The Adirondack Mountains
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"The Northeast's last great wilderness."
Outdoor Magazine
"About 90% of all wilderness east of the Mississippi and north of
the Mason-Dixon Line lies in Adirondack Park, as do 2,800 ponds and
lakes, 1,500 miles of rivers, and 30,000 miles of brooks and streams."
Backpacker Magazine
"... enjoy the wealth of outdoor activities, including swimming and
boating, that make mountain life so special."
Country Living
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The
Adirondack Park,
located in northeastern New
York, USA, (map)
is a varied place of lush forests mirrored in thousands of ponds and lakes,
quiet wilderness trails, mountains with spectacular views, sparkling streams
and long, quiet waterways, rich timber producing lands, small communities nestled
in deep mountain valleys, and many resorts close to natural wonders.
They extend southward from
the St.
Lawrence River valley and Lake
Champlain to the Mohawk
River valley. The mountains are only sparsely settled, and much of the area
exists in a primitive natural state.
The heart of this great
park is its treasured public lands, the Forest Preserve, which was created by
an act of the Legislature in 1885. "The lands now or hereafter constituting
the Forest Preserve shall be forever kept as wild forest lands. They shall not
be sold, nor shall they be leased or taken by any person or corporation, public
or private."
In 1884 a "Blue Line" was
used to delineate a proposed park boundary. That Blue Line has been used to
delineate the Park since 1892 when the Adirondack Park was created to encompass
that portion of the Adirondacks which included the Forest Preserve and the intermixed
private lands. During the last 100 years, numerous purchases have increased
the Forest Preserve from the original 681,374 acres to its present 2.6 million
acres. The Blue Line, originally encompassing 2.8 million acres, now encircles
nearly six million acres, nearly 2.5 times the area of Yellowstone National
Park.
Although they are frequently
included in the Appalachian
Mountain system, the Adirondack Mountains are related geologically to the
great plateau of the Canadian
Shield. The Adirondacks were formed some one billion years ago and have
been subjected to hundreds of millions of years of erosion and glaciation, notably
the glaciations of the Pleistocene
Epoch (1,600,000 to 10,000 years ago). The Adirondacks region is circular
in outline, domelike in appearance, and covers more than 9,400 square miles
(24,300 square km). The region is made up of hundreds of peaks and foothills,
with more than 40 summits higher than 4,000 feet (1,200 metres); the tallest
are Mount Marcy, which is the highest point in the state at 5,344 feet (1,629
metres), and Algonquin Peak of Mount McIntyre at 5,114 feet (1,559 metres).
Although the peaks are primarily rounded in shape, several of the higher ones,
including Whiteface Mountain (4,867 feet [1,483 metres]), reveal bare rock walls
in vertical escarpments.
The Adirondack Mountains
are covered with spruce, hemlock, and pine forests
interspersed with hardwoods on the lower slopes; white-tailed deer and black
bear are the largest species of wildlife. The action of retreating glaciers
during the last Pleistocene Ice Age left the area covered by glacial till (intermingled
clay, sand, gravel, and boulders) and created the many spectacular gorges, waterfalls,
lakes, ponds, and swamps for which the region is noted. Some 2,300 lakes and
ponds dot the landscape. More than 31,000 miles (50,000 km) of rivers and streams
radiate from the upland region into the St.
Lawrence, Hudson,
and Mohawk
rivers and Lakes Ontario
and Champlain.
Summers in the Adirondacks are moderated by cool mountain breezes, and winters,
though cold, are mitigated by dry air and clear skies.
The name Adirondack is
derived from an Iroquois word meaning "eater of tree bark," a derisive
term bestowed by them upon a neighbouring Algonquin tribe. The French explorer
Samuel
de Champlain became the first European to sight the Adirondacks in 1609,
but the area resisted all but sparse settlement until the late 19th century.
In 1892 the New York state legislature created Adirondack Park, which has grown
over the years to nearly 9,400 square miles (24,300 square km), making it the
largest American state or national park outside of Alaska. The park covers almost
one-fifth of the state and is about the size of Vermont. The state-owned Adirondack
Forest Preserve now comprises some 3,900 square miles (10,100 square km) within
the park and is a popular tourist area. The majority of the land in Adirondack
Park, however, is privately owned and used for lumbering, agriculture, and recreation.
The mining of iron ore, graphite, and titanium has been replaced by the mining
of wollastonite (a form of calcium silicate) and garnet.
Numerous parks, private
resort villages, and state campsites in the Adirondacks provide facilities for
camping, swimming, hiking, and canoeing, especially around the Saranac River
and Lake
Placid. Winter sports include Olympic ski and bobsled runs at Lake Placid
and other sites, snowmobiling, and ice skating. Good highways provide access
to some parts of the region, but its more remote portions are accessible only
to hikers or canoeists. Historic landmarks in the area include Fort
Ticonderoga, Saratoga
National Historical Park, Lake
George, and Plattsburgh.
The Adirondack Museum, on a campus of exhibit buildings near Blue Mountain Lake,
houses relics of human activity in the mountains since colonial times.
Books
Adirondacks,
Views of An American Wilderness
by Carl Heilman
Hard (Softcover
also available)
Photographer Carl
Heilman captures the untouched essence of the Adirondacks in this book-from
its highest peaks to its foothills.
Hiking
New York (Falcon Guide)
by Rhonda Ostertag & George
Paperback
Hiking New York logs
hundreds of miles of trails with hike specifics like length, difficulty,
trailhead directions, and special attractions. Each detailed hike description
is accompanied by up-to-date and easy-to-use map.
More
books...
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Weather
Check the current weather
conditions for New York State.
Check out NY State's fall
foliage report or call the New York State Division of Tourism at (800)CALL-NYS.
(Guide to fall
foliage in the Adirondack region)
Things to do
Up coming
events in the the area.
News
Adirondack Daily Enterprise - The only daily newspaper published in the Adirondack Park.
Adirondack Explorer - A non-profit, bimonthly magazine devoted to the Adirondack Park.
Adirondack Express - From Old Forge, NY.
The Leader-Herald - From Gloversville, NY.
Lowville Journal and Republican - A weekly newspaper covering Lowville and Lewis County.
The Malone Telegram - Serves Northern Franklin County.
The Post-Star - Hometown Newspaper of the Adirondacks
Press-Republican - News for Clinton, Essex, and Franklin counties of northeastern New York.
Watertown Daily Times (subscription) - From Watertown, NY.
WNBZ - News and Information updated daily
for Saranac Lake, Lake Placid, Tupper Lake and Beyond.
Northern New York Historical Newspapers - Historical news from many newspapers.
Other Resources
A
brief history of the Adirondacks.
Geological
History of the Adirondacks.
Political history
of the Adirondacks
The Adirondack Museum
The Adirondack
Park Visitor Interpretive Centers - serving the Adirondack Park as environmental
education and traveler orientation centers.
All
about the Park
Family
camping itineraries
Backcountry
guidelines
Hiking
trail maps
and a lot more!
The Adirondack Mountain Club (ADK),
dedicated to the protection and responsible recreational use of the New York
Forest Preserve, parks and other wild lands and waters.
NYS DEC
High Peaks Unit Management Plan - Final Draft (722k)
- or download a WordPerfect
for Windows v 6.1 document (398K)
- For the map package that goes with this pack please call
518-897-1200.
Adirondack
Maps - comprehensive coverage of the vast recreational opportunities in
the Adirondack Mountains.
The
Crumb Library Guide - a guide to library resources on the Adirondacks and
northern New York state.
The Adirondack
Collection, a gallery of fine prints and original art works. (Screen
saver available)
See the NYS Hospitality &
Tourism Association for a list of hotels, motels, resorts, conference centers,
country inns, bed and breakfast establishments, attractions, museums, ski areas,
parks, recreational facilities, historical sites, convention and visitors bureaus,
chambers of commerce, and more.
If you decide to visit, here are some accommodations
Cabins
and Cottages
Bed
and Breakfasts
Hotels
and Motels
Additional Inns and Bed and Breakfasts in New York State
Check out The
Vacation Experience to find accommodations, lodging, and campground info
for your trip or vacation.
The
Internet Guide to Country Inns and Bed & Breakfasts
Or search for a
camp site.
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