North Elba Supports Accessibility at Heart Lake 

January 2, 2024 — Lake Placid, NY — The Town of North Elba has awarded ADK (Adirondack Mountain Club) a $14,400 grant from the Local Enhancement & Advancement Fund (LEAF) to build an accessible lean-to at the Wilderness Campground at Heart Lake. 

Welcoming over 18,000 guests every year, the Wilderness Campground is part of ADK’s Heart Lake Program Center, which hosts the High Peaks Information Center, Adirondak Loj, and the busiest trailhead in the Adirondack Park. The accessible lean-to project is part of a larger initiative to improve accessibility for guests and visitors to the property.  

For the last five years, ADK has redesigned and built numerous facilities to better support visitors, including redesigning the High Peaks Information Center in 2018, building an ADA-accessible washhouse in 2019, and opening two accessible tenting sites earlier this year. Planning is also underway to build an accessible trail loop around Heart Lake, which will provide on-property recreation opportunities for visitors staying in these sites. 

“We thank the Town of North Elba for supporting this important accessibility project,” said Michael Barrett, ADK Executive Director. “Accessible camp sites extend the benefits of nature to individuals of all abilities and stages of life. This work is emblematic of our century-long commitment to connecting people to New York’s public lands and waters.” 

Learn more about ADK’s overnight accommodations at ADK.org/locations.