How far is Lake Placid, NY from North Pole, NY?

The driving distance from Lake Placid, NY to North Pole, NY is about 13.9 miles (22.4 km), with a travel time of about 00h 22m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 10.6 miles (17.1 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 00h 44m of driving time before adding stops, traffic, or weather delays.
  • A comfortable departure window is usually 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM EST.
Trip Tools

Reverse, save, or send this route

This is an easy same-day return drive. Copy the route link, send it to another device, or print a clean version before you head out.

Reverse Route
Quick Snapshot
Road
13.94 mi
00h 22m
Flight
10.64 mi
17.13 km direct

This is an easy same-day return drive.

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Lake Placid.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
10.64 mi
Kilometers
17.13 km
Flight Time
00h 01m

Driving Distance

Road route
13.94 mi
Kilometers
22.43 km
Drive Time
00h 22m

Gas Cost Calculator

Leave and Arrive Planner

Pick a departure time to see your estimated arrival and same-day return window.

Drive time stays fixed at 00h 22m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in North Pole
Sat, Nov 7, 12:20 PM EST
Return by in Lake Placid
Sat, Nov 7, 12:42 PM EST
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Lake Placid
2026-11-07T11:57
Arrive North Pole
Sat, Nov 7, 12:20 PM EST
Route Timing
00h 22m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
7:00 AM to 7:00 PM EST
Leave when it suits your day
Arrive between
7:22 AM to 7:22 PM EST

This is a short drive, so your comfort window is wide. Traffic and current weather matter more than the clock.

Leave by
7:46 PM EST
Keeps a same-day return open with about 01h 30m at the destination.
Back in Lake Placid
10:00 PM EST
Flexible departure

This departure sits inside the recommended comfort window for the route.

Halfway Point

A useful midpoint for breaks, coffee, or meeting in the middle.

Mid-route stop
Wilmington
NY

Town in New York, USA

From Lake Placid
7 mi
00h 11m
To North Pole
7 mi
00h 11m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
50°F
Saturday

Light Rain

Starts
Sat, Nov 7 6:00 AM EST
Wind
3 mph NE
Destination
45°F
Saturday

Light Rain

Starts
Sat, Nov 7 6:00 AM EST
Wind
7 mph E

Driving Route Map

The map below follows the saved road route between Lake Placid and North Pole.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Lake Placid and North Pole.

  1. 1

    Start on Spring Street

    37 m · 7 sec · Spring Street

  2. 2

    Turn right onto Middle Street

    129 m · 20 sec · Middle Street

  3. 3

    Turn right onto McKinley Street

    90 m · 12 sec · McKinley Street

  4. 4

    Turn right onto Main Street

    657 ft · 21 sec · Main Street

  5. 5

    Continue on Wilmington Road

    794 ft · 13 sec · Wilmington Road

  6. 6

    Continue on State Highway 86

    11.9 mi · 18 min · State Highway 86

  7. 7

    Turn left onto Whiteface Mountain Veterans Memorial Highway

    1.6 mi · 3 min · Whiteface Mountain Veterans Memorial Highway

  8. 8

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · Whiteface Mountain Veterans Memorial Highway

Car Route Details

A richer read on the saved driving route between Lake Placid and North Pole.

OSRM road route
Drive Character

Turn-heavy local drive

The route has frequent decision points for its length, so lane choice and turn timing will matter more than cruising speed.

Directions
8 steps
4 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
0
0 merges, 0 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
57.6 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
State Highway 86
11.9 mi · 86%
Whiteface Mountain Veterans Memorial Highway
1.56 mi · 11%
Wilmington Road
0.15 mi · 1%
Main Street
0.12 mi · 1%
Middle Street
0.08 mi · 1%
McKinley Street
0.06 mi
Longest Stretch

State Highway 86

Continue on State Highway 86

11.9 mi · 00h 18m

Route Summary

A quick read on whether this route feels easy, ambitious, or worth planning around.

Trip Read

A short regional drive

This route is short enough to handle as a quick errand, commute, or easy same-day return without much planning overhead.

Drive Time
00h 22m
Quick drive
Same-Day Return
00h 44m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+3.3 mi
10.6 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Wilmington
00h 11m from Lake Placid
Leave By
7:46 PM EST
Flexible departure
Weather Watch

Light Rain leaving Lake Placid and Light Rain near North Pole.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

How long does it take to drive from Lake Placid to North Pole?

The road trip is about 13.9 miles (22.4 km) and usually takes 00h 22m in normal driving conditions.

Is this a same-day trip or an overnight route?

This route is short enough to handle as a quick errand, commute, or easy same-day return without much planning overhead.

What is the halfway point on this route?

Wilmington is a useful midpoint, sitting about 7 miles from Lake Placid and 7 miles from North Pole.

How much longer is the road route than the straight-line distance?

The direct path is about 10.6 miles (17.1 km), while the road route adds roughly 3.3 extra miles because roads do not follow the straight air line.

When is the best time to leave for this route?

A good departure window is usually 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM EST. If you want a more comfortable same-day return, try to leave by 7:46 PM EST.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $2.10 one way or $4.21 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 4.4 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Light Rain around Lake Placid and Light Rain near North Pole.

Stop Ideas Near Wilmington

Useful break, food, and waypoint ideas within about 15 miles of the route midpoint.

Mid-route Guidance
Local place coverage is thin around Wilmington, so nearby transit and meeting points are shown instead.
Reviewed stop coverage is still thin around this midpoint, so practical transit waypoints are shown on the right.

Transit and Meeting Points

Useful pickup, handoff, or rendezvous points close to Wilmington.

BUS

Lake Placid, New York

18 mi away
1 Mirror Lake Drive
RAIL

Port Kent station

36 mi away
Hwy 373 & Back Rd
RAIL

Westport station

37 mi away
Hwy 9N and Ledge Hill Rd
RAIL

Plattsburgh station

45 mi away
Bridge and Dock Sts.

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Lake Placid and North Pole. Straight-line distance: 10.64 mi (17.13 km).

Lake Placid

#1 Lake Placid

Town in Essex County, New York, United States

Population2,356
Coordinates44.2796200, -73.9819800
Altitude549
CountryUnited States
Photo coming soon

#2 North Pole

North Pole is a place in New York, United States.

Population0
Coordinates44.4008800, -73.8490300
Altitude522
CountryUnited States
Start: Lake Placid (-73.98198, 44.27962)
End: North Pole (-73.84903, 44.40088)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 22 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)00h 27m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)00h 20m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)00h 16m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)00h 13m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)00h 11m
80 mph (129 km/h)00h 10m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
0.49 gal
1.86 L · about $2.10
Round trip
$4.21
0.98 gal · 3.72 L
Estimated CO2
4.4 kg one way
Round trip: 8.7 kg / 19 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $4.29 $2.10 $4.21
Mid-grade $4.86 $2.38 $4.76
Premium $5.25 $2.57 $5.15
Diesel $6.46 $3.16 $6.33

Assumes 8.3 L/100 km (about 28.3 MPG). CO2 is an estimate and varies by vehicle, fuel blend, traffic, and terrain.

Prices in New York · Nov 07, 2026

There is no time difference between Lake Placid and North Pole. The current time is 11:57:57.

Distance to Other Cities

How did we calculate? Place names are translated into coordinates. The Haversine formula calculates straight-line distance; driving distance uses road network data.