Wilmington Winter Guide to Adirondacks NY

Wilmington, NY is the hub of the Whiteface Region and the perfect jumping off point for all of your Wilmington winter adventures in the Adirondacks!  At Adirondack Premier Properties, our forever agents live in and enjoy the communities where they live and work.  Read our Wilmington Winter Guide for insider info on how to make the most of your winter adventures in this awesome mountain town!

Events – Wilmington Winter Guide

Santa Sunday At Whiteface – December 10th

It’s the holiday season! Dress up like Santa on Sunday December 10th and ski for free at Whiteface. Enjoy a festive day with friends and family skiing or snowboarding as Santa and Mrs. Claus! Group run at 11 am.

Empire State Winter Games – February 1st – 4th

Cheer on some of the best amateur talent in New York at the Empire State Winter Games. Stop by Whiteface to view athletes competing in Adaptive Alpine, Alpine NYSSRA U16 & U19 Skiing, Freestyle Moguls and Ski and Snowboard Cross.

Solar Eclipse View At Whiteface – April 8th

Whiteface is offering a viewing party for the total solar eclipse.  Don’t miss this rare event that only happens in the same location once in every 400 years! A truly once in a lifetime opportunity, partial eclipse begins at 2:13 pm and total eclipse event will last until 4:37 pm.

Activities – Wilmington Winter Guide

Skiing and Snowboarding

The jewel of Wilmington, Whiteface Mountain features the largest vertical in the East! From Olympians to beginners, skiers and snowboarders eat up the challenge that the mountain brings and keep coming back for more.

The mountain continues to expand and grow. This year’s newest addition is a lift from Bear Den Learning Center Lodge to Mid Station on the Main Mountain. This new lift allows developing skiers to build their confidence without having to push their limits too quickly at the top of the mountain.  Don’t miss out on the fun! Visit Whiteface on your next Wilmington winter adventure!

Snowshoeing

Another option to explore the Adirondacks is snowshoeing! Wilmington winter trails offer wonderful options for new and seasoned snowshoers. Some adventures to check out on your snowshoes are:

• Flume Trails – Generally a flat trail system with a steady hill toward the end. Brings you to a 180 degree vista of the Ausable Valley and Whiteface Region.
• Marble Mountain – A 5.4 mile round trip hike off the side of Whiteface Mountain. A longer trail but not overly strenuous with a steady incline leading to a short 200 foot spur trail that takes you to a stunning view.
• Silver Lake Mountain – A hidden gem right outside of Wilmington! The trailhead is just off Silver Lake Road and is a 1.8 mile round trip hike. A little more demanding than Flume Trails and Marble Mountain, but worth the effort!

Cross Country And Backcountry Skiing

While Wilmington is more known for Whiteface Mountain and downhill skiing, there are opportunities for cross country and back country skiing as well. Some areas to check out are:

• Cooper Kiln Pond
• Owen, Copperas and Winch Ponds
• Flume Trails

Santa’s Workshop

It’s the holiday season year-round at Santa’s Workshop!  Come to the North Pole, the perfect gathering place for family and friends to get in the festive spirit and explore the holiday village at Santa’s Workshop. Open weekends until December 17 from 10 am – 3:30 pm. If want to enjoy the magic of holiday lights, Village of Lights events run 4:30 – 8:30 pm until December 23rd.

Eats – Wilmington Winter Guide

Breakfast

Country Bear

5830 NY-86, Wilmington NY  |   Friday – Tuesday 7am – 1pm

Adirondack style breakfast perfect for your day of adventures around the Wilmington Area. Try the amazing French Toast that is thick cut with local maple syrup and eggs. Reasonable prices and good food at this cash only business make it worth a stop!

Adirondack Mountain Coffee

8 Artos Way, Upper Jay NY 12987 |  Tuesday – Sunday 7am – 2pm  

Enjoy a tasty breakfast or lunch at this local favorite!  Coffee roasted on site, and fresh baked goods daily.

Lunch

Little Supermarket

5794 NY-86, Wilmington NY   |  Monday – Friday 6am – 9pm  |  Saturday & Sunday 7am – 9pm

This might look like only a gas station from the outside, but it offers one of the best delis in the area. Sandwiches are stacked high, perfect to fill you up during your hike or outdoor adventure. Even better, this has almost everything a supermarket offers from meat to bread and even regional craft beer to finish off your day. This is a stop every local and visitor makes!

Up A Creek Restaurant

5545 NY- 86  Wilmington, NY  | Wednesday – Saturday 7:30 am – 7:30 pm  |  Sunday 7 am – 1 pm

Whether you are looking for breakfast, lunch or dinner, Up A Creek is always worth the stop. Start your morning off with a diner style breakfast featuring all of your favorites. During lunch, enjoy a variety of  sandwiches, soups and burgers. If you are looking to grab something on the go, they even have bagged lunches in the store.  Dinner can have some amazing options too with specials including prime rib, venison bread bowls and lobster mac and cheese!

NewVida Bistro and Market

6394 NY-86 Jay, NY   | Breakfast Bar 8 am – 11 am daily  |  Lunch Bistro Thursday – Sunday 11 am – 3pm  | Craft Bar 3 pm – 10 pm

Burritos, bowls and bagels feature on NewVida Bistro and Market’s menu. Whether you are looking for a hearty breakfast burrito to start your day or a rice bowl to keep it going, NewVida is a stop you will not want to miss. Additionally, their craft bar is open Thursday thru Sunday with a tapas menu. Thursday and Sunday happy hour to enjoy wonderful craft cocktails and beers.  Friday or Saturday live music on occasion also!

Dinner

Rudy’s Scar Bar & Grille

788 Springfield Road, Wilmington NY   |  Friday – Tuesday 4pm – 10pm

An Adirondack spin off from Rudy’s Lakeside Drive-In in Oswego, NY! This pub specializes in some of the best fried haddock, Texas Hots (Chili Dogs) and Burgers! Along with their great food, they offer Live Music most Saturdays from 7pm – 10pm.

Hungry Trout / RF McDougalls Pub

5239 NY-86, Wilmington NY

A Wilmington classic, the Hungry Trout Restaurant and RF McDougalls Pub. Hungry Trout is upstairs while RF McDougalls is below, sitting on 1500 feet on river frontage on the west Branch of the Ausable river!

Hungry Trout Hours:  Wednesday – Saturday 5pm – 9pm

The Hungry Trout is noted to be one of finest Adirondack experiences diners could have. A higher end experience offering multiple styles of preparation on trout as well as some of your classic favorites from a bone-in ribeye to Duck A L’Orange.

RF McDougalls Pub Hours: Wednesday – Saturday 4pm – 8pm

RF McDougalls Pub is a little bit more a laid-back experience offering all your pub favorites. Pretzels, Onion Petals, Wings, Soups, Sandwiches, Burgers and Pizza can all be found on the menu. This is a perfect way to end your day of Wilmington winter adventuring!

Twisted Raven

8 Whiteface Memorial Hwy, Wilmington NY

Wednesday 4-8pm | Thursday & Friday 4-9pm |  Saturday 12-9pm  |  Sunday 12-8pm

Sitting at the foot of Whiteface Mountain, Twisted Raven offers a diverse selection of craft beers, burgers, dogs and BBQ. They even have live music occasionally!

Ice Jam Inn & Restaurant

12134 NY 9N,  Jay,NY  |  Wednesday – Sunday 3pm – 8pm

Newly opened, the Ice Jam Inn is a local favorite! The Ice Jam Inn offers burgers and “sammies” (sandwiches) as well as mussels and other entrees. This restaurant also has some plant-based alternatives!

Wilmington winter and the Adirondacks has so much to offer both locals and visitors alike.  If you are looking to change homes, move into the area, or rent a property for your vacation, give one of our Adirondack Premier Properties agents a call today!