Adirondack Adventure - The Most Scenic Drives in America: 120 Spectacular Road Trips - page 898

9. Tupper Lake
Rte. 3 passes beside the Saranac Lakes and then continues through forest-clad foothills
and more lakes on its way to Tupper Lake, founded as a lumber camp in the late 1800s.
Canoeists and anglers give high marks to this area's 40 miles of navigable waterways,
while hikers enjoy the lakeside trails. A secluded site nearby, Follensby Pond, was the set-
tingforthe1858PhilosophersCamp,wherewriterRalphWaldoEmersonandseveralother
scholars he numbered among his friends came to enjoy the woods and exchange ideas. For
afascinatinglookatthewaysmanandnaturecanthrivetogetherandsetanexampleforthe
world, visit The Wild Center, which houses live exhibits, multimedia shows, and splendid
hiking trails throughout its 31-acre campus.
10. Long Lake
After traversing through a mixed forest consisting of pine, maple, beech, and birch trees,
the drive toward the town of Long Lake skims across miles of wetlands—vast stretches
that close in on both sides of the road. In Long Lake itself, nature lovers can glimpse—and
hear—anamazingarrayofbirdlife.Thecantankerouschatterofducksplaysacounterpoint
among the varied tunes of many species of songbirds. In the tamarack-fringed marshes,
long-legged great blue herons stand out amid the carpeting of sedges, reeds, and wild-
flowers.
11. Blue Mountain Lake
Nestled at the base of Blue Mountain, Blue Mountain Lake is regarded by some as one of
the most beautiful of the 2,800 lakes in the Adirondack Park. Indeed, the setting has long
been an inspiration to writers, artists, and musicians, who make summertime pilgrimages
to come to the Adirondack Lakes Center for the Arts.
Some highly regarded artwork can be seen at the acclaimed Adirondack Museum,
which overlooks the lake and boasts an exhaustive collection of exhibits. Not surprisingly,
the emphasis here is on Adirondack life, and more than 20 buildings—each dedicated
to a particular subject—are spread across 30 acres. Visitors can spend days delighting in
everything from boats, furniture, handicrafts, and railroad cars to paintings by such Amer-
ican masters as Frederic Remington, Winslow Homer, and Thomas Cole.