UPDATE: January, 2026
The Adirondack Mountains in northeastern New York State is about four hours north of Manhattan. They extend south from Lake Champlain to the Mohawk River valley. It is not a National Park. There are no fees, and it does not open and close. This region has Several well-known areas, such as Lake Placid, Lake George, and the Ausable Chasm. See our pages on them in NEW YORK STATE – PHOTOGRAPHY LOCATIONS.
Lake Placid, New York (seen above), is beautiful for year-round photography. The Adirondack Mountains provide a backdrop for nature photography, while the charming small town offers ample street and portrait photography opportunities. There is something for everyone, from scenic mountain vistas to quaint small-town streets. So grab your camera and get ready to explore the photography hot spot in the Northeast.
Long Lake offers an ideal starting point for discovering the various lakes and charming mountains of the Central Adirondacks. It only takes 10 minutes to drive from town, and then a quick walk down the road allows photographers to reach Buttermilk Falls, one of the easily reachable waterfalls in the Adirondacks. Every season brings its beauty to photograph at Buttermilk Falls.
Ausable Chasm (seen above) is a natural wonder in New York’s Adirondack Park. The chasm is a narrow gorge cut into sandstone by the Ausable River. The chasm’s walls are lined with cliffs, waterfalls, and caves. The Chasm is a popular destination for hiking, camping, and photography.
Photographing Ausable Chasm can be an exciting and rewarding experience. The chasm’s dramatic landscape provides a unique setting.
535 Stone Bridge Rd, Pottersville, NY 12860 – Make the most out of your visit by exploring more at Stone Bridge & Caves, in addition to embarking on the ¾ mile Cave Trail! Delve into the wonders of the Rock Shop, where you can pop geodes, challenge yourself at the free Cavekid Bouldering Wall, or catch fascinating videos in the History Hut. There’s an exciting activity for everyone, along with great photography to do, whether you’re looking to spend just an hour or a whole day at Stone Bridge & Caves!
We love the fall, but spring and summer are great, too. Winter gets a lot of snow, and the photography is much more limited. We like the new moon week of October to do Milky Way night photography and fall foliage photography by day.
This is a DARK SKY area that is good for the Milky Way.
Months: The Milky Way Core can be seen from March to October, disappearing below the horizon for the rest of the year. It appears in the early morning hours in March and becomes visible earlier each month. The best time to catch a glimpse of the core is during summer, when it can be seen immediately after sunset, providing an ideal viewing opportunity for stargazers and photographers.
New Moon: Timing is crucial to see the Milky Way. This celestial event can only be seen on clear nights without a visible moon, limiting the window for viewing.
Light Pollution: The best way to experience the full wonder of the Milky Way is to escape from areas with heavy light pollution. However, it may be possible to see some faint traces of the galaxy from places with mild artificial lighting; the most spectacular views can be found in remote locations far from cities and civilizations. Check out our How to Section for more details, including using a light pollution map to guide you to dark sky locations.
This area can be explored in a few days or longer, depending on how many stops you have. You can travel to many different locations throughout the region. Read each page to decide which locations you want to document.
It was not that busy each time we were in the area, but we often traveled midweek and off-season.
Twin Pine Lodge ♠ PO Box 361 ♦ Route 8 & 9, Loon Lake ♦ Chestertown, NY 12817
PO Box 361 – Route 8 & 9, Loon Lake – Chestertown, NY 12817 – Phone: 518-494-4355 – Email: mail@twinpinelodge.com
Bring your tripod circular polarizing filter and neutral density filter. This area has many moving waters to get silky moving water images. Make sure you have a wide-angle lens with an aperture of 2.8 or lower if you visit from March through October to do Milky Way Photography.
This is a prime Milky Way photography area.
NEW YORK PHOTOGRAPHY AREA INFORMATION
There are many areas within the Adirondacks to photograph. A few are possibly especially good for getting jaw-dropping images, but many regions are plain old boring. We list several spots on our N.Y. State Photography Hot Spot Page. Adirondack Park does not have fees, park passes, or open and closing hours, but the hot spots we list do have entrance fees.
2026 Rates at Ausable Chasm:
Riverwalk: Basic Admission Required, No Reservations Needed/Accepted
Ages 5 and up, sneakers/hiking shoes required
Regular (age 13+) $22.00
Raft / Tube Float Tour*: Basic Admission Required, No Reservations Needed/Accepted
Children must weigh at least 30 pounds for rafting, and 54″ tall for tubing (river level permitting)
Tube (shoes required for tubing)
Regular (Age 13+) $30.00
Child (Age 5-12)$28.00
Under 5 Years of Age
$10.00
Additional Raft/Tube Trips $15 per person (all ages)
Adventure Trail: Basic Admission Required, No Reservations Needed/Accepted
*Ages 8+, must weigh between 50-250 pounds (discreet weight in required), sneakers/hiking shoes required*
Ages 8+ $45.00
RATES & GROUPS
Summer Self-Guided Cave Trail
Walk the self-guided and above-ground nature trail to witness this spectacular display of ancient Adirondack geology. Our rustic stone-step and gravel trail features the massive Stone Bridge, Trout Brook, the old Sawmill Site Waterfalls, Artists’ Gorge, incredible potholes and of course several surface caves and grottos.
Rates
Adult: Ages 13+ – $21.50
Children: Ages 5 -12 – $11.98
Infants: Ages 4 and under – Free
About
The ¾ mile trail has over 500 stairs of irregular rock, root and timber. There are a limited number of guests allowed to start each hour to maintain a peaceful experience. Most groups take about 45-60 minutes, but stay as long as you like. Go at your own pace and rest as you need at any of the picturesque benches along the way.
Credit Cards Accepted: Visa, Master Card, Discover
Summer Hours
Peak Season: May 17 – Sep 2
9am-6pm (last ticket 4pm)
Off-Peak Season: Sep 3 – Oct 20
10am-5pm (last ticket 3pm)
What to Wear
HOTELS
Twin Pine Lodge
PO Box 361
Route 8 & 9, Loon Lake
Chestertown, NY 12817
Phone: 518-494-4355
Email: mail@twinpinelodge.com
Catskill Mountains, N.Y. Milky Way Photography
