With 3,000 lakes and ponds and 6,000 miles of rivers and streams in the Adirondacks, finding a place to canoe or kayak is no problem. Your outing can be as simple as a short circuit around scenic Mirror Lake, in the center of Lake Placid Village, or as challenging as a paddle-and-portage excursion into the remote St. Regis Wilderness Canoe area.

As recently as the late 1800s, these waters provided virtually the only mode of transportation in the Adirondacks. Today they are a source of infinite recreation. The backcountry routes of old are now a mecca for canoeists, kayakers and whitewater rafters.