Plan Your Fall Getaway to the Adirondacks

Autumn in New York’s Hamilton County is special. The winding roads, foliage-covered mountainsides and lively small towns with cozy lodgings offer a fall full of big experiences and endlessly vibrant scenery.

Take a road trip to see the region’s brilliant autumn colors, discover miles of hiking trails and savor seasonal flavors. For breathtaking views from above, you can climb one of the area’s seven historic fire towers.

Leaves and So Much More

Visitors often come to Hamilton Country to ogle the foliage and then discover so much more.

To fully immerse yourself in the natural beauty all around, consider camping. From state-owned parks to the backwoods, there are lots of choices, whether you are pitching a tent or parking an RV. Lake Eaton in Long Lake, for example, provides showers, bathhouses, canoe and boat rentals and easy lake access, as does state park Lake Durant Campground, also with showers and toilets as well as close proximity to the Northville-Placid Trail and smaller trails nearby.

The Adirondack Experience fall foliage report is updated regularly throughout the season, so don’t forget to check before you visit!

Paddling and Small-Town Life

With warm days and cool nights, swimming season may be over, but the weather still is perfect for viewing the scenery from a glimmering lake. Canoes, kayaks and other boats are available for rent or purchase at many of the lakeside marinas.

Take time to hike through the woods to discover waterfalls. For a challenge, try hiking up Blue Mountain. You might also want to take part in the Fire Tower Challenge and earn a badge for climbing all seven of Hamilton County’s fire towers. Originally used as lookouts for forest fires, the towers offer unparalleled views of the landscape.

Spend time exploring the small towns in the area, many of them perched along lakes, and enjoy their parks, shops and restaurants. Stroll through downtowns and check out locally owned stores. Blue Mountain Lake is home to Adirondack Experience, a museum filled with stories and exhibits about life in the Adirondacks in 20 historical and contemporary buildings spread over 121 acres.

Inlet offers a charming downtown, public beach and draws waves of snowmobilers in the winter. The town of Raquette Lake, is located on its namesake, the largest natural lake in the Adirondacks.

The Great Camps

Raquette Lake is home to Great Camp Sagamore, the former wilderness refuge of the Vanderbilt family from 1901-1954. Many of America’s wealthiest families built rustic estates, complete with the comforts of their urban mansions, in the Adirondacks to escape the heat of city summers. Great Camp Sagamore is open for tours and overnight stays.

Not far away is Great Camp Santanoni in the town of Newcomb, which opened in 1893. Home to Albany banker Robert Pruyn and his family, the camp is located on the Santanoni Preserve, which comprises almost 13,000 acres of the state’s Adirondack Forest Preserve and boasts 5,000-plus square feet of porches facing Newcomb Lake. Unlike the other Great Camps, Santanoni was a working farm for years.

Festivals, Exhibitions and More

Fall also is a time for festivals and exhibitions, live music and enjoying nature’s bounty. Farmers markets are scheduled throughout the season.

Mark your calendars for the ADK Lakes Theatre Festival, which runs through September 29 and dust off your antlers for the Great Adirondack Moose Festival September 27-29, where you can participate in a moose-calling contest and celebrate the return of the mighty moose to the Adirondacks.

Book a Columbus Day cruise on Raquette Lake Oct. 14 aboard the W.W. Durant, a steamboat-style ship. Later in the season, you can get into the holiday spirit at the Annual Country Christmas Tour, Nov. 22-23, featuring hand-crafted items from the Adirondacks.

Don’t wait until the leaves fall, book your Hamilton County vacation today.