“Just Thought You’d Like to Know”
The Adirondack Park is nature’s perfect host for natural wonders accented by scenic beauty, wilderness values, historic sites, recreational facilities, tourist attractions, and fine accommodations. It’s Vacation Heaven! It is the largest park preserve in the U.S. comprising 6 million acres or 9,375 square miles. It’s as large as Yellowstone, Yosemite, the Everglades, Great Smoky National Park and the Grand Canyon…all wrapped into one. It’s larger than the state of New Hampshire. On May 15, 1885, the Forest Preserve was created by the legislature that the Adirondacks “be forever wild.” In 1894, protection was guaranteed by a state constitution amendment to preserve the state’s water supply and other valuable resources because of over-harvesting timber. It originally encompassed 7 counties, but now bisects 10 of the region’s 13 counties and many of its 106 towns and villages. It contains 5,000 square miles of forests, lakes and mountains, occupying 1/5 of New York State’s land area. It lies within a day’s drive to more than 55 million people of the US and Canada. 2.3 million acres or 38% are public lands and are owned by NY State. 3.7 million acres or 6.2% are private lands designated for forestry, agriculture, and open-space recreation. Adirondack Park is a vacation haven for more than 10 million people who come each year to hike over 2,000 miles of trails, ski and snowmobile hundreds of miles of trails, and camp at 42 state campgrounds. 46 mountain peaks over 4,000 feet high (referred to as the “High Peaks”) cover over 1,200 square miles of the northeast sector and some rugged peaks rise up from a mile high including 9 Alpine summits, the bedrock of these mountains is estimated to be 1.2 billion years old. The highest mountain in NY State is Mt. Marcy at 5,344 feet, one of those High Peak. Spruce, fir, beech, birch, and maple are some of the 3 species of trees that are native to the park. Animal life is made up of 50 mammal species, 220 kinds of birds, (160 nesting), 30 reptiles and amphibians and 66 species of fish. White-tailed deer and black bear along with 14 kinds of furbearers represent big game animals. 2,759 lakes and ponds and more than 1,500 miles of rivers are fed by 30,000 miles of streams and brooks. The park contains the headwaters for the “Mighty Hudson River.” Lake Champlain as well as the Black, St. Lawrence and Mohawk River. A north-south wilderness trail of 130 miles stretches from Lake Placid south to Northville. It’s natural areas taken together, constitute 90% of all the wilderness in the northeast and is the largest wilderness east of the Mississippi River.
The Adirondack Park is an adventure that awaits you in the “North Country.” All you need to do is capture it.
