The Adirondack Park, NY

I had wanted to visit the Adirondacks to see and experience this area which Anne La Bastille wrote about in her “Woods Woman” series – a personal account which spans (over 4 books) 40 years of living in a small cabin in the Adirondacks. Anne had built her own small log cabin and loved the independent life of living deep in the woods, on the edge of a lake. She was an ardent environmentalist who spoke out against the damage that acid rain was causing in her beloved Adirondacks. Anne also spent time researching and working on environmental issues in Central America and helped form the first National Park there. Over the years, Anne owned several German Shepherds, which she adored.   Anne La Bastille’s writings have inspired me and she belongs on my list of “authors who have shaped my thinking”. In visiting the Adirondack Park, I hoped to capture just a bit of the ‘flavor’ of the area in which she lived……

We spent 3 nights camped at Fish Creek Campground in the Adirondack Park – just past Lake Placid and close to Saranac Lake. We had a beautiful campsite right on a group of ponds (really small lakes). With no one camped around us, we had a real sense of he serenity of this area.

We chance to see this family of geese swim by in the early morning, as we sipped our coffee.

On Monday (June 6th) we found a hike that seemed about right - up to Castle Rock, which promised good views – a round tip of 4 miles.

The hike was fairly easy…with a short, steep section at the end.

The view from the top WAS beautiful…well worth the climb!

Tuesday, we rented a canoe from a place just across the road from our campsite (and on the same system of ponds)……

And headed out for a bit of exploring on the water.

We were able to canoe through a series of flood water canals, which afforded many more opportunities to catch a glimpse of the wildlife…..

This loon is calmly sitting on her nest…..

A Lilly Pad in flower…

The occasional goose swims by…..

And a mother duck and her babies…..

In the afternoon, we visited the Wild Center Natural History Museum…

Where we enjoyed their beautiful building and innovative and informative displays….

As well as their gardens and outdoor areas…..

We knew that we could not possibly see or experience all that is encompassed in the Adirondacks in just a few days……yet we left feeling like we had a sense of why Anne loved this place. It is every bit as wild and beautiful as she described.