Easy hike with wife and 2 kids, ages 12 and 9. Plenty of parking at the trail head. Views are…read moregreat. Fire tower well maintained but they need to remove the glass. The fresh air breeze on the top is always a bonus. There are a couple steep parts but very manageable and one of the easier fire tower hikes you can do. Enjoy

Awesome Hike with a beautiful view on top. About a mile long with some rugged slants and water!!!…read moreThis is the place to go for a "amateur" hike!

This is a must see! Well worth the trip. Beautiful views and amazing geologic structures easy to…read morenavigate because of the man-made wooden walkways. There is a small cave with rushing water you can go into but most of the tour is outside. We loved this place!

A really fascinating place to visit for a decent hike/ tour. It's a self guided tour after you grab…read moreyour tickets inside the gift shop. There are some pretty incredible views & a few astounding caves you can explore. The trail features quite a bit of stairs & winding paths so come prepared (eg. walking stick if need be). We saw plenty of families, children & seniors on the trail so it's suitable for an array of people. We saved the coolest part for last: cracking open a few geodes. This is completely random but it's enchanting to wait & see what color is inside! We love this place.

A wonderful hiking experience that is suitable for families, dogs, and even the hikers who may not…read morehave the same strength and stamina they once did. The view at the top is totally worth it - and there's plenty of space to spread out on the summit to sit, eat a snack and soak up the fresh ADK air. Typical of many ADK trails, the trail to Ampersand is filled with rocks that could be a stream (or could become one in rainy weather). But it is a well maintained trail. The first mile or so is flat and cushiony with a few places where you're crossing some boggy areas. Then you reach a section of larger rocks that function like stairs, and finally you get to more large smooth rock surfaces and boulders that you'll need to maneuver up to get to the last stretch before the basically bald summit. I am not in my prime as a hiker, but this was a manageable hike for me. Trekking poles are highly recommended to provide balance and stability if you need it - though kids and fit people can do well without. We saw many children on this trail as well as a lot of dogs (on leash of course) - even one with three legs! We met a local gentleman who was running up to the summit and impressed us all! The best part of this trail though really is the summit. Sweeping views 360 degrees around make for an absolute prize when you reach the top. And if the weather is warm, it makes total sense to reach the summit, come back down and make the extra half mile trek to the beach from the parking lot. A nice sandy beach and shallow bay area of the lake make for a perfect spot to cool off and rejuvenate after your hike. 10 our of 10 would recommend. And I'll be back next month to lead a group of Cross Country runners on this same trail!

Bald Mountain is rated an easy trail to do with families around Old Forge. My family with teens…read moredecided to hike this trail and said it was super fun. They liked the climbing the boulders, ledges and roots. It does take some balance and finesse to navigate the trail. Some difficult areas have herd trails next to it to help with the steep portions if you're unable to climb. It would be difficult for anyone with mobility issues or balance issues. 3 areas with breath taking views. The full trip is 1.8 miles with a steep incline a few steps in and then some ups and down in the trail. It took our family 28 minutes to hike up. This was with stops to take pictures and 34 minutes to hike down. Descending is more of a challenge. Registration book and pencil at the beginning of the trail to sign in. I would use caution during a wet season or early morning dew.

REALLY enjoyed my hike the other weekend!!…read more I didn't know what to expect because of the number of people this mountain attracts but I was really happy during the hike because it wasn't as crowded as I thought. It was like the perfect amount of hike! The views were gorg and amazing!! We had to wait in line for like 20 minutes to climb up the lookout, but it was totally worth it for the pic and the view! Really beautiful, will be back for sure! Also - be careful parking on the side of the road, the cops wait to give out tickets after people park..

Nice park right near the Alexandria Bay strip. Wear bug spray though!!! Some rocks, trees, lots of…read morewildflowers, bird watching, water.

I cannot say enough great things about Otter Creek Preserve. The clean and well maintained trails…read morewere so fun for our entire family. We made an afternoon of exploring. There were a lot of highlights- the big bridge, climbing the boulders to the scenic overlook of a huge marsh where we saw an enormous heron and lots of wild life- we saw porcupine, chipmunks, bunnies, and some cool birds, The trails were pretty easy, my three year old handled them well. There's even an ADA trail, making this an inclusive outdoor activity. This will remain a tradition when we go back to Thousand Islands!

The wife and I came here after hearing about it for a couple of years. She had found out about it…read moreonline, and I saw their scale model promotional displays in downtown Albany. So, we made a daytrip of coming up north. It was pretty cold and overcast in early October, but we still had a good time. When we arrived on a weekday there were only a dozen or so other people around. We practically had the place to ourselves. We first watched the four otters swim in the pools (brr) and play on the tubes. One really seemed to like me, and we both shared the name Louis, so we hit it off from the start. I liked him more than the otters (!), but I think he just came to the fence to see me because he thought I was going to feed him. Then, we saw the staff with their "mystery" public interaction animal... a porcupine. She seemed hungry and grumpy, and spent the time eating food. I guess if I was trotted outside in the 40-degree weather I would be upset too. We went for a walk in the woods and heard music piped on speakers in the trees. My wife made a comment about it feeling like an anime or RPG experience, and I think she was right. It was odd, though enjoyable. We then walked around on the elevated paths in the woods and looked out of the bird's nest towers and spider's nest (yuck). There were swinging bridges and other interactive things for kids of all ages. Again, it was cold or we might have spent more time looking at them. They had indoor exhibits which were closed due to the pandemic (boo), but on a day like this they are very much needed to help recharge and get warm. It was a good time, despite being chilly. The views were great, but my glasses kept fogging up from the masks so I couldn't see as much as I would have liked. It is a great park seemingly in the middle of nowhere, and very far from where we live. But, I would like to return in warmer weather to experience it again.

We had an incredible time here! The indoor area is not to be missed! So many unique hands-on…read moredisplays, sea otters, ugly fish, collections of fungi and interesting plants. The outdoor walk is a breathtaking walk through the treetops with unbeatable views. My 5 year old also loved the outdoor loose part natural play area. The whole adventure is a lot of fun for both kids and adult. Also very responsible with covid policies!

A great place to hike to and kayak. While the trail can be narrow, the pond is a short, easy 0.6…read moremi from the trailhead. The pond is a good size to kayak and fish. It's perfect for relaxing and immersing yourself in the outdoors. The area can be a little busy during summer weekends, but it doesn't typically attract a huge crowd, making the area quite peaceful. If you're around Indian Lake and wanted to squeeze in a small hike, it's the perfect place. It is a short drive from Lake Abanakee, with the way there, quite scenic.

Another great NYS Park! This park is kind of confusing because it is listed as a Thousand Islands…read moreRegion park but it is very much an Adirondacks Region style park. There are mountains nearby and lots of piney wilderness. Also I believe there were black bear warnings which are more mountainy things. The sites are very private, which I love. There were lots of trees so shade everywhere! I loved the playground and beach area! I wish it was warmer so we could have taken the little one to the beach; next time though. Every area was clean and well taken care of! This is definitely on our list to come back to!

Beautiful scenery! Good hiking trails in the woods overlooking the St. Lawrence River. A really…read moregood nature center with interesting displays, a great gift shop, and friendly, smart staff.

It's nice layout right on St Lawrence river One complaint…read more I had to be moved from my original site because the electrical hookup was 50amp. The site I was moved to had not been prepped and there is moss on the pad. I called and spoke with 4 different people and no one showed. The landscaping/maintenance people drive by several times each day. I finally decided to 'live' with it but it wasn't right. I haven't seen another site in this condition in the entire park. Everything else was fine.