The lands and waterways of the Adirondack region are an outdoor lover’s paradise. The region offers year-round recreation, outdoor adventure and relaxation opportunities for visitors, all within a day’s drive for 25% of the entire North American population; an easy vacation destination.
Most outdoor activities in the Adirondacks are not limited to one particular season. Mountain bikers can ride from early spring through late fall. Anglers fish the region’s books, rivers and lakes throughout the year. In the winter, snowshoers and cross-country skiers can access trails, fields, state land and even the golf courses that are tucked under a blanket of snow. Hiking isn’t limited to the summer and fall either, as there are many who take part year-round. Exploring local culture is something that visitors can do all year at museums, local history centers, within small community shops, restaurants and at the region’s craft breweries, distilleries and cideries where residents and visitors mingle and share stories about their Adirondack adventures.
While summer is the region’s busiest time of year, offering opportunities for swimming, hiking, paddling, mountain biking, camping, most of these activities carry right through the fall months when the beauty of the Adirondack Mountains provides a stunning backdrop. Days are warm, nights are cool, the sun often shines and the leaves are awash with color. Many who visit during the fall hope to schedule their trip to coincide with the week that the leaves are at their most colorful – when the reds, yellows, golds and rich browns against a backdrop of pines and evergreens are at their most vibrant; also known as “peak.” Fall is also an amazing time to take advantage of the region’s dark skies, with stargazing on many visitors’ agendas.
Interested in history? Travelers can visit Fort Ticonderoga, an historic site where the powers of the eighteenth-century fought for empire and the young American republic fought for freedom. Architecture? The village of Essex on the shores of Lake Champlain is often referred to as New York’s most historic hamlet – the community contains one of the most intact collections of pre-Civil War architecture in America. The Adirondack Experience at Blue Mountain Lake showcases the history of the Adirondacks. Small museums and historical centers are located within many local towns and villages.
The Adirondack region embraces winter – this is no time to stay indoors. Winter activities include cross-country and downhill skiing or snowboarding, skating, mountaineering, snowmobiling and winter camping. Hiking the region’s trails past frozen waterfalls and along the shores of frozen lakes offers spectacular scenery. Ice climbing for the adventurous and ice skating for those who prefer a more nostalgic Adirondack adventure. Deep snow lends itself to excellent snowmobiling throughout the area with the western and central Adirondack regions often boasting 12 to 15 ft of snow each year.
Some properties have snowshoes available for guests’ use on their trails, or on the nearby town trails, the Adirondack Interpretive Centers in Newcomb and Paul Smiths offer snowshoes for visitors to use on the local trails and businesses throughout the region rent snowshoes.
Springtime provides wonderful opportunities for lower elevation hiking, fishing, and learning about the region’s history. The region’s small towns begin to plan upcoming events, local businesses prepare for the upcoming seasons and many of the local attractions begin to open for the season. Leaves and flowers begin to emerge, filling in the landscape.
The Adirondack Mountains offer some of the best opportunities for outdoor recreation in a beautiful, natural setting, year-round and within a day’s drive – an easy road trip to adventure.