Coin Operated Binoculars - top of the Whiteface Memorial Highway

Not your typical automotive experience!

The Veterans’ Memorial Highway is closed for the 2022 summer/fall season. See you summer 2023!

Driving up to the top of Whiteface along the Veterans’ Memorial Highway—New York’s fifth-highest peak at 4,867’—isn’t your typical automotive experience.

How many other roads do you know that lead you directly to the summit of a mountain, with gorgeous views spanning hundreds of miles of wildland reaching as far as Vermont and Canada? Nowhere else is the beauty and vastness of the Adirondack Park so apparent and so easily accessible. The paved road rises over 2,300 feet in five miles from the Toll House.

At the summit, there are a few things you don’t often find atop a peak: a castle built from native stone, a restaurant and gift shop, an elevator carved deep inside the mountain top itself, and a truly spectacular 360-degree, panoramic view of unparalleled beauty.

A visit to the Adirondacks is not complete without a drive to the top!

For the most up-to-date info on the elevator at the summit and all Whiteface summer operations please check our conditions page.

Conditions »

 

Schedule

ActivityClosing Day
Whiteface Veterans’ Memorial HighwayClosed for the season
4610′ GrilleClosed for the season
Castle Gift ShopClosed for the season
Whiteface Veterans' Memorial Highway RatesAddCost
Vehicle & Driver$20
Add 1 Passenger
+$20
Each 3-8 Passengers
+$10
Motorcycle + Driver$20
Add Motorcycle Passenger+$20
Bicycle$15
Hiker / Pedestrian$10
6 & underFree
Bicycle Season Pass$60

*Please note that cyclists are allowed up until 4:45 pm. The Summit is wheelchair accessible via the elevator, when in operation.

**Times and dates are subject to change.

 

 

 

Before Arrival

Please review the information below in advance of your visit. We will keep this page regularly updated with helpful information; please note details are subject to change without notice. We can’t wait to see you on the mountain!

Please know all our safety precautions before your visit, check out our safety page.

Health & Safety » Conditions »

History

Pre-dating the ski area by about 20 years, the road to the summit was dedicated by Gov. Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1929 and opened in 1936 by President Franklin D. Roosevelt. “This is a tribute from the citizens of the state of New York which would be appreciated by those fallen comrades of ours who served their state and their nation so well. It is fitting that we should dedicate it in their names. It will stand as a tribute to them through all the centuries to come.” (Dedication Address, September 1935). The elevator, Castle and Summit House were completed three years later. In 1985 New York State Governor Mario Cuomo rededicated the Whiteface Memorial Highway to veterans of all wars. Natural wildflowers grow roadside, serving as a living museum of forest ecology, all of which is built upon the over one billion-year-old Anorthosite bedrock boulders. Along the way up are nine designated spots where you are encouraged to stop, enjoy the views, and discover more about the mountain surroundings from the posted information signs.

The Toll House Area

An alpine-style gatehouse constructed in 1934 and Lake Stevens—a small, pristine pond—gives the Highway its picturesque start. Named for 1932 Olympian bobsledder Hubert Stevens, Lake Stevens is stocked annually to provide fishing opportunities—particularly for children and visitors with disabilities—through its scenic beauty and picnic areas ought to be enjoyed by all. The Lake Stevens Tree Trail offers a self-guided, 10-minute walk around the pond, where you’ll find many species of trees native to the northern Adirondacks.

Dining

4610′ Grill

The highest Food Truck in New York, 4610′ Grill offers all your favorites in the spectacular scenery, situated at the amazing elevation of 4,610 feet, savor the gourmet rustic cuisine our talented chefs have prepared for you. While you’re there grab, souvenirs and gifts from the Olympic Sites that will provide lasting memories of your Adirondack vacation.

4610' Grill »