Mirror Lake is right in the centre of the village, a small Adirondack lake with a 5-kilometre shoreline path that most visitors walk within their first hour. In summer, the lake is warm enough for swimming, and the public beach on the northern shore is the social centre of the village. In winter, when the lake freezes, skating is possible on the natural ice.
The lake gives the village its quality of light — the reflections off the water create a particular brightness that has made the surrounding Main Street consistently photogenic. Morning is the best time for the classic photograph: Mirror Lake reflecting the village buildings and the mountains behind with no wind to disturb the surface. The walk around the lake takes about an hour and is easy, flat, and suitable for all ages.