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| New York State Route 86 | |
|---|---|
| State | NY |
| Type | NY |
| Route | 86 |
| Length mi | 37.06 |
| Established | 1930 |
| Direction a | West |
| Terminus a | US 9 at Paul Smiths |
| Direction b | East |
| Terminus b | US 9 at Jay |
| Counties | Franklin County, Clinton County, Essex County |
New York State Route 86 is an east–west state highway running through the eastern Adirondack Park in northern New York State, connecting Paul Smiths and Jay via Saranac Lake, Lake Placid, and Keene. The route traverses Franklin County, Clinton County, and Essex County and serves as a primary access corridor for Adirondack destinations, Adirondack Park communities, and seasonal tourism tied to Lake Placid and the Whiteface Mountain area.
NY 86 begins near Paul Smith's College and proceeds southward through forested terrain adjacent to Upper St. Regis Lake, passing near Huntington Wildlife Forest and the hamlet of Saranac Inn before entering Saranac Lake, where it intersects with NY 3 and NY 30. The highway continues southwest toward Lake Placid, skirting the shores of Mirror Lake and providing access to Olympic Center and the Lake Placid Olympic Museum complex. Beyond Lake Placid NY 86 ascends through the hamlet of Keene and climbs toward the Gore Mountain and Whiteface Mountain corridors, intersecting local roads serving Whiteface and the Mount Van Hoevenberg Olympic sites. The eastern terminus connects to US 9 in Jay, near access to High Falls Gorge and Ausable River recreational areas.
The corridor traces older travel routes used by Mohawk and Abenaki peoples and later by 19th-century tourism tied to hotels like the Hotel Saranac and the Adirondack Great Camps. Early 20th-century improvements were influenced by the rise of automobile tourism promoted by figures such as William Seward Webb and organizations like the Adirondack League Club. The designation was assigned during the 1930 renumbering of state highways that also affected NY 3 and NY 9N. Mid-20th-century federal programs including the Federal Aid Highway Act of 1956 funded resurfacing and realignments near Saranac Lake Airport and approaches to Lake Placid Airport. Later works paralleled initiatives by the New York State Department of Transportation and regional planners along with input from the Adirondack Park Agency to balance preservation with transportation needs. Winter use increased with hosting of the 1932 Winter Olympics and 1980 Winter Olympics events, prompting safety upgrades near Mount Van Hoevenberg and the Whiteface Mountain Memorial Highway corridor.
The route's primary junctions include its western connection with US 9 near Paul Smiths; the multiplex and intersections with NY 3 and NY 30 in Saranac Lake; the junctions providing access to CR 86 and NY 73 approaches to Lake Placid and Keene; and its eastern terminus at US 9 in Jay. Along the corridor, numerous town and county roads connect to attractions such as High Falls Gorge, Adirondack Carousel, and state trailheads serving Indian Head and Cascade Mountain.
NY 86 carries varied traffic, from local commuter volumes serving Saranac Lake residents to heavy seasonal tourist flows accessing Lake Placid venues like the Olympic Jumping Complex and Mount Van Hoevenberg. Peak summer and winter seasons draw traffic from regions served by I-87 and US 9, including visitors from Albany, Syracuse, and Montreal. The corridor also supports commercial deliveries to local businesses such as the Adirondack tourism economy, emergency services including the North Country EMS network, and recreational access for users traveling from LPD and SLK.
Maintenance responsibilities fall under the New York State Department of Transportation, coordinated with county highway departments and influenced by standards promoted by the Federal Highway Administration. Notable improvements have included pavement rehabilitation, snow-clearing operations coordinated with the NWS Albany office, guardrail upgrades funded by state transportation budgets, and bridge inspections following protocols of the National Bridge Inventory. Historic preservation concerns have involved the New York State Historic Preservation Office and local historical societies in Essex County and Franklin County, particularly near structures associated with the Adirondack Great Camps and early tourist hotels. Recent projects targeted pavement overlays, drainage upgrades, and multimodal enhancements to support Amtrak-linked transit connections where applicable and regional bus services by providers such as Trailways of New York.
Points along NY 86 include Paul Smith's College and its research forests, Saranac Lake institutions like the Saranac Lake Free Library and Saranac Laboratory Museum, Mirror Lake and the Olympic Center, the Lake Placid Olympic Museum, Whiteface Mountain and Whiteface Mountain Ski Center, Mount Van Hoevenberg Olympic trails, the historic Adirondack Great Camps such as Camp Santanoni, the Adirondack Experience region, and natural attractions like High Falls Gorge and the Ausable River. Recreational trailheads link to High Peaks including Mount Marcy and Algonquin Peak, while community cultural sites include the Lake Placid Center for the Arts, the John Brown Farm State Historic Site nearby, and seasonal events such as the Lake Placid Winter Carnival.