Coin Operated Binoculars - top of the Whiteface Memorial Highway

Not your typical automotive experience!

Open Daily!

How many other roads lead you straight to the summit of a 4,867′ mountain, with breathtaking views stretching across the wild Adirondack landscape and into Vermont and Canada? Nowhere else is the beauty and scale of the Adirondack Park so striking and so easily reached. Rising over 2,300 feet in just five miles from the Toll House, the paved Whiteface Veterans’ Memorial Highway offers a truly unforgettable journey.
Please note: All traffic must stop at the Toll House, including Whiteface Veterans’ Memorial Highway Bicycle Season Passholders.

At the summit, discover a few things you don’t usually find atop a mountain: a castle built from native stone, a restaurant and gift shop, and even an elevator carved deep into the mountain itself. And of course, take in the unforgettable 360-degree panoramic views, some of the most spectacular in the Northeast. A trip to the Adirondacks isn’t complete without a ride to the top!

Fuel up at the 4610′ Café with gourmet rustic fare prepared by our talented chefs, then stop into the Castle Gift Shop for locally inspired gifts and souvenirs to remember your journey.

New for Summer 2025
Looking for a more relaxed way to reach the summit? Try our new shuttle service, running daily from the Whiteface Base Lodge to the summit castle. With low pricing and the convenience of leaving your vehicle behind, it’s the easiest way to enjoy the drive without doing the driving. Learn more on our shuttle info page.

Closing date: October 13, 2025
For the latest updates on summit elevator status and all summer operations, visit our conditions page.

GPS Address:
Whiteface Veterans’ Memorial Highway
646 Route 431, Wilmington, NY 12997

*Please note: The temperatures are at least 10 degrees colder at the summit than at the base. Sweatshirts or jackets are recommended.

**Please note: Trailers and campers are not permitted on the highway. RV access is allowed but subject to availability.**

Schedule

SUMMER - HOURS OF OPERATION

ACTIVITYOpenHours
Cloudsplitter Gondola RidesOpen Daily8:30am-5:30pm
Nature HikesOpen Daily10:30am
Disc GolfOpen Daily8:30am-5:30pm
Whiteface Veterans' Memorial HighwayOpen Daily8:45am-5:30pm
Maple Smoke BBQ Food TruckOpen Daily10:30am-5:00pm
4610’ CafeOpen Daily10:30am-4:00pm
Brookside Apparel Gift ShopOpen Daily8:30am-6:00pm
Castle Gift ShopOpen Daily8:45am-6:00pm

Rates

Whiteface Veterans' Memorial Highway RatesAddCost
Vehicle & Driver$25
+ 2nd passenger$20
+Each additional passenger $10
Motorcycle $25
+ 2nd motorcycle passenger$20
Military/Veteran*$10
Bicycle**$15
Hiker / Pedestrian$10
6 & underFree
Bicycle Season Pass$65

*Military discounts are offered to the following:
All Active US Military– including Army, Navy Air Force, Marines, and Coast Guard and their dependents
US Military Veterans -Discount applies to veterans only, dependents not included
Members of the US Reserves & National Guard, dependents not included
Active Canadian Military

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

 

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 1935 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′ Café

The highest restaurant in New York, the 4610′ Café 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 Castle Gift Shop that will provide lasting memories of your Adirondack vacation.

4610' Café »

Group Information

Group trips up the Veterans’ Memorial Highway are available by appointment only for groups of 20 or more people. Please fill out the form below for more information, rates, and to make a group reservation. Reservations are required for all groups and must be made at least 48 hours prior to the groups’ arrival.

  • Group Information Request

    Thank you for considering a group trip to Whiteface Mountain. Please complete the form below and we will be back in touch.

  • Please provide the following contact information

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* It is very important to come on time as there are other groups at the mountain! If you are running late please call the mountain and let us know so that we can do our best to accommodate you.

Whiteface Summit Shuttle

Take the ride of a lifetime, without having to drive.

New for this summer, we’re offering a scenic shuttle service from the base of the slopes to the top of the mountain via the iconic Whiteface Veterans’ Memorial Highway. Let us do the driving while you sit back, relax, and enjoy the stunning views on a journey that climbs over 3,300 vertical feet, all the way to the summit area of New York’s fifth-highest peak.

This unforgettable 30-minute ride travels up the 8-mile-long historic highway, a route originally dedicated in 1935 by President Franklin D. Roosevelt. As you wind past alpine meadows and expansive Adirondack vistas, your destination awaits: the upper parking area just below the summit. From there, you will have the ability to explore the incredible high-elevation landscape.

Buy Now >>

Highway Shuttle Schedule 

Leave Whiteface Base AreaArrive at SummitLeave SummitArrive at Whiteface Base Area
8:15am8:45am10:15am10:45am
9:30am10:00am11:45am12:15pm
11:00am11:45am1:45pm2:15pm
1:00pm1:45pm3:15pm3:45pm
2:30pm3:15pm4:45pm5:15pm

Shuttle Rates
Ages 6 & UnderFreeOnly available at the base lodge
Ages 7 & Up$15Only available at the base lodge

Guests can:

  • Take in panoramic views stretching as far as Vermont and Canada on clear days.
  • Climb the stone staircase to the summit for that true “top of the world” feeling.
  • Ride the elevator through the heart of the mountain, a unique and accessible alternative to hiking.
  • Visit the castle, a striking stone structure built from granite excavated during the road’s original construction!

After your summit trip, our shuttle will bring you back down to the base in time for your next adventure!

Shuttle Info

  • Round-trip service from the Whiteface Base Lodge to the summit area
  • Ride time: ~30 minutes each way
  • Operates:
    • Daily: June 27 – September 1
    • Friday-Sunday: September5 – October 13 (open Monday, October 13)
    • Service will be closed on July 20 (Ironman), Sept 27–28 (Oktoberfest), and Oct 3–5 (UCI)
  • Capacity: 12 guests per shuttle (please call for larger groups)
  • Booking online in advance is recommended as capacities are limited and will sell out quickly
  • The bus will not be stopping along the way up unless for emergencies
  • Weather and conditions apply
  • Highway Shuttle service is NOT included in the Lake Placid Legacy Sites Passport
  • Shuttle departs and returns from the Whiteface Ski Center Base Lodge 5021 NYS Route 86, Wilmington, NY 12997