Ausable Chasm has its own campground, which changes the maths on a chasm visit considerably. Instead of driving up, walking the rim, and driving back, you can stay on site and do the whole thing across two unhurried days — and for a family, unhurried is usually the difference between a good trip and a long one.
Fast facts
| Where | Keeseville, Clinton County |
|---|---|
| From Albany | About 2 hr 30 |
| From Lake Placid | About 45 min |
That last row is the whole page. Whether campground guests get chasm admission included, or discounted, or pay full price, decides whether this is good value. Confirm it before publishing.
Is it worth it over staying elsewhere
| Ausable Chasm campground | Lake Placid hotel | |
|---|---|---|
| Cost per night | — | Higher |
| Distance to chasm | On site | 45 min |
| Other things nearby | Fewer | Olympic sites, Whiteface, Mirror Lake |
| Weather-proof | No | Yes |
| Best for | Chasm-focused trip, campers | A full Adirondack week |
If the chasm is the trip, camp. If it’s one stop in a longer Adirondack week, base in Lake Placid and drive over.
Where to Stay in Lake Placid With Kids
The chasm itself
The walkway route is manageable for most walking children. There are also rafting and tubing options through the bottom of the gorge, which have their own age and size minimums.
Things to Do in the Adirondacks With Kids
What to know before booking
- It’s a real campground, not a resort.
- Book early for July and August
- Blackflies are a genuine factor in late May and June across the Adirondacks. Bring repellent.
- Cell service is unreliable in the area.
Where to stay if you’d rather not camp
FAQ
Camping sorted. What fills the days?
Every DEC campground, sorted by how far you’ll drive
All fifty state campgrounds inside the Adirondack and Catskill forest preserves. Each one is matched against the nearest state park with a playground, because the thing you want to know on a wet afternoon is whether there is somewhere to take the kids within half an hour. Thirty-seven of the fifty have nothing within twenty-five miles — the filter will show you which.