A High Peaks view from Heaven Hill’s Orchard Loop trail. (Provided photo — Diane Chase)

There is something magical about a first snow. The problem is we’ve had quite a few days of first snowfall through November, followed by the rest of the elements. It’s as if Mother Nature was menopausal and making sure everyone else needed to experience a few hot flashes. We’ve done the snow dance with everyone else. Perhaps this “first snow” is here to stay.

I need to get outside after working, cleaning house and running errands. Walking the Heaven Hill trail system in Lake Placid is the perfect remedy. We don’t plan on skiing so we only pack up the microspikes since we weren’t sure of the trail conditions.

The 5-mile trail system is set up similarly to nearby Henry’s Woods trails, also located on Bear Cub Lane. Both trail systems are owned and maintained by the Henry Uihlein II and Mildred A. Uihlein Foundation as community preserves “for the benefit of residents and visitors.” Both preserves are also dog-friendly for those dogs that are friendly and dog owners that are considerate. Plenty of compostable dog waste bags are near the trail map, in case the pup owner isn’t carrying one.

There are four trail options to choose from: the 1.4-mile Bear Cub Loop (green trail markers), the 0.9-mile Big Field Loop (blue trail markers), the 1.5-mile Old Orchard Loop (orange trail markers) and the 1.2-mile Maple Loop (red trail markers). We combine the Old Orchard and Big Field loops for a longer walk.

There is snow, but not enough to warrant using spikes. There is one set of ski tracks near the tree line where there is more snow, so we stay on the packed-down walking trail. We don’t want to ruin the ski trail with our footsteps. We start on the Big Field Connector trail and transition to the Old Orchard loop. The trails are primarily flat terrain, leading from wooded paths to open fields. The Old Orchard trails’ southern view of the High Peaks is foggy, but we can see glimpses of Dix Mountain as the clouds occasionally lift. We find a few spur trails with names like Curran’s Corner and Big Rock. After completing the Orchard Loop, we continue to complete the Big Field Loop, which transitions from a wooded walk to open views of the Olympic ski jumps and the High Peaks in the distance.

Heaven Hill Trails are on Bear Cub Lane in Lake Placid. From Old Military Road, turn onto Bear Cub Lane and drive 2.1 miles. The parking area is on the right. A complete trail map is available at the trail entrance. Enjoy!