Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
BelowliesLakeGeorge,aglistening32-mile-longexpanseofbluewedgedamidsteep,
forested ridges. Sparkling clean, the lake is a swimmer's delight, and its shores and myriad
islands are virtually unbeatable when it comes to exploring and relaxing. Anglers too will
find a piece of paradise here as they try their luck for bass, trout, perch, and other fish.
The Lake George area was not always so idyllic. In the 1700s the British and French
wagedbattles forcontrol oftheterritory,butofcourseneither countrywasdestined topos-
sess it in the end. The English erected Fort William Henry, which has been reconstructed
just east of the village of Lake George, the touristy hub for the region. Visitors come to the
reconstructed fort not only to learn about its history but also to take in the stunning views
to be seen from the nearby water's edge.
2.
Bolton Landing
HuggingLakeGeorge'swesternshore,Rte.9Npasseswaterfronthomes,resorts,androcky
slopessoftenedbythick,fragrantstandsofevergreensintermixed withbroadleaftrees.Be-
fore long it arrives at Bolton Landing, a village complete with souvenir shopping, summer
homes, a boat launch, and sweeping views of the lake. A narrow bridge connects the town
to an island where the spacious Sagamore Hotel has been catering to guests for more than
a century. A white clapboard structure with striking green trim, the resort first opened for
business in 1883. The original structure burned down, was rebuilt, then caught fire again.
The hotel standing today was erected in 1922.
3.
Fort Ticonderoga
Nearly every sign of commercialism quickly fades from view as the drive continues north-
ward, offering excellent views of Lake George and its mountainous surroundings. Pulloffs
here and there provide motorists with opportunities to pause and enjoy the scenery. Deer's
Leap,atthebaseofsteep-sidedTongueMountain,commandsavistabacktowardthelake's
southern end. Farther along, the community of Hague, snugly situated on the water's edge,
has a park that is just right for picnics.
At its northern end Lake George flows through the narrow channel of the La Chute
River into Lake Champlain—a location so valuable in the past that it became known as
the Key to the Continent. The French staked their claim on the area by building a fort
on Champlain's shores in 1755, but a few years later the British captured the citadel,
which they named Fort Ticonderoga. Years later, in one of the Revolutionaries' first vic-
tories, a force of independence-minded Americans—led by Ethan Allen and Benedict
Arnold—took the fort in a surprise attack in 1775.
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