a preggo like me!
Recommended to anyone who loves the splendor of the Adirondacks as the view is unparalleled!

Awesome views and a great place to reflect on just how small you are and how large the world around us is.
The views were great and breathtaking for this location.
If you are in the area this is a must visit location.
I

DO NOT EAT IN THE CAFE!
Ok– the mountain is gorgeous. Beautiful views, etc.
The café is the only place to eat on the mountain– we thought we could gets snacks & didn’t bring food due to the café as being touted as a good place to eat.
AWFUL experience– After a 1.5 hour wait for lunch, we ended up leaving. The whole restaurant was pissed. Nothing left to buy to snack on (chips, etc). At 1 hour, was told it would be 10 more minutes, to no avail.
BRING YOUR OWN LUNCH! Avoid our mistake!

Amazing view! AMAZING.
It was a little cold in the tunnel and up top, so bring a jacket, but definitely worth the entry fee. The pictures we took up here were some of the best on our vacation.

You can drive the Memorial Highway from April until October every year. This is great for the whole family. You pay 10 dollars (per person) at the bottom of the mountain. If you are visiting Lake Placid, you can get a discounted Olympic Sites Passport and the price of the highway is included in the passport price.
After you pay at the toll booth you then drive to the top. It is about five miles to the top and is a steep drive. There are places to pull over during the drive for pictures or if you are having car troubles. Once you reach the top the staff tells you where to park. After parking you have the option to use the restrooms, eat at the café, go to the gift shop, or hike up the mountain by foot. The café just has a few sandwiches to pick from and the gift shop has a few sweatshirts to buy. Please note that the summit (the top of the mountain) is 10 degrees cooler than the bottom of the mountain so come prepared.
If you are hiking the last part of the mountain by foot make sure you are wearing decent footwear and are in good physical condition.
If you do not want to hike up the rest of the mountain you can walk down a long hallway (damp and cold) and then ride an elevator to the summit. The first time I came here there was no wait to ride to the top. The second time I had to wait 10 minutes and it was packed. The first time I went here I also went during the morning, you may not want to do this because there is usually fog and cloud cover. If you go on a clear day here you can see all the way to Montréal which is incredible.
At the summit there is plenty of room for picture taking as well.

I visited on July 10 and completely agree with the previous reviewers who gave this attraction 5 stars. Ami. M. wrote a, informative review, so be sure to check it out. The fee for a vehicle and driver increased to $ 10, but it’s still worth it to experience sweeping vistas of the Adirondacks and Lake Placid. I hiked to the summit from the parking lot. The thin air made it more strenuous than I thought it would be, and some of the the rocks were slick. There are rangers at the top to answer questions and prevent knuckleheads from tramping on endangered plants or falling off a cliff. I took the elevator down after taking photos, absorbing the scenery and lounging on the summit breathing in the mountain air. I enjoyed the walk through the long, cool, dark tunnel.
Pack your own snacks and water. The restaurant looks sad and the staff there and in the gift shop look miserable. Not a welcoming bunch.
Please let me know what you think of this review by clicking an appropriate button below. Thanks!

My kids love this trip! Like the previous reviews it’s for the fit and not so fit among us. I’ve seen everyone from infants to wheelchair bound people on top (I’m not going to talk about those super fit guys/​gals who’ve biked or hiked to the top. Many make this the last of the the «46» peaks (mountains over 4,000 feet in NY) so that family and friends can join them. Fantastic views fresh air – what more could you want?

I agree with the previous reviewer. I couldn’t have written it better myself.
My family is from the area and had never visited Whiteface Mountain until I went to visit this past summer. The views from the lookouts on the road were amazing. My father and I climbed the final part of the summit and stood at the top for hours. It was truly a remarkable experience. If you’re in the area it is a definite must see.

What other way to view the beauty of the Adirondacks but to drive to the top of the Whiteface Summit? It’s a great family affair. Bring baby. Bring grandma & grandpa. Bring anyone. As long as they are not afraid of heights. After all, it is 4,867 feet high. Unfortunately, pets aren’t allowed.
Pay at the toll house, an Alpine-​style building situated at the end of the highway. Currently, it’s $ 9 for vehicle and driver plus $ 5 for each additional passenger. Children under 6 are free.
It’s a five mile ascending climb toward the summit. There are several vista points for rest and/​or photo ops, some of them having picnic tables. During the climb, the view unfolds gradually. And the castle on top is a marker for where you’re actually headed to.
At the top, parking attendants instruct how your vehicle should be parked. There are two ways to get up to the top– climb up a fifth of a mile steep stairway called the Stairway Ridge Trail, or use the only elevator inside the mountain. Impressively, the latter way is wheelchair accessible. The only caveat is that usually there is a long wait and it is damp and cold, even during the summer. After all, you are going through a natural tunnel. And oh, by the way, make sure everyone has made a visit to the bathroom in the castle. There is no bathroom on top.
We went during two seasons– summer and fall. During that summer visit, we were able to walk over the rocky terrain. During the fall visit, it was deemed too slippery and dangerous because frost and ice had already formed. It was a cold trek (it was only the first week of October and we were already in winter gear), but the contrast of autumn below and winter above was like nothing we’ve ever seen. This is a must visit. Definitely.