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 (2.5×106 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 (1.1×106 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 (1.2×106 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.

Developer purchases Fort Ann Boy Scout camp for personal use

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Developer purchases Fort Ann Boy Scout camp for personal use

Pritam Singh, a 70-year-old real estate developer from Key West, Florida with homes all over the country and a reputation for building luxury resorts and condominiums, has plans to turn Washington County’s former Crossett Lake Boy Scout Reservation in the eastern Adirondacks into a private family compound. The 945-acre site includes the 122-acre Crossett Lake, views of nearby Lake George, and frontage on Inman and Thurber ponds.

Blue Mountain Fire Tower

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There is a fire tower on the mountain overlooking Blue Mountain Lake. It has some interesting views, and can be checked out by driving just north of Blue Mountain Lake on NY 30. It is one of the most popular hikes in the Adirondacks, and many people also visit Moose River Plains or the Adirondack Museum after hiking the tower.

Here is Blue Mountain heading North on NY 28.

Blue Mountain

The registration box at the bottom of the mountain.

Registration Box

The trail is well maintained, despite it’s extensive use, with board walks across muddy locations.

Board Walk Across Marshy Area

The first part of the trail is relatively flat for a while, then gets steep for a bit.

Trail

A lot of the lower part of the mountain was rocky with lots little rocks to step over.

Rocky Ascent Up the Mountain

About halfway up the mountain you get partial views down the mountain.

Mountains Thru The Trees

Eventually the mountain opens up a little, and your walking on exposed granite, steep, but not too steep.

Granite Rock Face

Once your almost to the top, you can look back and see Blue Mountain Lake through the trees.

Blue Monutain Lake Through the Trees

You reach the top of the mountain, and there is a gradual ascent, as you cross to the eastern side of the mountain, where the summit and the tower is located. Finally, you see the tower through the trees.

First View of Tower

The tower is a relatively short 50 or 60 foot, but it’s plenty high to get good views of the surrounding landscape.

Fire Tower

Looking out to the Tower windows.

Windows

Blue Mountain Lake from the fire tower.

Blue Mountain

Moose River Plains to the south-west of the tower.

Cedar River Flow

On the eastern side of the mountain, there is a radio tower and the old ranger’s cabin.

Tower from the Eastern Approach

From the eastern side, their is a ledge, where you can see and look down towards like Lake Durant and Moose River Plains.

Lake Durant and Moose River Plains

The radio tower up close, with the fence broken down around it. I didn’t hear radio signals in my ears, despite being so close to this big radio tower.

Radio Station

Flowers on the top of the mountain.

Wildflowers

To the north-east there are views of the High Peaks Mountains. They probably woudln’t be as clear on a hazy day.

Mount Marcy in Distance

Tirnell Mountain is privately owned to the east, and you can see some active logging on it.

Tirnell Mountain

Seventh and Eight Lake as seen from Blue Mountain.

Fulton Chain of Lakes

Here is a map of the hike.

Adirondack Park Agency eyes Saranac Lake building as future headquarters | NCPR News

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Adirondack Park Agency eyes Saranac Lake building as future headquarters | NCPR News

The Adirondack Park Agency is eyeing a building in downtown Saranac Lake as its possible future headquarters.

The three-story building is the former site of the Paul Smith's Power and Light company and was constructed in 1927.

The Saranac Lake Village Police are currently headquartered in the building, though the village is considering relocating the police to a large public safety building.

Spectulator Peaks

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Spectulator Peaks

This map shows the major peaks around the hamlet of Spectulator in the Central Adirondacks.