With its pristine lakes, endless forest-covered mountains and rushing rivers, the Adirondacks offer some of the most magnificent scenery in the Eastern United States. At six million acres, Adirondack State Park is the largest protected wilderness area in America, covering one third of New York State. Scattered among its cool mountain lakes and majestic peaks are charming villages where the visitor can choose from the most rustic backpacking, camping, and canoeing adventures to elegant lodging, dining and antique shopping. With so much ground to cover, let's look at some of the attractions in the very center of the Adirondack Park.
Adirondack Wild Region
Entering the Park on Rt. 28, from the Rome, Utica area, we drive north by the Adirondack Scenic Railroad, where train rides are available through many and various wild areas of the Park. From there we pass so many lakes they are merely numbered, taking us into the Adirondack Wild Region which is in the middle of the Park. This the least touristy part of the park, and the least populated, with no major hotel chains, but with the most wild area and a must destination for nature lovers (There is not even one traffic light in the entire county). Campgrounds and cabins are scattered all along Rt. 28, and most are rustic, but first class accommodations can be found at the Great Camp Sagamore on Raquette Lake, which was built by the Vanderbilts in 1901, and is open to the public. Next stop is Blue Mountain Lake, site of the Adirondack Museum, a huge complex that has an amazing historical boat collection and gives a history of life in the Adirondacks. Taking Rt. 30 out of Blue Mountain Lake we head north to Tupper Lake.
Adirondack Lakes Region
Tupper Lake is in the Adirondack Lakes Region, and is home to the recently opened The Wild Center. This Natural History Museum of the Adirondacks is an amazing state-of-the-art nature museum, offering an eye-popping maze of huge aquariums showing the fish and aquatic wildlife of the north woods; everything from insects and frogs to wood ducks and otters. Take Rt. 3 toward the Saranac Lakes, stopping at Ampersand Mountain for a relatively easy day hike to the top, where spectacular views of the Saranac Lakes are afforded from its rocky vista. Across the street is a short trail that leads to a fine white sand beach along the shore of Middle Saranac Lake, a favorite swimming site. Don't forget to visit the fabulous art galleries in the charming Village of Saranac Lake. You can stay at Cochran's Cabins just outside the village on Kiwassa Lake for affordable lodging in typical rustic Adirondack cabins. Don't forget to say hello to Lany, their friendly black lab. And finally, no visit to the Adirondacks can be complete without a visit to the cosmopolitan village of Lake Placid, home to the Olympic Park, and offering the discerning tourist a delightful shopping experience in the heart of the mountains.
Visit the Adirondacks any Time of the Year
A year-round vacationer's delight, summer is the best time for camping, hiking and boating in the Adirondacks, while the most picturesque time is from the middle of September through October when the leaves are changing. Winter in the Adirondacks offers some of the best downhill and cross-country skiing anywhere, with over 13 major ski areas. Here is a great site telling How to get there from almost anywhere. The reader may also enjoy Camping in the Saranac Lake Area of Adirondack Park and Touring the Natural Wonders of the Ithaca, New York Area.
Michael Winston - Author of 4 exciting historical fiction novels that depict various aspects of the American Revolution: "Independent Action" and "Uprising" ...
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