How to Make AMR Reservations: A Step-by-Step Guide

The best hiking in New York is in the Adirondacks!  But whether you are looking to become a 46er or are just looking for amazing views, you will probably encounter the (Adirondack Mountain Reserve) AMR Reservations system.  

Don’t be scared!  The reservations are free and easy to get!

But the website isn’t the clearest about how to make a reservation.

So instead of struggling and clicking around the website hoping for the best, follow my step-by-step guide below!

But first, let’s start with a few basics about the AMR area.  

Important Links

AMR Website

Frequently Asked Questions – From AMR website

Visit the Adirondacks

Hiking Indian Head in the Adirondacks

Location

Let’s start with the basics, where is the parking lot for the AMR trails?  In short, the parking lot is here.  But you can only park here with an AMR Reservation.  

This area is a bit of a hike (pun intended) for most people.  But trust me, it’s worth it!  The AMR parking lot is 5 hours from NYC, 5 hours from Boston, MA and 2 hours south of Montreal, Quebec.  While all of these distances are a bit far for just a day trip, you’ll probably want to consider a weekend or long weekend to hike in the AMR.  

What is AMR?

AMR stands for Adirondack Mountain Reserve and it is a private piece of property within the Adirondacks.  This 7,000 acre section of the Adirondacks is home to many beautiful mountains and as of 2021, requires a parking reservation.  

Why You Need a Reservation

AMR Reservations were introduced in 2021 and have been required ever since.  But why? 

In short, overcrowding.  

Too many people and cars were clogging up the roads near the trailheads.  Not only is this unsafe for the hikers, but it’s also unsafe for the drivers along Route 73 who were forced to navigate the hikers who parked along the road.  

Because of the limited, safe, parking, there are only 70 reservations released each day.  Each reservation is good for 8 people, so in theory, there could be up to 560 hikers in the area.  

If you are parked illegally, you could be ticketed or towed at your own expense.  And if you show up without a reservation, you will be directed to a different hiking area nearby.  

Fees

Good news!  In a world with constant unexpected fees, the AMR reservations for parking are FREE!  Yes, you read that correctly, don’t pass out.  It is free to reserve and park in the parking lot.   

How to Get Your Reservations?

AMR Reservations are released on hikeamr.org 2 weeks ahead of the date you want to hike there and are released on a rolling basis.  The weekends “sell” out very quickly in the summer, but the weekdays are available longer and usually up to the day before.  

If you can, I highly suggest getting a reservation and hiking on a weekday.

But how do you get these reservations?  Let’s jump to a step-by-step!

Step-by-Step Guide

Now that you know how much it costs (Free) and where to get them, let’s look at some screenshots.  

Step 1:  Create an account

While it seem counterintuitive to create an account before you even know what you’re signing up for, this is your first step to secure an AMR Reservation.

Step 2: Fill out all the information and hit submit

Just a few basic questions will get you started. Then hit sumbit.

Step 3: You will receive an email.  From the link provided, reset your password.  

Once you hit submit, you will get an email shortly with a link. Once you are at that link, reset your password. You will get an automated email asking if it was you who reset your password, and you can ignore that.

Step 4: Go to the login page (Top right hand corner) and Log in

Once you have your password, go log in and get started.

Step 5: Click on “New Parking Reservation”

You will be welcomed and can click on the “New Parking Reservation” button.

Step 6: Scroll Down, Pick your Date, and then Select the Time you would like

From here, scroll down. You will then pick the date you are looking to go hiking. You can choose up to 2 weeks in advance. And then you can select a time slot that works for you. These do sell out (mostly on the weekends), so be quick!

Step 7: Fill out the required information (Party Size, The Desired Hike, etc.)

The biggest thing is to make sure you are selecting the correct number of people in your party.

Step 8: You will receive an email confirming all of these details, and then another email 2 days before you are due to use it.  

These emails are automated and you can cancel your reservation up to 24 hours ahead of time if you do not need your reservation anymore.

Step 9: Show up on the day you chose for your reservation and have an amazing time hiking!

The beauty in the AMR section of the Adirondacks is indescribable and you will not be disappointed!

Hikes That Require a Reservation

There are many trails that require AMR Reservations in order to park and access them.  There are even several of the famous 46ers within this list.  So if you are an aspiring 46er (summiting all 46 mountains that are over 4000 feet within the park) you will need to make these reservations several times.  

Here are the hikes that are accessible primarily through AMR Gates

• Dial (46er)
• Nippletop (46er)
• Bears Den
• Blake (46er)
• Colvin (46er)
• Indian Head and Fish Hawk Cliffs
• Pinnacle
• Rainbow Falls
• Beaver Meadow Falls
• Cathedral Rocks
• Bear Run

Below are a few additional trails accessible from AMR land.  But these mountains can be reached via other parking lots/trailheads as well.  

• Saddleback (46er)
• Basin (46er)
• Haystack (46er)
• Lower Wolfjaw (46er)
• Upper Wolfjaw (46er)
• Armstrong (46er)
• Sawteeth (46er)
• Gothics (46er)

Conclusion

Regardless of where you are hiking in the AMR area, you will need to make AMR Reservations in order to park at the trailhead. These reservations are free of charge and help to prevent overcrowding on the trails and at the trailhead.

The step-by-step guide can be used by anyone who wants to hike in the AMR area. Whether it is for a famous 46er mountain, or to just to see the beautiful waterfalls or rivers.

As always, feel free to reach out to averagewildexperience@gmail.com to ask any questions or if you need help planning a trip!

Happy Hiking!