Adirondacks in a Capsule

It's nigh on criminal to rush through country as beautiful as the Adirondack Park.  We have been wanting to spend a month (or two) here for a long time, but "we have promises to keep..." 

 At least we can take good advice and visit the Adirondack Museum near Blue Mountain Lake and perhaps a hike or two. 

Lake Durant

campground was a good choice. Rustic, well run, and, they tell me, typical of the scores of great spots in the park.



We were lucky to find that the famous Adirondack Museum (all 32 acres of it) would be open late 'til 8PM tonight and might be convinced to grill us a burger at the cafe overlooking the sunset on Blue Mountain Lake.  Done and Done! 

Even though the Park is all about being outdoors, the museum is a perfect way to soak up the history of logging, camping, and the special intertwining of  town and wildness that makes the park unique.  Also, you get to try out any number of Adirondack resting places. 

Because we were moving fast and not planning in our usual anal retentive way, we left the well-stocked gift shop without one of those detailed maps or a trail guide.  We had only the word of a 76 year old local on the audio tour who assured us that Castle Rock Trail offered a great view and "anyone can do it."  We are going to call this episode "Hiking in Large Scale" 'cause we had only a large scale map that showed us the way to the trailhead.

 It's a loop trail and we took the path "less traveled" since modern kids seem to enjoy yelling at the top of their lungs on the first part of a trail. Insecurity?

 Our trail passed this quiet beaver flowage and by now the kids were climbing, and breathless.

 It was quiet and gentle most of the way, but the last three pitches were hand over hand, root pullers.

 The views were a reward, and appreciated, but where are the burgers?

 On the way back, we wandered the overhangs and little rocky rooms that gave the castle its name.