The tallest sticks would throw up the jutting High Peaks , the most famous area in the Adirondacks. This is where you'll find the highest mountains set against some of the most dramatic lakes in the range. In some ways this is the heart of the Adirondacks. It's been the stomping ground of generations of the rich and the rustic. The plants and animals of the high mountains are similar to those of Canada's North Woods, with conifers predominating, especially red spruce and balsam fir. Tiny tiny alpine pockets crown the 11 highest peaks. Related in character, but with softer and lower peaks, the Central Adirondacks offer equally fine hikes and views, arguably better paddling, and less crowds.

Mixed hardwood forests and boggy wetlands, with pockets of farmland here and there, surround the high mountains. Moving clockwise around the mountainous interior, the Northwest Lakes Region has some of the wildest areas in the Adirondacks. Even though much of this region is privately owned, it is still sparsely developed due to its isolation, long cold season, and extensive wetlands. The Champlain Lake Valley to the east is historic and bucolic. It is also the most heavily farmed and industrialized section of the Adirondacks. The South is the area of the juvenile Hudson, with some good whitewater as well as fine wilderness hiking at the park's southeast corner. The rolling Western Foothills complete the circuit, with more scenic farmland as well as wild hardwood forests.