Harrietstown spans several Adirondack communities
Harrietsown covers several beautiful and tourist-friendly villages in Adirondack Park, a scenic and mountainous New York region less than 60 miles south of the Canadian border. Harrietstown itself is widely regarded more as a governing body than a singular community, and hamlets and villages within the town include Lake Clear, Lake Colby and most of Saranac Lake. “We don’t usually talk about a place being in Harrietstown other than when we write a contract,” says Chase Jermano, local resident and Realtor at Tina Leonard Real Estate. He notes that most buyers look at smaller communities within the town, and Saranac Lake – one of the region’s “Tri-Lakes” – is the most notable.
A largely rural area with Saranac Lake as a real estate hot spot
Much of the land area in Harrietstown is very rural, with country roads winding through dense forest. The majority of properties that sell in Harrietstown are in the Saranac Lake area. Properties here typically sell for between $200,000 and $660,000, though prices can range greatly, from under $100,000 to several million dollars. Popular styles include historic cottages and Queen Annes, ranch-style houses and Adirondack Architecture, which incorporates natural elements and large windows. Similar styles are also found throughout the woods and around other bodies of water in Harrietstown. The area has a CAP Index Crime Score of 1, much lower than the national average of 4.
Year-round outdoor recreation on lakes and mountains
Scenic bike rides through the 34-mile Adirondack Rail Trail, paddling and fishing on Lake Flower, and hikes up Baker Mountain are just a few of the opportunities for outdoor fun in Harrietstown. “It doesn’t take much of a drive to escape the light pollution where the stars consume the sky. One of our favorite things when it comes to paddling is going out on a calm lake or pond in the middle of the night where the stars eat up the water and it feels like the sky is right at your fingertips,” Jermano says.
The area has outdoor activities throughout the year. For instance, Dewey Mountain Recreation Center has snowshoeing and cross-country skiing in the winter, as well as biking and disc golf through the warmer months. For Jermano, though, fall is the best season. “In the fall, we get all the different colors of leaves. I noticed when living out west, all the trees would be yellow. And in Vermont, it’s all green. Here, you get the reds, yellows, oranges, all the different colors,” he says.
Independently owned restaurants and shops in downtown Saranac Lake
Downtown Saranac Lake has the area's largest concentration of shopping and dining. Locals can start their day with a cappuccino and avocado toast at the trendy Origin Coffee Co. or have a night out with drinks and burgers at Bitters & Bones. Downtown also has quirky, locally owned shops like The Book Nook and the Village Mercantile, selling handcrafted items and gifts. Residents throughout Harrietstown also drive into Saranac Lake to shop at Aldi and Dollar General.
The Saranac Lake Winter Carnival has 10 days of frozen fun
The region has events year-round, but the Saranac Lake Winter Carnival is a signature celebration that embraces the area’s cold, snowy months. Each year, volunteers come together to create the carnival’s centerpiece, the ice palace, cutting ice blocks with chainsaws and stacking blocks with a crane. The 10-day event has a fireworks show behind the palace; cross-country skiing, snowshoeing and curling competitions; snowmobile rides; and more winter-themed activities and performances.
Kids in Harrietstown attend the Saranac Lake Central School District
Students living in the area are typically zoned for either Bloomingdale Elementary School or Petrova Elementary School, which both earn B-minus ratings from Niche. They continue to B-minus-rated Saranac Lake Middle School and B-plus-rated Saranac Lake High School. Students at the high school can participate in winter sports teams including skiing and ice hockey or join music ensembles including the concert choir and band.
Locals can expect to drive through snowy conditions
Harrietstown is about 60 miles south of the Canadian border and 110 miles from Montreal. Plattsburgh, New York, is 50 miles northeast. With an average annual snowfall of 108 inches, winding roads and mountainous terrain, some residents opt for four-wheel or all-wheel drive vehicles with snow tires to drive in some conditions. The Adirondack Regional Airport, which offers flights to Boston Logan and John F. Kennedy International airports, is in Harrietstown and serves the region. Adirondack Medical Center is also in the town, bordering Lake Colby.
Written By
Faith Wakefield
