Adirondacks

The Adirondack Park is a publicly protected, elliptical area encompassing much of the northeastern lobe of Upstate New York. It is the largest park and the largest state-level protected area in the contiguous United States, and the largest National Historic Landmark. The park covers some 6.1 million acres (2.5Γ—106 ha), a land area roughly the size of Vermont and greater than the National Parks of Yellowstone, Yosemite, Grand Canyon, Glacier, and Great Smoky Mountains combined.

The Adirondack Park boundary, commonly referred to as the ‘Blue Line,’ contains the entire Adirondack Mountain range, as well as some surrounding areas, all within the state of New York. The park includes all of Hamilton and Essex counties, as well as considerable portions of Clinton, Franklin, Fulton, Herkimer, St. Lawrence, and Warren counties and small portions of Lewis, Oneida, Saratoga, and Washington counties as well. (The Clinton County towns of Altona and Dannemora, despite being entirely within the park boundary, are specifically excluded from the park by statute, due to the large prison facilities in both towns.)

Not all of the land within the park is owned by the state, although new sections are frequently purchased or donated. State land comprises 2.7 million acres (1.1Γ—106 ha), about 45% of the park’s area, including the highest peaks in New York State, as well as Mount Marcy, the highest elevation in the state. About 1 million acres (400,000 ha) of this is classified as wilderness, with most of the remainder managed under the somewhat less stringent wild forest classification. Villages and hamlets comprise less than 1% of the area of the park; the remaining area of more than 3 million acres (1.2Γ—106 ha) is privately held but is generally sparsely developed.[3] There is often no clear demarcation between state, private, and wilderness lands in the park. Signs marking the Adirondack Park boundary can be found on most of the major roads in the region, but there are no entrance gates and no admission fee.

Crossing The Northway

Crossing The Northway

Until July 12, 1965 there was an at-grade railroad crossing near the Dolly Parton Bridge on the Adirondack Northway in Colonie. When a train would cross the Northway, the State Police would flip a traffic light to red and stop traffic in both directions to allow the train to cross the Northway.

September 1, 2018 9:27 am Update

I did not expect it to be so foggy and drizzling this morning. But still as morning light has come, I kind of like this campsite. It’s not Moose River Plains but the Jessup River is only a quarter mile away for fishing, lots of hiking opportunities, and I could go to Mason Lake, Indian Lake, or Lake Algonquin/Kunjamunk River for paddling.

Quiet in the Adirondacks

People say that the Adirondacks are overcrowded but that’s never really been the experience of mine from the places I like to visit.

A few weekends back, camping on Pumpkin Hollow Road I think I saw two people walk by and then passed somebody at a hunting camp but other than that I was all alone. The hunting camp is a quarter mile up the road and the next campsite is over a mile away. Hiking to Wilcox Lake via the Wilcox-Willis trail I did not see a single person except at the camp, nor at Wilcox Lake.

 Upper Pumpkin Hollow Road

I have to admit one time I went to Giant Mountain in the High Peaks and started up it. Not for one with a fear of heights with the open rock face. It was okay early in the morning but between the eroded trail and the open rock faces, I turned around. Nice scenery on the way up but steep. Seems like the whole area though is very overused when there are places closer to home which are quieter and with many other delights.

 East

If you visit many parts of the Adirondacks you will have the solitude you desire. More popular locations off season also are quite quiet. There is no reason to fight the crowds in the wilderness when there is plenty of locations where nobody really ever goes. Maybe less photographed or featured in magazines but still delightful wilderness.

May 25, 2018 8:06 am Update

If you are planning to go to Warrensburg Exit 23 on the Northway, I suggest you take NY 9N Exit 22 Hague to US 9 North to avoid being stuck in traffic on the Northway. Exit 23 Warrensburg often gets backed up by a mile or more during the holiday weekends.