A lakeside view
A map with lots of water bodies
A winter xc ski trail
Someone sitting in a lean-to in the winter
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44.133403, -74.915182
Janacks Landing
Location:
South Shore Road, Cranberry Lake
Additional Info:
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Janacks Landing is a great, mostly flat hike to a remote lean-to on Dead Creek Flow in the Five Ponds Wilderness Area. This location is named after John Janack, who owned a camp here and manned the nearby firetower on Cat Mountain until 1934 (no longer there). 

Key takeaways

  • Distance: 6.1 miles round trip
  • Elevation gain: 270 feet
  • Hike includes trail junctions, bridges, and water crossings

Hiking to Janacks Landing

The trail starts out to be rather mellow following an old railroad grade (no ties) for quite some distance; only small gentle hills will bring you to the shore of Cranberry Lake at Dead Creek Flow. You will make your way around Dead Creek Flow on another section of easy trail, with only a couple additional rolling hills to hike. A major left at the intersection just about 2.8 miles in will bring you to Janacks Landing. Heading left you will cross a long board walk and hike slightly uphill to the lean-to. If you decide to do this trail as an overnight, consider checking out the trail to Cat Mountain.

    Janacks Landing in the winter

    Cross-country skiing Janacks Landing in the winter can be a big adventure for those with experience backcountry skiing. Only attempt this ski if you are prepared for all winter conditions and are comfortable navigating backcountry hills on cross-country skis. Consider doing a winter overnight at the lean-to if you have experience.

    Skiing over a frozen body of water is a cross-country skiing past time; it can access you to areas not seen by most in the summer. With that being said it is a dangerous activity to cross frozen water bodies and should be done with care and respect for your environment. Know the ice conditions and be prepared for anything including heavy winds, snow drifts, whiteouts, slushy conditions, and thin ice. This is all good to keep in mind if you decide to cross the southern arm of Cranberry Lake to save on mileage.

    Discover more trails near Tupper Lake

    Does Janacks Landing sound amazing, but a little more than you want to tackle right now? No need to stress, with endless mountains, lakes, and waterfalls to visit in the Adirondacks, we are sure we can help you discover a trail that’s just right!

    How to get there

    From the intersection of Route 3 and Route 30 in the Village of Tupper Lake follow Route 3 toward Cranberry Lake. Follow Route 3 for 33.4 miles to CR61 (Wanakena Road) on the left. Follow here and stay straight on the main road to South Shore Road. Follow South Shore Road for around 0.75 miles to the trailhead parking on the right.

    A lakeside view
    A map with lots of water bodies
    A winter xc ski trail
    Someone sitting in a lean-to in the winter
    PDF Attachments
    Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Thu, 03/27/2025 - 11:00