Town
Where to Stay in North River
North River is a hamlet on Route 28 west of North Creek, near the start of the Hudson River Gorge and a short drive from Gore Mountain. Garnet Hill Lodge, built in 1936 above Thirteenth Lake by Frank Hooper, whose garnet mine on the hill closed in 1929, has rooms in the original Log House, the Tea House and the Birches cottages. In winter it grooms 50 kilometers of cross-country ski trails, and the Siamese Ponds Wilderness starts at the lake.
Why Stay in North River
- •Garnet Hill grooms 50 kilometers of cross-country ski trails, and the lodge sits above Thirteenth Lake.
- •Thirteenth Lake and the Siamese Ponds Wilderness are quiet and less visited than the High Peaks.
- •Gore Mountain is about 15 minutes away, so a day can combine downhill skiing at Gore with cross-country skiing at Garnet Hill.
What Makes This Area Interesting
- •Gore Mountain: about 15 minutes east; a mid-sized ski area with more than 100 trails.
- •Hudson River Gorge: access points east of North River; local outfitters run Class IV-V rafting trips May–October.
- •Thirteenth Lake: below Garnet Hill Lodge; access to the Siamese Ponds Wilderness.
Frequently Asked
Winter for skiing at Garnet Hill, usually December through March. Summer for hiking, paddling Thirteenth Lake and rafting the Hudson Gorge, and fall for foliage.
About 3.5 to 4 hours from the George Washington Bridge via I-87 North to Exit 23, then Route 28 west.
Garnet Hill Lodge grooms 50 kilometers of trails for classic and skate skiing. Conditions depend on natural snow, which is usually reliable from January through March.