Edinburg offers peaceful lake life in the foothills of the Adirondacks
Edinburg is a town that spans the forested Adirondack Mountain foothills on either side of Great Sacandaga Lake. Historic schoolhouses and new construction lake houses pop up throughout the countryside in this pocket of Saratoga County. Far from the bustle of the Capital Region, Edinburg is a quieter part of Adirondack Park for those looking for a second home in the wilderness. But with an active local historical society, rustic mom and pop restaurants and proximity to busier rural city centers, the town is convenient to enough hiking trails, docks and seasonal festivals to bring you out to the lake year-round.
Home styles and price ranges from cabins to lakefront builds
“In Edinburg, you’re in the middle of the woods if you’re not on the lake,” says David Ioele, broker and owner at Gateway Realty Solutions, who’s served Saratoga, Fulton and Montgomery counties for 8 years. There are many small log cabins in Edinburg, but buyers will also find bungalows, ranch-style homes and contemporary cabins. You might look for houses on quarter-acre lots or on several woodsy acres with backyard docks on Great Sacandaga Lake. Inland homes may come with deeded permits to lake access points. Move-in-ready homes off the water range from the upper $100,000s to the upper $300,000s. Houses built on the water since the 2010s sell from the lower $1 millions to the lower $2 millions. Older waterfront homes range from the lower $700,000s to around $1.4 million. Buyers also look for undeveloped land. Prices for roughly half-acre lots start at about $40,000, but hundreds of mountainous acres can sell for $600,000.
Edinburg’s median single-family home price is in the upper $200,000s. That’s higher than the nearby lakefront town of Mayfield, but on par with other nearby communities like Broadalbin.
Recreation on Great Sacandaga Lake and the greater Adirondack Park
The Batchelorville Bridge connects Edinburg’s two halves, placing Great Sacandaga Lake literally at the center of life here. People on both sides of the water launch boats and cast fishing lines into the water, whether from backyard docks or private businesses like Edinburg Marina & Powersports. On one side of the lake, you can pack a lunch, swim and take the boat out from the Sacandaga Lake Picnic Place. Snowmobile trails fill the woods on the other side of the water. Many daytrip-worthy Adirondack Park destinations surround Edinburg, from the nearby trailhead for the Northville-Lake Placid Trail to the more distant Gore Mountain ski resort.
Ready for driving and recreation for Adirondack winters
“There’s lots of winter activity if you like it. A lot of towns have winter carnivals,” Ioele says. "If you like winter, it’s a winter wonderland. Municipalities are good about clearing the roads, but potholes do get insane after the snow melts.” Whether you love snowmobile season or are waiting for spring, you can expect snow and freezing temperatures that often last from October through May.
Connecting seasonal residents to each other and local history
Edinburg appeals to people looking for a quiet place to enjoy nature, especially retirees. While some people live in Edinburg year-round, far more live in lakefront cabins part-time. No matter how long you stick around town, there are plenty of ways to connect with your neighbors and local history. The Edinburg Historical Society’s volunteers help run a couple of small museums, often venues for family-friendly events like fall festivals and winter holiday bazaars. A few locally owned restaurants, including Four Corners Diner and the South Shore Dive, offer places to meet up for homestyle meals or a drink with friends.
Driving to Adirondack Park cities and the Capital Region
Edinburg is a quiet, rural area, so you’ll need to drive for most city services, healthcare and major employers. You can do grocery shopping or go out to eat in neighboring Northville. Larger cities and job hubs are farther away in Fulton County and the Capital Region, including:
- Gloversville, 20 miles away
- Johnstown, 25 miles away
- Saratoga Springs, 25 miles away
- Albany, 55 miles away
Small, rural schools in and around Edinburg
Around 50 students attend Edinburg Common School for prekindergarten through sixth grade. Once they're older, kids can go to Northville Common School, another small, rural school that will serve them through graduation.
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Written By
Julia Szymanski
