Origin
Essex, NY
Morning in Essex on Sunday
Local time
10:42 AM
EDT
Current temp
40°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Essex, NY to Lake Placid, NY
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 10m
Distance
42.9 mi
69 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$7
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 5m
★
6 AM
1h 11m
8 AM
1h 22m
10 AM
1h 15m
12 PM
1h 14m
3 PM
1h 15m
5 PM
1h 21m
8 PM
1h 7m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Essex, NY
Wikimedia Commons
Lake Placid, NY
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Essex, NY to Lake Placid, NY is 42.9 miles and takes about 1 hour 10 minutes via State Highway 9N and State Highway 73, with a fuel budget near $7 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip takes you through the Northeast region of New York, offering a straightforward drive. It's a relatively short journey, making it ideal for a single-day excursion without feeling rushed. You'll primarily be on state highways, so expect a more local feel compared to a major interstate.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| State Highway 9N | 16.2 mi | 23m |
| State Highway 73 | 7.2 mi | 10m |
| Cascade Road | 6.4 mi | 9m |
| State Highway 22 | 4.7 mi | 6m |
| Youngs Road | 2.6 mi | 10m |
| Station Road | 1.9 mi | 2m |
| Station Street | 1.4 mi | 2m |
| Water Street | 1.1 mi | 2m |
Longest stretch:
State Highway 9N
— 16.2 mi, about 23m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Essex, NY and Lake Placid, NY.
1
Start on NY 22
1.4 mi
·
2 min
·
Station Street
2
Continue on NY 22
1.1 mi
·
1 min
·
Station Road
3
Turn slight left onto NY 22
1.3 mi
·
1 min
·
State Highway 9N
4
Turn straight onto NY 22
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
Station Road
5
Continue on NY 22
4.7 mi
·
6 min
·
State Highway 22
6
Turn slight right onto CR 8
0.1 mi
·
16 sec
·
Elizabethtown-Wadhams Road
7
Turn left onto CR 59
2.6 mi
·
10 min
·
Youngs Road
8
At end of road, turn right onto NY 9N
4.0 mi
·
5 min
·
State Highway 9N
9
Turn right onto NY 9N
0.4 mi
·
39 sec
·
River Street
10
Continue on Water Street
1.1 mi
·
2 min
·
Water Street
11
At end of road, turn right onto NY 9N
0.2 mi
·
17 sec
·
Route 9N
12
Continue on NY 9N
9.0 mi
·
12 min
·
State Highway 9N
13
At end of road, turn right onto NY 9N; NY 73
1.8 mi
·
3 min
·
State Highway 9N
14
Keep slight left at fork onto NY 73
7.2 mi
·
10 min
·
State Highway 73
15
Continue on NY 73
6.4 mi
·
9 min
·
Cascade Road
16
Continue on NY 73
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
Sentinel Road
17
Turn left onto Mill Pond Drive
326 ft
·
9 sec
·
Mill Pond Drive
18
Turn right onto Colden Avenue
302 ft
·
15 sec
·
Colden Avenue
19
Turn right onto Spring Street
369 ft
·
16 sec
·
Spring Street
20
Arrive at destination
Spring Street
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
21 mi into the route
Best for: Lunch, fuel, and a longer reset
This sits close to the middle of the route, so it works well for the longest stop of the day.
Pacing Suggestions
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 42.9 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 21.5 miles from Essex, NY, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 85 decision points cluster between mile 12 and 42.8 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
12 mi into trip
|
~24m in
|
NY 9N / State Highway 9N
At end of road, turn right onto NY 9N / State Highway 9N
Navigation decision point
4
17.5 mi into trip
|
~33m in
|
NY 9N / Route 9N
At end of road, turn right onto NY 9N / Route 9N
Navigation decision point
5
26.8 mi into trip
|
~46m in
|
NY 9N; NY 73 / State Highway 9N
At end of road, turn right onto NY 9N; NY 73 / State Highway 9N
Navigation decision point
4
28.6 mi into trip
|
~49m in
|
NY 73 / State Highway 73
Keep slight left at fork onto NY 73 / State Highway 73
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
4
42.8 mi into trip
|
~1h 10m in
|
Colden Avenue
Turn right onto Colden Avenue
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$7.06 one way
$14.12 round trip
$4.18/gal
25.4 MPG avg
15 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.52 | $7.64 | $15.27 |
| premium | $4.92 | $8.31 | $16.63 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $9.47 | $18.94 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$7
Estimated CO2 emission: 15 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 12.9 | 0 | $4.50 | $2.06 |
| Efficient EV | 10.7 | 0 | $3.75 | $1.72 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 17.2 | 0 | $6.01 | $2.75 |
Gas CO2
15 kg
EV CO2
5 kg (67% less)
This trip is well within single-charge range for most EVs. No charging stops needed if you start fully charged.
DC fast charging avg $0.35/kWh. Home charging avg $0.16/kWh. US grid CO2: 0.39 kg/kWh.
Travel Intel
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Destination
Lake Placid, NY
Morning in Lake Placid on Sunday
Local time
10:42 AM
EDT
Current temp
32°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
35°F
Keene, NY
21 mi in
Time zone
Same local time
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
8 degrees cooler at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
1h 10m on the road
Use the two city cards together: check the sky where you start, then compare it with the local time and temperature at arrival.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
What kind of drive is this?
This route is mostly a highway-focused drive, with 66% of it utilizing major roadways. You'll encounter a longest stretch of 16.2 miles on State Highway 9N, offering a good opportunity to settle into a steady pace. As you progress, you'll transition onto State Highway 73 and then Cascade Road, providing a mix of highway driving and more localized road experiences. The character of the drive is generally open, allowing for consistent travel.
66% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
20 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 16.2 mi on State Highway 9N.
How Hard Is This Drive?
5/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on State Highway 9N and State Highway 73. You will hit about 8 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 12 miles in near NY 9N / State Highway 9N.
Driving Effort
5/10
Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 42.9 miles you will encounter 8 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 12 miles (NY 9N / State Highway 9N): Navigation decision point; at 17.5 miles (NY 9N / Route 9N): Navigation decision point; at 26.8 miles (NY 9N; NY 73 / State Highway 9N): Navigation decision point.
About the Cities
Arriving in Lake Placid, NY
Full guide →For the city in Florida, see Lake Placid (Florida). Lake Placid is a village of 2,400 people (2019) in the Adirondack Mountains in Essex County, New York, near the center of the town of North Elba and named after an adjacent lake. While the village is a year-round resort, it is most known as the site of the 1932 and 1980 Winter Olympics. In a 1980 USA-USSR hockey game, the "Miracle on Ice," a group of American college students and amateurs upset the heavily-favored Soviet national ice hockey team 4-3. Two days later, they won the gold medal. Lake Placid hosts a Winter Olympics summer training facility where one can watch sports like ski jumping, aerial jumping and figure skating. The town is charming and fun for the outdoorsy and/or adventure-spirited.
Top landmarks
- • Mt. Van Hoevenberg Olympic Bobsled Run
- • Lake Placid Winter Olympic Museum — in Lake Placid, New York
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 10m. Total distance: 42.9 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 10m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (66%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 16.2 miles on State Highway 9N. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes. At under 2 hours behind the wheel, this works well for families — plan one quick stop if you have younger kids.
The main spots that need attention: at 12 miles (NY 9N / State Highway 9N): Navigation decision point; at 17.5 miles (NY 9N / Route 9N): Navigation decision point; at 26.8 miles (NY 9N; NY 73 / State Highway 9N): Navigation decision point.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Lake Placid, NY before heading back.
How this page is built
Compiled by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy from open government datasets — OSRM over OpenStreetMap for geometry, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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