Maps of Adirondack North Country
and Tourist Oriented Signage

Olympic Scenic Byway

One of 13 Scenic Byways of the Adirondack North Country

• Sackets Harbor - learn about the village's critical role in the War of 1812 at the Sackets Harbor State Historic Site. In the village visit the Augustus Sacket Mansion and the Madison Barracks, an early example of a designed military complex. There's the annual Sackets Harbor Jazz Festival, started in 2000, to enjoy. A nearby attraction for children is the Old McDonald's Farm. Photos from a sailboat crew adventuring up the St. Lawrence.
• Watertown - visit the Jefferson County Historical Museum, a 1876 Tuscan Villa with a walking/driving tour of the city’s historical architecture with 32 different buildings in four different areas within Watertown, population 30,000. With your children, take a trip to the Thompson Park Conservancy to see animals native to New York State, and the Sci-Tech Center, the only hands-on science museum in northern NY. An upcoming white water kayakers' dream ride is the Black River Improvement Project. More attractions and events in and around Watertown. Close by is Fort Drum, one of the largest military bases in the country.
• Natural Bridge - Along Route 3 you will find the nearby Natural Bridge Caverns. Cavern photo.
• Harrisville - enjoy a scenic view of the Oswegatchie River from a grassy picnic area in the center of town. The now closed Number 4 Mine of Gouverneur Talc Company produced some of the most unusual minerals found in New York State. The Kilbourn House, now a B&B, has some photos of its riverside location, and describes the history of their home.
• Star Lake - Fishing for trout.
• Cranberry Lake - take advantage of the recreational paddling and boating opportunities available on the third largest lake in the Adirondacks. Cyclists will find great biking along the Oswegatchie River on Tooley Pond Road and hikers in the 24,111 acre Cranberry Lake Wild Forest.
• Tupper Lake - do not miss the annual Woodsmen's Field Days held in this village which was once the center of lumbering in the Adirondacks. Tupper Lake, now with a population of about 6,000, is a mecca for outdoor enthusiasts with its miles of mountain biking and hiking trails, and numerous water access points such as the Racquette River Corridor Project. This large village's written history shows a town with many families with French Canadian, and later on, Lebanese roots! The Natural History Museum of the Adirondacks will be a regional showcase.
• Saranac Lake - stop at the town hall and ask about a walking tour of the historic buildings in this town famous for its research work on and rehabilitation of those with tuberculosis. Enjoy concerts in the park, performances at Pendragon Theater, and a short hike up Baker Mountain. Lake Flower, located in the town, provides access to hundreds of miles of canoe and kayak routes. If you are in town during February, do not miss the oldest winter carnival in the United States.
• Lake Placid - This year round ski resort, and twice host of the Olympics, is surrounded by views of the High Peaks and is on two lakes, Mirror Lake, which you can walk around, and Lake Placid. The many shops, restaurants and lodgings make for a cosmopolitan experience. For those wishing to visit the Olympic Venues and learn more about this region's sport history, ORDA provides the adrenalin junkie and history buff equally rewarding moments. Halfway between Lake Placid and Wilmington is the nearby Whiteface Mountain with the longest vertical slope in the Northeast. Lake Placid hosts many events, one of them is the annual Lake Placid Horse Show held in late June/early July. View Lake Placid anytime at Weatherview. From May to October the Adirondack High Peaks Wilderness Train adventure is a 20 mile round trip from Lake Placid Station to Saranac Lake Union Depot. An indepth history is at History of Essex County.
• Wilmington - ride the chairlift at Whiteface Mountain or drive to the summit via the Whiteface Veterans Memorial Highway, accessed from the center of town. More Wilmington attractions include High Falls Gorge and for children, Santa's Workshop North Pole.