Charming Panther Cottage on Upper Saranac Lake

We are a family of 4 and are avid outdoors people. My first experience in the Adirondacks was hiking the high peaks and cross country skiing. My husband came here for rock/ice climbing and back-country skiing.

When we had our kids, we introduced them to downhill skiing at Whiteface and moved on to canoe/camp adventures. It seems there is not a portage that we have not endured nor a black fly we haven't personally encountered! Through the years our kids have also developed a deep love of these beautiful places.

Sailing,kayaking and cross country skiing are new family passions. We intend to bring our catamaran up from NJ to explore the many miles of Upper Saranac - the truly best lake in the region. We are miserable fisherman as a whole, but intend to try anew off our boat dock. One can only hope that the fish of Saranac are less intelligent than the many others that have avoided us over the years.

When we saw this cottage we knew that we had found a gem too good to pass up. We intend to partially retire here and have decided to share it with select guests until that happy day arrives.

This location is ideal for several reasons. The Saranac chain of lakes is the best place to be because you can enjoy 17 miles of paddling with only one portage (!).

Secondly, the hiking is outstanding. Located within 30 minutes of the cottage are trails to Haystack, Scarface, Baker, Panther and Ampersand mountains.

Third, there are a lot of options for both downhill and cross country skiing. Local downhill/tubing resorts include Big Tupper, Titus and Mt. Pisgah. World renowned Whiteface is 45 minutes away. Cross country trails from Saranac and Lake Clear include the Horse Trail complex to Rat, Bone and Fish pond and Moose Pond trails. Out of Tupper are the Cold River Horse Trail System. From the Paul Smiths area is the Hayes Brook Trail, St Regis and Fish Ponds ski, the Jack Rabbit Trail and groomed trails at the Paul Smiths Visitors Center. Lastly, groomed trails can be found at the Mt Van Hoevenberg and Cascade Ski Centers further afield in Lake Placid.

Lastly, the cottage is private but not isolated. A scenic 30 minute drive puts you into the center of Saranac Lake where you will find restaurants, bars, churches, galleries, grocery stores, a golf club and a theatre. A 15 minute drive in the opposite direction will put you in Tupper Lake where there is a movie theatre and regional museum The Wild Center, which is well worth a visit.

There has been a cottage on this spot for over 20 years. The structure you see today was built in 1995 and renovated and expanded in 2008. Lucky for us, it's location has been grandfathered in making it the only cottage that is situated directly on the lake. It is a piece of paradise.

We are still furnishing the home so check back to find updated photos. We will have new porch furniture, a swimming platform and a new gas grill installed before the first rental.