Bolton Landing, NY - my introduction to Up Yonda Farm came courtesy of the Lake George Winter…read moreCarnival, which included a naturalist-led snowshoe hike in its activity lineup. Although we didn't make the tour (sold out), we drove up anyway to see if we could rent snowshoes to hike the trails on our own.
Fortunately, there were plenty of snowshoes to go around - including kids/toddler sizes! - despite the tour group before us which I was afraid would clear out the snowshoe racks. But that was not at all the case!
Rick and Linda at the Center could not have been lovelier or more helpful. Rick walked us through the trail map, pointing out where the tour group had gone (who would've broken in the snow for us), and being mindful of the fact that we were hiking with a small child who may or may not have a meltdown somewhere along the way, and how far into the hike it is likely to happen, from experience.
I pulled out AllTrails to help with navigation, and Rick told us he actually created the GPS tracks for the property in the app!
There are 3 miles of hiking trails across the 73-acre property, well marked with blazes and easy to follow. The woods were so beautiful and serene in the fresh snow. My child enjoyed the StoryWalk on the Sugar Trail and had me read the story to him.
In addition to the educational exhibits in the farmhouse welcome center & museum (including some cute turtles!), the Center offers a variety of environmental education programs throughout the year (birds, butterflies, wildlife, night sky, hikes, field guides, crafting, seasonal events, etc.).
It is now maple sugaring season so you can learn about the process and visit the sugarhouse when it's open. In the summer, you can see the butterfly garden, picnic by the pond, and explore the grounds with vistas of Lake George.
We loved our visit to Up Yonda Farm, and the snowshoe hike turned out to be the highlight of our weekend. What a magical experience for all seasons!