Located in New York’s Adirondack Park a mile upstream from Whiteface Mountain,  Ausable Lodge and Otter Chalet sit on 60 secluded acres of birch and conifer forest, with nearly half a  mile of waterfront along an easy-moving, swimmable stretch of the West Branch of the Ausable River, where the river opens out into Lake Everest. The Ausable River has been described as perhaps the best river for Brown Trout in the Northeast.

Pine Hill Cabin, set back from the Whiteface Memorial Drive, the road which leads to the top of Whiteface Mountain, is an immaculately rebuilt cabin on 19 acres, with three bedrooms, a stone fireplace, screen porch, cable TV, cable modem for internet access, DVD, entertainment center, microwave, barbecue, dishwasher, washer-dryer, and a lovely yard bordered by a babbling brook. Pine Hill combines coziness and privacy, and is about two miles from the Whiteface Mountain ski center, and within walking distance of Lake Everest, and the restaurants and shops in Wilmington. In July and August, Pine Hill Cabin rents from Sunday-to-Sunday only.

Brookside Cottage is an adorable three bedroom house, only a mile from the Whiteface ski center and Lake Everest beach, featuring a cozy brick fireplace for chilly evenings and a large front porch for lazy Summer afternoons. The spacious backyard has a campfire ideal for roasting marshmallows, or telling spooky stories while the shadows from the surrounding, towering pines dance around the firelight. A stream meanders through the back of the yard, providing exploring and discovery opportunities for the kids. Brookside has Cable TV and a cable modem for Internet access. In July and August, Brookside Cottage rents from Saturday-to-Saturday only.

Mountain View Loj is a five bedroom Loj on ten acres along the East Branch of the Ausable River with great views of the Jay Range.  Rustic elegance is the theme, as Mountain View Loj provides a spacious kitchen with granite counters and over-sized fridge, a dining room wrapped by a detailed Adirondack wildlife-themed mural, pine-panelled bedrooms, each with two shelved closets, a  livingroom with a fireplace and glass-fronted wood stove, and an entertainment room with high-speed internet access for the kids. Add an outdoor campfire pit, a spacious deck with mountain views, and a five-person hot tub with the same views, for those apres-ski get togethers, and you're at Mountain View Loj. In July and August, Mountain View Lodge rents from Saturday-to-Saturday only.

Chickadee Lodge,  Two miles from Whiteface Mountain, and 15 minutes from Lake Placid, the delightfully rustic Chickadee Lodge sits on a gently sloped, wooded hillside facing Whiteface Mountain. Three Bedrooms, two full baths, great views and a fleet of bird feeders among lovely rolling gardens, make Chickadee Lodge a great vacation getaway for large families planning an active outdoor vacation, and quality time together in a rustic and open-space designed family lodge.

Ausable Lodge is the home base for the 60 acre Wildlife Refuge and Rehabilitation center. Here your family can walk the one mile interpretive nature trail, see Owls, Hawks and other birds of prey recovering in our rehab center, and meet Cree, the refuge's mascot wolf.  The lodge provides canoes and kayaks for use on Lake Everest by guests of any of our Cabins, Lodges, Chalets or Cottages.

Ausable Lodge and Otter Chalet enjoy unimpeded views of mountains, while the property includes an official New York State DEC Fishing Preserve within its Northern boundary, a hiking trail suitable for kids and adults, and a lovely Adirondack meadow, suitable for picnics or snow football, and surrounded by towering white pines. Ausable Lodge and Otter Chalet are less than three miles driving from Whiteface Mountain, and within 10 miles of Lake Placid, the Olympic village, and the Adirondack High Peaks Region.

Canoe or kayak up and down the beautiful Ausable River, swim, fish for your dinner, or just sit back and observe as the local natural inhabitants play, browse, pursue and earn survival. We’ve seen Eagle, Hawk, Owl, Osprey, Loon, Heron, Merganser, Hummingbird, Pileated Woodpecker, Ermine, Bobcat, Fox,  Coyote, Black Bear, Mink, Beaver, Porcupine, Deer, and Otter on Lodge property, but the only people you'll see are folks paddling by in canoes and kayaks. Canoe into shallow water sloughs and channels on both sides of the river, where your kids will delight in seeing beaver, otter, frogs, painted turtles and herons. 

Hike any of the hundreds of trails in the region, mountain-bike, snow-shoe, cross-country ski up and down the river in front of the houses, downhill ski at Whiteface (or ride the gondola up with your mountain bike in the Summer), take fly fishing lessons from Kevin and the gang at the Ausable River  Sport Shop, or just drive around and take in the incomparable beauty of Autumn in New York's Adirondack Mountains.

In the evening, relax around the campfire outside, take in the stars, listen to the Wilmington Riverside rock & country concerts every Thursday night within 2 miles of the Lodge, or go into Lake Placid for dining and entertainment. This is a place to get away from it all, to rebuild, regroup, and face your busy lives with a renewed perspective.

For those of you who are new to the Adirondacks, prepare to discover what we learned long ago (and we’ve hiked in parks all over the US, Canada and Alaska). There is no lovelier place in the world to vacation than the Adirondack Mountains: the Adirondacks has it all. 
 

Comments from the Warners, Recent Guests (June 00)
"Just wanted to let you know how much we enjoyed Ausable Lodge.  We spent lots of time fishing, relaxing by the fire, and enjoying the local attractions.  What a beautiful view!  We predicted the weather for the day by whether or not we could see the top of Whiteface in the mornings! One of the highlights was one evening when we were canoeing and followed a beaver for about 50 yards.  He was just swimming along, about 10 feet from the canoe, and all of a sudden, he slapped the water and dove away. We all four laughed out loud!  It was great, he actually splashed us!  The baby ducks were a big hit with the kids too, and Ethan caught more little trout than we could keep track of!  Thanks so much for sharing your home with us, we really enjoyed our stay."