Fall colors are bursting forth all over the Adirondacks this week. With the brilliant foliage come scores of visitors in search of the best views of Mother Nature's spectacle. It's a yearly event that draws big crowds to see the hillsides aflame with color and also to attend the many annual events planned in concert with the fall foliage.
This coming weekend will see nearly 3,000 runners, in teams of up to 12, snaking through the Adirondacks. From Saratoga Springs, along the Hudson River and Lake Champlain, past Whiteface Mountain and on to Lake Placid, it's a two day, non-stop relay race called Ragnar Relay Adirondacks. The race begins on Friday the 27th and concludes in Lake Placid on Saturday the 28th. So, if you see lots of runners or the oddity of a lone runner out there in the middle of Friday night on an Adirondack highway, that's probably what you're witnessing. Give 'em a shout-out!
In the Northern part of the Adirondacks, the annual Artist at Work Studio Tour will be taking place from Friday to Sunday, September 27-29. More than 50 local artists participate on one or more of the three days with open studios and art for sale. This is a rare opportunity to catch these amazing artists at work in their studios, meet them and purchase unique items. Booklets and maps are available at the Adirondack Artists Guild in Saranac Lake and at Lake Placid Center for the Arts. Hours are 10 - 4 Friday and Saturday, and 12 - 4 on Sunday. Not all artists are available all three days. Check the schedule. Artist locations range from Onchiota, Gabriels, Paul Smiths, Tupper Lake, Saranac Lake, Lake Placid, Wilmington, Jay and more..
In the Lake Champlain Region, Fort Ticonderoga presents its annual Heritage Harvest and Horse Festival on Saturday, September 28. Celebrate the sights, sounds and tastes of fall and bring the whole family for a day of autumn fun. Experience the power and thunder of horses with demonstrations of equestrian sports and working horses. There will be sack races, a harvest market at the King's Garden, and don't forget to visit the six acres Heroic Corn Maze, which this year is designed in the shape of the Fort.
Also this weekend our Adirondack Interpretive Centers will also be offering canoe paddles at both the Newcomb Center and the Paul Smiths Center. There's no better way to see the foliage than by paddling to some of the remote ponds of the Adirondacks. Both excursions will explore the natural and cultural history of the area on a leisurely afternoon trip. No boat needed, but register early to ensure a boat, or bring your own.
While on tour checking out the foliage, stop at one of our regional Farmers Markets in Keene Valley (Sunday), Saranac Lake (Saturday), Elizabethtown (Friday), and Ticonderoga (Saturday). What better way to sample our finest locally grown and produced wares than the local farmers markets. Take home a taste of the Adirondacks or some local artworks and help support small, local farmers!
You may want to save time and make an advance reservation for lodging during the next few weeks while visiting. Lodging properties tend to book up early and last minute rooms are sometimes difficult to find on our very busy fall weekends.
See you in the leaves!
