Adirondack Adventure

Enjoy nature at its finest, up close and personal.

Story by Amanda DeLosh
Photos Courtesy of Paul Smith VIC

Summer is coming to an end. The leaves are changing to bright colors of orange and reds. The wind is rustling those fallen leaves that are dancing on the ground, and the clouds seem to have the eerie but peaceful haze that settles just about the horizon of the beautiful Adirondack Mountains.

Nestled in these mountains is a little town call Brighten in Franklin County.  Just 12 miles to the east happens to be the little picturesque town of Saranac Lake.

“We put up tourist attractions to bring people to off the beat areas.”

The Adirondack Park Agency Visitor Interpretive Center (VIC) at Paul Smiths lets its visitors take in the 6-million acre Adirondack Park, and are home to the Adirondack Lakes park region. There is also another one in Newcomb, NY that is a little smaller but has just as much information and fun things to join in on.

Paul Smiths College is just 1 mile down the road from VIC, on the scenic byway called the Adirondack Trail.

Keith McKeever, the Adirondack Park Agency (APA) information director says, “Both facilities have bird, owls and fox interpretive, and explain who they are and how they live.” This gets the tourists involved and helps them learn more about the animals that surround us.

At the visitors center people will get a first hand encounter with nature. There are orientation centers, trails, special events, and historical and environmental exhibits along with programs lasting year round.

Both visitor centers offer just about the same programs but in regards to how the Paul Smith VIC is different from Newcomb’s Mckeever says, “We have more land, and more trails.”

Paul Smiths VIC has a couple different programs involving the many different birds of the North Country.  Bird Walks happens to be one of these programs and is for the young and the old. Being able to see the many different species of birds on their special trails and other destinations, can be very thrilling yet peaceful and relaxing while taking in the great outdoors around you.

Mckeever says, “We put up tourist attractions to bring people to off the beat areas.”

Some people travel from all over to visit the Adirondack Park, and having these opportunities to get people in touch with nature helps them with learning more about the area.

“My favorite memories are of kids upon leaving saying things like ‘Wow, I never knew nature was this cool,’ or when I see the kids get that spark of appreciation for the natural world.

After taking pictures and being one on one with nature tourists can visit the Birds of Prey program.

 This program has an array of non-releasable education birds. Visitors will get a close up look at adaptations of these birds. Even though these birds are not able to return to their natural habitats, due to certain circumstances, they are at least living safely at Paul Smiths VIC.

Birds are interesting, but butterflies are beautiful. Here at Paul Smiths VIC is a butterfly house dedicated in memory to its coordinator and founder, Breck Chapin.

“In the 1990s Breck was a volunteer coordinator at the VIC and traveled to Montreal on occasion,” says Milton Adams who is an Environmental Educator at Paul Smith VIC.

“One place he visited was the Botanical Garden in Montreal, which had just opened a Butterfly House. Breck was interested in the idea and asked the Botanical Garden if they would provide us info on how to build one at the VIC,” says Adams.

The butterfly house, was then opened in 1993, and now holds butterflies and moths of all stages through their life cycles.

 “The BFH (Butterfly House) is open from Mid June to Labor Day and during that time we have between 10,000 & 15,000 people visit,” says Adams.

 Along with these beautiful insects there are different types of flowers that butterflies and moths use.

Although seeing the butterflies up close and personal, and maybe if your lucky have one land on you to say hello, adventure time is surely what many people like to enjoy.

At Paul Smiths VIC there is a special program that allows people to get in the water for a canoe ride taking in the many bogs and pond habitats. One of VIC naturalist will accompany the visitors for the trip showing them the sites along Barnum Pond.

After taking the leisurely canoe ride, hopefully without getting wet, people can take a break, have some dinner, walk along the trails until dusk, when visitors are able to take a night hike in the Adirondack North woods. Many of the animals here are nocturnal so having a camera on hand will be a must.

With the winter months just around the corner, Paul Smiths offers a snowy adventure on 9.5 miles of ski and snowshoe trails. Naturalist will lead the way on their beginner and intermediate finished trails.

“I think it’s a good place to take your kids.”

“Once I went on a school trip to Paul Smith and went cross country skiing and we learned how to survive outside in the winter,” says Plattsburgh State student, Danielle Poupore remembering her first trip to Paul Smith VIC from when she was in elementary school.

As one can see these field trip memories taken by kids sometimes at such young ages will stick with them for a long time to come. The things that will be learned can be helpful in the future as well.

She continues saying, “We learned how to make igloos, and also learned about frost bite.” She adds with a little laugh, “It was cool but cold.”

At Paul Smiths VIC, family and friends will be able to enjoy a little bit of everything for a day of outdoors activity. Poupore says,“I think it’s a good place to take your kids.”
Being one with nature can give little ones the knowledge of respect and adventure.

Adams says, “My favorite memories are of kids upon leaving saying things like ‘Wow, I never knew nature was this cool,’ or when I see the kids get that spark of appreciation for the natural world."

Have you ever been to either of the Adirondack Park VIC?