Elizabethtown: US 9, NY 9N: Essex County's Seat

Elizabethtown is a small town, but it has some basic amenities, including an array of new car dealerships and the ubiquitous Tops Supermarket (the successors to the late Grand Union). There is also a public golf course in the center of town, Cobble Hill and the Adirondack History Center Museum & Colonial Gardens. E-town is Essex County's seat. It is located on the crossroads of US 9 and NY 9N. In bad weather, sometimes it's preferable to us NY 9N to get to Keene, Whiteface and Lake Placid instead of good old NY 73 cause it's an easier, less hilly route to the high peaks. Otherwise, it is a beautiful place, surrounded by mountains and streams and well worth a stop.

NY 9N, from the Northway at Exit 31 to Keene, NY 73 via Elizabethtown is a good, hard weather bypass to lower NY 73. NY 9N is a more modern route and has a very gentle grade and curves, but beware of the big downhill from Baxter Mountain west to NY 73. This route will bypass Keene Valley and Saint Huberts. US 9 south towards North Hudson and the High Peaks is a great ride. But BEWARE on the bends and hills in Split Rock, about 3 miles north of junction NY 73, the road is tight and winter maintainance is poorer on this stretch from E-town to NY 73.