About 25% of the Adirondacks lies within the Champlain Valley. Lake Champlain is the largest freshwater lake in the U.S., surpassed only by the Great Lakes. It is 110 miles long and covers 490 square miles. Many historic towns lie near its shores: Ticonderoga, Crown Point, Port Henry, Westport, Elizabethtown, Plattsburgh, and Essex—maybe the loveliest of all. Generally, this is an area for people who like their outdoor recreation to be gentle and pastoral, with lots of human interaction and historical interest.

Lake George is the other star attraction in the area: a nice enough lake that's a haven for lovers of outdoorsy kitsch—you either hate it or you love it but it's not the place for a wilderness experience, but the hiking is not bad. Hadley and Buck Mountains are both recommended. Paddling, though, is perhaps the best way to experience Lake George. Not only is the scenery good, you can get close to several "great camps" for an inspection of how the other half lives.

This is the best region in the Adirondacks for whitewater paddling. Recommended rivers include the Upper Hudson River, stretches of the Sacandanga, and the lower Shroon River.

And for some wilder hiking, don't overlook the trails around Schroon Lake.

Hiking
Schroon Lake
Lake George

Paddling
Lake Champlain & Vicinity
Lake George

Special Feature:
Biking Lake Champlain - Two tours featuring views of the mountains' granite glory and America's unofficial Great Lake.