Hiking and Camping

New York State offers an infinite number of ways to enjoy the great outdoors: sleeping under the stars, walking through a virgin forest or reaching the top of a mountain peak for a breathtaking view.

A hiking and camping vacation is a wonderful way to see the land as it was before civilization -- natural, rugged, uninhabited and beautiful. The Adirondacks are both wild and friendly -- perfect for enjoying the outdoors. An extraordinary hiking trail system leads to the highest peaks, the loveliest waterfalls and isolated lakes.

One Adirondack hike that never fails to delight is the trail to Avalanche Lake, an easy hike through wild territory leading to a remote lake so beautiful that it is hard to believe that you are not the first to find it. Phelps Mountain is a moderate climb rewarded by 360-degree views of the high peaks. Mt. Jo is a simple and relatively brief trip and will leave you with enough energy for a cool dip in Heart Lake. By contrast, even the most in-shape hikers are challenged by Mt. Marcy. At 5,300 feet, it is New York State's highest mountain.

The Bureau of Recreation at the Department of Environmental Conservation (518/457-2500) publishes the free booklet "Camping in NYS Forest Preserves," which describes developed campgrounds in the Adirondacks and Catskills. Preserve Protection and Management at DEC (518/457-7433) produces free publications describing several of the Adirondack trails.

Information on the Adirondacks can also be obtained from the Adirondack Mountain Club (ADK) (518/668-4447). The ADK, New York's oldest hiking club, maintains the Adirondack Loj and Johns Brook Lodge, in addition to camping and lean-to facilities in the Adirondack High Peaks area. The Adirondack Loj hiking outpost is the beginning of several trails that vary in degree of difficulty. ADK publications include guidebooks, books on wilderness and nature topics, educational brochures, "Adirondac" magazine and trail maps.