Lake Champlain Loop - The Most Scenic Drives in America: 120 Spectacular Road Trips - page 883

5. Plattsburgh
The largest town on the New York side, Plattsburgh was the site of the lake's last major
navalbattleduringtheWarof1812—notonlyavictoryfortheAmericanfleet,butatribute
to the imagination of its commander, Commodore Thomas Macdonough. Using a cat's
cradle of anchors and winches, Macdonough was able to swing his ships around and deliv-
erdoublebroadsidestotheBritishfleet,whichsoonwitheredunderhishammeringassault.
A limestone obelisk across from city hall commemorates the scene and the battle.
From Plattsburgh the drive continues north on Rte. 9 through Ingraham and Chazy
(home to what locals say is the largest McIntosh apple orchard in the world), and follows
Rte. 9B to Rouses Point (near the Canadian border) before veering east to Vermont on Rte.
2. From the Korean Veterans Memorial Bridge (still known by many as the Rouses Point
Bridge), look northward to catch a glimpse of the stone ruins of Fort Montgomery. Aptly
nicknamed Fort Blunder, it was inadvertently constructed north of the 45th parallel, on un-
questionably Canadian soil.
Here Vermont's Alburgh Peninsula and Champlain's islands segment the lake into a
patchwork of bays. Remote and lovely, this area contains some of the Champlain Valley's
richest farmland. On lingering summer days no lakeside tour would be complete without
stopping to sample the fresh produce that is abundant in the many roadside stands.
6. Missisquoi National Wildlife Refuge
A short detour on Rte. 78 brings you to this pristine wetland preserve on the broad Miss-
isquoi River delta. The refuge's 6,642 acres are evenly divided between brush, timber, and
marsh, making this a perfect spot to observe wildlife of every stripe, from the migratory
waterfowl and raptors that stop here each spring and fall to the white-tailed deer and other
animals that inhabit the refuge's wooded uplands and wildflower meadows. Two well-
marked nature trails—about 1 1/2 miles in total length—guide visitors into this fragile mix
of habitats. In the summer bring along a bucket and waterproof boots—and insect repel-
lent—for blueberry picking in the bog off Tabor Road.
7. Isle La Motte
Northernmost of Champlain's islands, tiny Isle La Motte attracts visitors annually for
the arts, nature, and two unique opportunities. Some come for quiet contemplation to St.
Anne's Shrine, site of the first white settlement and the first Roman Catholic Mass to be
held in Vermont, in 1666.