Central Adirondacks
The launchpad to the best of the Adirondack Park.
The Central Adirondacks is a phenomenal jumping-off point to enjoy the many pleasures of the Adirondack region. North of the spectacular Lake George Area, this area has long been a playground for those seeking the ultimate in outdoor recreation.
Most villages in the Central Adirondacks are situated on substantial bodies of water. This is no accident; the earliest tourists to this area in the 19th and early 20th centuries gained access to the region's delights via its plentiful waterways. Visitors to the Central ADK come to experience whitewater rafting on the Hudson River, freshwater fishing, snowmobiling trails, backcountry camping and hiking in the Adirondack Park’s constitutionally protected forest preserves. Towns in the Central Adirondacks include:
Long Lake
Blue Mountain Lake
Indian Lake
Raquette Lake
Speculator
Wells
Among the Central Adirondacks' treasures is the Adirondack Experience at Blue Mountain Lake, which some have deemed the Smithsonian of the Adirondacks. Great Camp Sagamore is also a must-see in the area. This 27-building complex is a National Historic Landmark and allows visitors to immerse themselves in daily life in the Great Camps of the Gilded Age.
Our hand-picked recommendations on where to stay, eat, shop and things to do in the Central Adirondacks.
Search for Anything in the Central Adirondacks
ADK Taste has rounded the events worth putting on this weekends calendar.
Loon Zooms return with six online talks exploring the science, mysteries, and survival of an Adirondack icon.
Six million acres. One long weekend. Where do you begin?
Hotel corridors, a ruined estate and a college dorm Steve knew a little too well.
A tenth of a mile to a very good reason to linger.
That costume could earn its keep before Halloween night.
What happens to the Adirondacks when the people who make the region work can no longer afford to live here?
Quilting is having a moment in Old Forge
What do Germany, broomsticks and classic rock have to do with the Adirondacks?
Fifty years after Woodswoman, Anne LaBastille still fascinates us.
What if the best way to experience the Adirondacks is to stop trying to get somewhere?
The Adirondack September calendar is hitting its stride.
Could this be one of the Adirondacks' best foliage seasons in years?
125 years ago, Theodore Roosevelt raced through the Adirondacks toward the presidency.
Leonard Bernstein is taking an Adirondack road trip.
One of the Adirondacks' most moving Labor Day traditions returns as historic fire towers glow across the park.
The calendar may be whispering back-to-school, but Adirondack summer isn't finished yet.
Mosquitos may be fading, but don’t put away the bug defenses yet.
Speculator Creamery deserves a stop on your next Central Adirondack adventure.
What do sheep have to do with solar energy? Quite a lot, it turns out.
The best way to experience the Adirondacks might surprise you.
Celebrating the 125th anniversary of Theodore Roosevelt’s Adirondack Night Ride.
One of summer's greatest natural shows returns August 12–13.
Now showing in Old Forge: first-run films, a restored century-old theater, vintage cameras and popcorn worth buying without a ticket.
August is arriving with exactly the kind of weekend we'd hoped for.
Cookbook author Susi Gott Séguret joins ADK Talks to explore the recipes, traditions, and stories that define eating in the Adirondacks.
Great Camp tours, boat rides, fireworks, and a celebration of William West Durant's enduring Adirondack legacy.
Think the 90-Miler is the whole story? Think again.
The Adirondacks don't just have mountain views—they have universe views.
Think America's story only happened in Philadelphia and Boston? Think again.