About the Area: Adirondack Mountains
The Adirondack Mountains are a massive, circular dome of mountains covering 5,000 square miles in northeastern New York State. They are located within the 6-million-acre Adirondack Park, a major outdoor recreation destination with more than 100 peaks, approximately 3,000 lakes and 2,000+ miles of hiking trails.
How Did the Adirondacks Get Their Name?
The name comes from the Mohawk word, atirǫ́·taks, which means, “bark eater” or “eater of tress”. It was originally a derogatory term used by the Mohawk people to describe neighboring Algonquin tribes, who would survive the harsh winters by eating the nutrient-rich inner bark of white pine trees when food was scarce.
The first written history of the word appeared in a Mohawk-to-Dutch glossary in 1635, and New York State Geologist Ebenezer Emmons formally applied the name, “Adirondacks” to the northern New York mountain range in 1892.
Ancient Geology
While the Adirondacks are relatively young mountains geographically – still rising at 2-3 millimeters per year – they are composed of ancient metamorphic and igneous rock that is over one billion years old. The mountains form a dome-shaped massif, rather than a linear chain, shaped by uplift and carved by glaciers 10,000 years ago during the ice age.
The Adirondack mountains are made primarily of anorthosite, which is rare on earth, but makes up much of the surface of the moon, as well as gneiss and granite. They also contain significant amounts of marble, quartzite and schist.
46 High Peaks
Within the Adirondacks there are 46 mountains known as the Adirondack High Peaks, each with an estimated elevation over 4,000 feet. Hiking the Adirondack High Peaks is an exciting and challenging adventure, and those who summit all 46 are part of an elite group of hikers known as the Adirondack 46ers.
The highest peak in the Adirondacks is Mount Marcy at 5,344 feet, followed by Algonquin at 5,114 feet, but Whiteface Mountain is arguably the most well-known High Peak. Famous for hosting the alpine skiing events during the 1980 Winter Olympics, Whiteface features a ski resort and is the only High Peak with a road leading to the summit.
Recreation in the Adirondacks
The Adirondack Mountains are a major outdoor recreation destination, attracting millions of visitors annually. Popular activities include hiking, paddling, boating, and fishing, as well as cycling and mountain biking.
During the winter, outdoor enthusiasts enjoy downhill skiing at Whiteface Mountain, Gore Mountain, McCauley Mountain, Titus Mountain, Oak Mountain and West Mountain. There’s also an extensive network of cross-country ski trails throughout the Adirondacks, plus plenty of snowmobiling and ice fishing.
Vacation Rentals in the Adirondack Mountains
Northern Living features dozens of vacation home rentals located in the Southern Adirondacks Region, which includes the charming Adirondack towns of Lake George, Bolton Landing, Lake Luzerne, Fort Ann, Queensbury, and Indian Lake, NY.
Browse our vacation rental listings and request to book online, or contact us for personalized assistance with your search.
