WELCOME TO LONG LAKE
Welcome to the town of Long Lake, home to the hamlets of Long Lake and Raquette Lake, in the geographical center of the 6-million-acre Adirondack Park.
Located in the northernmost portion of Hamilton County, the town of Long Lake was formed in 1837. Like most Adirondack towns, logging played a part in its early history, yet Long Lake’s heritage is steeped in hospitality. Residents played host to the wealthiest Americans in the late 1800s and early 1900s in the very first Adirondack Great Camps around Raquette Lake, and they continue to welcome a variety of visitors throughout the year.
Long Lake is the quintessential Adirondack town with just over 850 year-round residents (2000 census) and many more seasonal residents in the summer. Tourism is its main industry, welcoming travelers in four seasons: hikers, campers, hunters, fishermen, cross-country skiers, snowshoers, paddlers, bird watchers, snowmobilers, etc.
The main attractions in Long Lake are the woods and waters, as outdoor recreation is king in these parts. Long Lake is one stop along the 122-mile Northville-Placid trail, connecting hikers to the Blue Mountain Wild Forest to the south and the High Peaks Wilderness Area to the north. Waterways include Long Lake, Forked Lake and Raquette Lake. Plus, the Raquette River connects Long Lake to the communities of Tupper Lake (to the north) and Raquette Lake (to the south) along a scenic tour through the backcountry on the three trails that pass through this community: the Adirondack Canoe Route, Northern Forest Canoe Trail and the Raquette River Corridor. Fishing in all seasons is a popular pastime. And snowmobilers flock to the town in the winter to enjoy the many miles of trails—connecting to Newcomb and Old Forge on the NYS Corridor trail C8B and to Tupper Lake and Cranberry Lake on the NYS Corridor trail C7B. For the sightseer and picnicker, head to Buttermilk Falls, along the road to Forked Lake, one of the most visited waterfalls in the Adirondacks.
Some of the attractions in the area include Great Camp Sagamore and the Raquette Lake Navigation Company boat tours at Raquette Lake, the Adirondack Park Agency Visitor Interpretive Center at Newcomb, The Wild Center at Tupper Lake, and the Adirondack Museum and Adirondack Lakes Center for the Arts at Blue Mountain Lake. And don’t forget to stop by the Long Lake Parks Department at the junction of Route 28N and 30 to see the historic steamer, “The Buttercup.” Long Lake Boat Tours embark from the town beach area, and boat tours on Raquette Lake are offered on theW.W. Durant at the dock in the middle of the Raquette Lake community.
The most prominent service offered in Long Lake is that of Helms Aero Service, one of only two companies left in the Adirondack Park to bring travelers into the backcountry via air service. You can see their float planes parked near the town beach. These “bush” pilots are one-of-a-kind, so don’t miss out on this unique experience. Head into the air for a brief scenic tour or hire them to bring you into a remote camping location on a backcountry lake.
For more information about the town of Long Lake, contact the Long Lake Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism at (518) 624-3077 or visit online at www.longlake-ny.com.
