Fall in the Adirondacks, any tips?

Hey All,

It's been way too long since I have posted here but I am back and will be more involved in the community in the coming months. To start things off, I am looking for any tips on visiting the Adirondacks in the fall. I have recently moved back to the northeast (Ithaca, NY) and am looking at heading out to the area in the coming weeks and was hoping for some tips. I have never been in the area and would love any suggestions on locations for scenics with fall color. I'd love to shoot some fall color with waterfalls or lakes or any other nice locations. Any wildlife tips (moose anyone?) would also be appreciated!

If I go, I probably will be doing some backpacking and camping so any tips there would also be appreciated.

Thanks so much and I look forward to getting involved again!

Best,
Drew

My own autumn photography in the 'Dacks is generally in the High Peaks, Lake Placid & Saranac Lake areas. I was in Lake Placid yesterday and color is just starting so it hard to make any specific recommendations. If you plan to camp in the High Peaks area you must use a bear can to store your food (DEC requirement) and there is one bear, nicknamed "Yellow Yellow" for her tracking collar, who has even figured out bear cans with double latches. You DO NOT need a gun to protect yourself from the bears. A state trooper who was camping at Marcy Dam recently shot a bear that was "threatening" him and DEC did not ticket the trooper for shooting the bear out of season although IMO they should have. I'm sure they didn't because he was a state trooper. You or I would have been ticketed had we done that. I'm equally sure it was unnecessary to shoot the bear. I've heard & read many accounts of bluff charges by ADK bears that were aborted simply by standing your ground.

To avoid bear problems, camp in areas where people don't normally camp. DEC requires camping only at designated sites in the High Peaks but this unfortunately exacerbates the bear problem because the bears then learn where the food is concentrated. Don't tell DEC that I suggested it but you are better off going off trail to a 'stealth site', a place no one else has used. In any case no campfires are permitted anywhere in the High Peaks region. Use a stove or eat cold food. The self-register permit system appears to have been abandoned by DEC. It is still in the guidebook but I haven't seen any permits available at the registers this year. The camping rules are a bit looser in other areas outside the High Peaks.

Other areas where you can find nice fall color shots are the Blue Mountain Lake and Old Forge areas. Don't miss the ADK Museum while in Blue Mountain Lake and the annual National Watercolor Show is on at the Old Forge Art Center through Oct. 4th. That is always worth a visit. From Inlet you could drive through the Moose River Plains Road to Wakely dam and out the Cedar River Road to Indian Lake. I'll be doing that (after checking out the watercolors at Old Forge) myself in about a week. BTW there are lots of 'first come-first served' camping sites on the Moose River Rd. if you want to car camp. I don't know what it is like in summer but they don't seem to be used much in spring or fall. Also a fairly rugged vehicle is recommended to traverse the Moose River Rd. A Honda Civic won't cut it. You have to sign in & out at the registers on the ends just like on hiking trails. 4WD is required after mid-October.

Some of my favorite area are the Piseco Rd, a dirt rd from near the top of Rt 10, just before Rt 8 in piseco. back down to Rt29A. Sand Lake is a short hike, and has never dissapointed in the early AM. Usually there is a good amount of color along the road itself. Lewey Lake, on Rt 30, north of Speculator can also provide a good back drop. These area are usually less congested and provide numerous camping sites.

NYS DEC foliage Report:
http://fallgetaways.iloveny.com/foliage_report.html

Thanks everybody. Jim, thanks for all the bear info. I hadn't thought of that as of yet. I'll have to pick up a bear can if I end up doing the backpacking. I still have to figure out my plans and how long I can get away for. I do have a 4wd so that shouldn't be an issue. Moose River Rd sounds intriguing. I am thinking the last week of September should be pretty good for foliage typically, that sound right?

Thanks again.
Drew

You can rent a bear canister at the Hiker Information building on the ADK Loj property if you don't want to buy one. You don't need it outside the High Peaks.

The Moose River Rd. is an "unimproved" road through an otherwise roadless area East of the Fulton Chain of lakes. To be honest, if you are looking for expansive mountain views it isn't a good place. What it does have is lots of woods so there should be good color for more intimate views there in late Sept. early Oct. This shot was taken on Oct. 2nd, 2008 along the Moose River Rd. It was a bit past peak color then. If you have a canoe you might want to explore the area above Wakely Dam for photo opportunities too.

Drew, let me know when you will be up in the area. I am planning some backpacking in the high peaks area the last week of September. Maybe we can meet up. There are a lot of opportunities for fall color. Backpacking and canoeing are some of my favorite ways to access some of the best areas. I have some recent aerial images that I took while scouting for autumn opportunities. Email me and I will send you a link.