At six million acres, New York’s Adirondack Park is the size of Vermont, and larger than all of New Jersey. A unique mix of state and private property that encompasses mountains, wilderness areas and lakes, the park draws more than 12 million visitors annually who want to hike, paddle, explore and more.
I’m one of them. I’ve vacationed in the park for the past 16 years, appreciating its wild beauty more each time I visit. But as much as I love notching climbs to the top of the park’s “High Peaks” — the 46 mountains, near the popular town of Lake Placid, that rise above 4,000 feet — I have experienced crowds, trail erosion and the need for parking reservations. Even with the park’s size — 10 distinct regions and 20 wilderness areas lie within its borders — many visitors don’t venture far from the park’s population centers.
In my travels, I’ve come to discover that seeking out some of less-known spots in the Adirondacks is both a treat and an assist to the park’s sustainability. There’s nothing more authentic than paddling an under-the-radar waterway, or hiking up a little-known mountain to enjoy unfettered views at the top without having to share the granite.
“The quieter parts of the park are untouched,” said Jane Hooper, communications manager for the area’s Regional Office of Sustainable Tourism. “You can find solitude and a real connection with nature. That’s why we love it.”
If you are Adirondacks curious, I recommend you try my quieter approach to the experience, by visiting one of the park’s less-visited counties.
Hamilton County
The state’s least populated county is full of serene beauty, outdoor activities and one-of-a-kind attractions. A jumping-off point could be Blue Mountain Lake, offering both a mountain at an attainable 3,750 feet, and a lake, complete with a boat livery, which has rented boats since 1908. If you’re looking for lodging, there’s Prospect Point, the modern-day version of the first hotel in the world to provide electricity to every room. Weeklong stays in the resort’s 13 cottages begin at $1,600.
Blue Mountain Lake is also home to a unique museum. “The very first place I send people is to the Adirondack Experience Museum,” Ms. Hooper said. “You can learn the area history and get a better understanding of why this park is such a destination.”
Hamilton County also offers opportunities to tour some of the park’s “great camps.” When the industrialists found their way to the Adirondacks in the late 1800s, they set up their own lakeside compounds in which to leisure away the summer. Today, you can stay at “Pine Knot,” on Raquette Lake (weekly rate beginning at $2,800), or the nearby Great Camp Sagamore. This one-time Vanderbilt family retreat is now a National Historic Landmark and offers daily tours for $20. Weeklong stays begin at around $1,500.
Other towns and spots worth a visit include Inlet, on Fourth Lake; Speculator on Lake Pleasant and nearby Sacandaga Lake; and Long Lake, featuring the Mt. Sabattis Recreation Area.
I’ve come to love Hamilton County, staying at the unplugged Timberlock Resort on Indian Lake with its 16 cabins and eight “tentlets” that line the lakeshore and dot the surrounding forest. Amenities like stand-up paddleboards, kayaks and tennis courts are there for the taking, and the staff prepares three filling meals each day. Weekly rates begin at $1,785 for a cabin.
Franklin County
Franklin County lies within the High Peaks Wilderness Complex, but is generally a more tranquil experience than Lake Placid, which draws the throngs to its Olympic attractions. Here the village of Saranac Lake serves as the county’s center, with the renovated Hotel Saranac a big attraction. There are also plenty of quiet trails and waterways.
You might start at the Paul Smith’s Visitor Interpretive Center, which offers 25 miles of gentle trails meandering through brooks and marshland. It’s also chock-full of facts about the surrounding region’s ecology, birds and other wildlife, and organizes scheduled activities like musical performances and birding tours.
If you’re looking to bag a high peak, Seward Mountain, at 4,361 feet, is a lesser-known yet still challenging choice compared to Whiteface, Mount Marcy and other famous climbs in the region.
If you’d like to get away from the crowds while on the water, Shane Holmes, an Adirondacks resident and the I.T. coordinator at the Adirondack Experience Museum, recommends the St. Regis Canoe Area.
The area comprises a pristine 18,400-acre spread of ponds and lakes, and a good starting point for boaters is Little Clear Pond.
“You can paddle from one body of water to the next, and find primitive camping, too,” Mr. Holmes said.
Traveling with younger children? Make sure to visit the 150-acre Wild Center in Tupper Lake, which serves as part museum, part nature center and wild playground. With both inside and outside exhibits, there’s something for everyone, but especially children under the age of 12. Adult tickets run $23 and youth tickets $13, though children under 4 are free.
Warren County
According to some accounts, the Adirondacks has 3,000 lakes and ponds, and more than 30,000 miles of rivers and streams. In Warren County, the popular 33-square-mile Lake George is a far cry from uncrowded and peaceful — but if you’re a water lover, there’s much more to explore. Consider North Creek, for starters, which features the Siamese Ponds Wilderness Area. Here you’ll find over 70 miles of trails, remote lakes and ponds.
Anglers can find plenty of trout, bass, perch and pike in Warren County, and hot spots include Schroon River, Starbuckville Dam, Loon Lake and streams in the Pharaoh Lake Wilderness.
With so much flowing water in this part of the park — it’s the southern terminus of the Upper Hudson River — Warren County is also white-water rafting territory. Multiple times each week, the town of North Creek opens its dam to release a rush of water that transports adventurers in a downstream thrill ride. Several outfitters offer daylong trips, including Square Eddy and North Creek Rafting Company, that cost around $115 per person.
The mountains in Warren County are smaller than in other areas of the park, but there are plenty with views and fun activities: The ski resort Gore Mountain operates its chair lifts and gondolas, and offers its trails for mountain biking all summer, beginning at $24.
Off the beaten path, in other regions
While the most well-known challenge in the Adirondacks is becoming a “46er” by climbing all the high peaks, the “Fire Tower Challenge” is a fun alternative. From 1909 to around 1970, the state constructed the towers so that fire watchers could spot fires early, before they had a chance to spread.
Now there are 27 fire towers that offer 360-degree views. Many are far away from the high peaks, in spots like Hamilton County’s Snowy Mountain, which clocks in just 11 feet shy of a High Peak. Or consider Goodnow Mountain’s tower in Newcomb, providing an expansive vista of surrounding lakes and mountains, or Lyon Mountain’s fire tower in Clinton County, sitting at 3,830 feet.
There’s also the option to take on a really big “thru-hike” — or break it up into smaller sections — on the Northville-Placid Trail, a 138-mile trail that celebrates its 100-year anniversary this year, passing through towns and wilderness.
You don’t have to go it alone, either. The park has a long history of guided tours — one of which is Hamlets to Huts. The founders, Joe Dadey and Jack Drury, designed the organization to lead people from remote town to remote town via hikes, mountain bikes and kayaks. The Westport-Willsboro Farm and Forest hiking trip, for instance, lasts six days, costs $1,895 per person and includes lodging, meals and luggage transportation.
If getting on the water is more your style, consider a paddling challenge, like one of the three offered on Saranac Lake, Schroon Lake or Tupper Lake. There are 11 different routes available, complete with logistics mapping and launch sites to guide you. Schroon Lake is the newest of the three, and each paddle in its challenge is about nine miles round trip.
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