Drives New York The Adirondacks and the North Country
Highway 3: Tupper Lake to Cranberry Lake
NY 3 · Tupper Lake → Cranberry Lake
The drive
Highway 3 west of Tupper Lake is part of the Olympic Trail, and it's one of the emptiest stretches of road in the northern Adirondacks. It leaves the village of Tupper Lake and heads west through forest, crossing the Raquette River country near Piercefield Flow, a wide, dammed stretch of the river that's popular with paddlers and anglers.
Past Piercefield the road rolls on through woods with long gaps between buildings, then reaches the hamlet of Cranberry Lake on the north shore of the lake it's named for. Cranberry Lake is the third largest lake in the Adirondack Park, after Lake George and Great Sacandaga Lake, and the state owns about three quarters of its shoreline, so most of what you see across the water is wild.
From Cranberry Lake, Highway 3 carries on west toward Watertown.
Along the way
- Tupper Lake
- Cranberry Lake
Good to know
- There are long gaps between towns on this stretch; fill up in Tupper Lake.
- Deer and moose are most active from October through December and at dawn and dusk, New York's DMV and DEC warn.
- There's a state boat launch on Highway 3 by the Cranberry Lake outlet dam.
Open all year, weather permitting. Roads close for snow, fire, storms and repairs: before you set off, check 511NY.
Questions about this drive
How long is the drive from Tupper Lake to Cranberry Lake?
Highway 3 from Tupper Lake to Cranberry Lake is 25.3 miles and takes about 30 minutes.
How big is Cranberry Lake?
Cranberry Lake, at the end of this Highway 3 drive, covers about 7,000 acres and is the third largest lake in the Adirondack Park, after Lake George and Great Sacandaga Lake.
Is Highway 3 from Tupper Lake to Cranberry Lake part of a scenic byway?
Yes. Much of Highway 3 through the Adirondack Park, including this stretch, is part of the Olympic Trail scenic byway.
Is Highway 3 to Cranberry Lake a curvy road?
Not really. Highway 3 from Tupper Lake to Cranberry Lake has gentle curves and rolling grades, with about 1,200 feet of climbing.
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More drives near here
Distance, time, elevation, curves and intensity are from Carve's route. Checked 2026-10-28.