History of Indian Lake & people who lived here.

The Adirondack Lakes Center for the Arts’ (Arts Center) mission is to promote, develop, cultivate, present, and foster quality arts, which inspire enrich, educate, and entertain people of all ages.

About the Adirondack Lakes Center for the Arts

The Adirondack Lakes Center for the Arts produces professional theatre and a traveling Shakespeare in the park series. In addition, the Arts Center offers concerts as part of the Weekend Series, artist exhibits in three galleries, youth and adult arts education workshops, and grant opportunities for art and cultural organizations and teaching artists. The Adirondack Lakes Center for the Arts was established in 1967 as a multidisciplinary arts organization to serve as producer, presenter, and educator of artistic disciplines in visual arts, theatre, music, and dance. The building and the property were gifted to us by Harold K. Hochschild, the founder of the Adirondack Experience (previously the Adirondack Museum) also in Blue Mountain Lake. The very first directors of the Arts Center were a husband and wife team, Jim and Sheila Hutt, who are still involved with the Arts Center today. Many patrons have generational ties to the Arts Center, having come to performances or workshops as children. Now they bring their children, grandchildren, etc. The Arts Center is a cornerstone of the hamlet. However, the Arts Center doesn't stay in Blue Mountain Lake, it spills out into its neighboring communities sharing its artistic programs and productions in other towns and hamlets throughout the Adirondack Park. In addition, we seek unusual performance spaces, often engaging with our natural environment by hosting shows in venues including visitor information centers, natural amphitheaters, gazebos, boathouse, campgrounds, Great Camps, museums, town halls and pavilions, community centers, and schools. We truly believe in thinking outside the box! The Arts Center is generously supported by the New York State Council on the Arts, its business and individual sponsors, and its members.

New Season, New Experiences

Since opening their doors to the public in 1957, they have delighted millions of visitors with fascinating exhibitions and stories about life in the Adirondack region. With over 20 historical and contemporary buildings on 121 acres overlooking Blue Mountain Lake, the open air campus offers lots to see and do for everyone. From the ADKX Boathouse and trails to the interactive exhibits in Life in the Adirondacks and the newly opened art exhibit, Artists & Inspiration in the Wild.

Trail Makers

2024 marked the 100th anniversary of the completion of the Northville-Placid Trail (NPT). The museum is thrilled to honor this milestone with a new temporary exhibition that will open this year in the Woods & Waters exhibit. The new exhibition, Trail Makers: 100 Years of the Northville-Placid Trail, will feature works from the museum’s art, photo, guidebook, and map collections and connect directly to objects on view permanently, especially stories about hiking and trails as well as the beloved Adirondack figure Noah John Rondeau. The exhibition opened May 24, 2024 and closes at the end of the 2025 season.

Explore more

Getting hungry? Grab a delicious lunch at the Lake View Café. Then sit back and take in the best views of Blue Mountain Lake. Don't forget your camera!

That's not all, be sure to check out the most newest exhibitions in the museum's history - Life in the Adirondacks and Artists & Inspiration in the Wild. These interactive exhibitions include:

• Amazing digital and hands on experiences.
• Hundreds of objects large and small.
• Exciting, immersive films and audio experiences.
• Virtual experiences.
• Massive walk on map of the Adirondack Park.
• And so much more!!

On March 6, 2008 a local community organization purchased Indian Lake's 250-seat Lake Theater, capping off a 12-week, round-the-clock effort that saw nearly 500 people help raise $160,000. The theater, shuttered since late 2006, was transformed into a nonprofit, multipurpose community center—a space for new and classic films, in addition to theater, concerts, and other special events.

Thanks to the untiring efforts of volunteers, a small, full-time staff, and organizations like the Adirondack Foundation, the Indian Lake Theater continues to fulfill this mission and remains as an essential element of Indian Lake's Main Street.

Indian Lake Theater

Shows at 7:30 PM, 7 days July-Labor Day

Shows at 7:00 PM, Thursday to Saturday, 2:00 PM on Sundays, Labor Day-June 30 

Please check our website for movie listings.

Follow us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/IndianLakeTheater/

Seaplane Charter Service. Scenic flights - fishing, hunting & camping trips.

The grounds are open year-round, but access to the buildings is limited. Call (518) 834-9328 for tour information.

Attractions

Over 45 buildings make up the entire complex, which encompasses 12,900 acres. Few other Adirondack Great Camps feature as many buildings and property, and offer such outstanding examples of rustic architecture. Visitors to the main lodge on Newcomb Lake must hike, ski, or ride 5 miles through the woods from the Gate Lodge parking area. Motorized vehicles are not allowed.

Interpreters are on-site daily in July and August. Guided tours are offered once a month, June through October.

History

The main lodge was constructed from 1,500 native spruce trees in 1893. Other buildings include a boathouse, lakeside studio, gatehouse, and a farm that supplied the camp with milk, meat, and eggs. There are no furnishings; the architecture is the highlight. The setting is gorgeous and a little bit eerie. The state's largest manhunt was conducted here in the early 1970s, when the camp owner's grandson disappeared in the woods and was never found.

Accessibility 

To facilitate accessibility to Camp Santanoni Historic Area for people with disabilities, DEC is offering a Mobility Device Reservation Pilot Program in Summer 2024 for qualified individuals with disabilities to reserve and use a power wheelchair device free of charge.

For more than 50 years, The Town of Newcomb has owned, and operated, its own two-run ski slope where generations of residents have learned to ski. It is 200 vertical feet. There is a wide main run and a side woodsy run. From the top, there's a beautiful pay-off — a view of the snowy High Peaks from the south. Free, and a good place to learn and practice your downhill skiing skills. Good for sledding, snowboarding, and downhill skiing. Call for schedule.

The Adirondack Interpretive Center (AIC) at Newcomb offers 236 acres of environmental education, along with over 3.5 miles of scenic, surfaced trails complemented by indoor exhibits, lectures, films, and naturalist-led guided walks. There is a picnic area located on the grounds but the benches provided at numerous overlooks along their trail system are ideal lunch spots. 

*For current hours and seasonal updates, please visit the AIC's website.

Hiking at the AIC

The AIC trails offer a variety of terrain and habits including forest, lakeshore, and wetland. All trails begin at the AIC building and start by following the Rich Lake Trail (green markers). Rich Lake Trail is an easy 0.6-mile trail, perfect for a warm-up with views of Rich Lake and Goodnow Mountain. Two overlooks along the lake provide for photo opportunities and wildlife viewing. The Peninsula Trail (red markers) is a 0.9-mile loop which starts from the Rich Lake Trail and offers more views of Rich Lake. There are beautiful old-growth hemlocks on this trail and a long boardwalk across a marsh dominated by cranberry and button bush. The 1.0-mile Sucker Brook Trail (blue markers), also accessed from the Rich Lake Trail, follows the outlet of Rich Lake and is a great trail for spotting wildlife. This trail follows the route felled trees traversed during the Hudson River log-driving days. The R.W. Sage Jr. Memorial Trail (yellow markers) is a 1.1-mile loop which starts and ends on the Sucker Brook Trail. This trail features stands of pure hardwood forests and a boardwalk through a seasonal wetland offering visitors a true deep-woods feel. From the Sage Trail you can take the 0.5-mile Santanoni Preserve Connector Trail (DEC red markers) that leads visitors through NYS DEC lands to the Newcomb Lake Road Trail. Looking for something a little more challenging? The Goodnow Mountain trailhead is just 1.7 miles from the AIC. A 2-mile hike to the top of the mountain followed by a climb up the stairs of a fire tower will be rewarded by a spectacular view of the central Adirondacks. 

Winter at the AIC

In winter, the center loans snowshoes to visitors who wish to explore their snow-covered trails. A few well-marked alterations to the trails in winter provide for easy to moderate snowshoeing. Trails are also open for the use of experienced cross-country skiers; the terrain makes it a little too challenging for the novice skier. Only the Peninsula Trail is closed to skiing. Winter is an amazing time to be on the trails and creates a completely different experience. Winter trails are an excellent opportunity for discovery since animal tracks are easy to see in the snow. Extend your snowshoe or ski trip by heading over to the Camp Santanoni Preserve via the Santanoni Preserve Connector Trail. 

Birding

This complex offers a variety of habitats including old-growth hemlock, cedar swamp, conifer, and northern hardwood, as well as near lake, river, stream, and wetland environments. More than 100 species of birds have been sighted, including warblers, thrushes, flycatchers, Common Loon, and Great Blue Heron. Birds of prey include Bald Eagle, Osprey, and owls. Woodpeckers are abundant so you might hear them before you see them.

The AIC is part of the NYS Birding Trail. This trail is not a physical trail, but a "connection" between outstanding birding locations in regions across the state.

Find more trails in the Adirondack Hub

Looking for another hike? With the Adirondack Hub being at the center of so many trails, we’re sure to find another adventurous hike for you!

How to get there

Take Exit 29 off of Interstate 87 and turn west on to Blue Ridge Road heading toward Newcomb. After ~18 miles, turn right on Route 28N and drive through the Town of Newcomb. The AIC driveway will be on the right on the western edge of town.

Welcome to The Adirondack Buffalo Company of North Hudson, owned and operated by Dorreen and Steve Ossenkop. The farm, nestled in the heart of the Adirondack Mountains in North Hudson, New York, is home to a herd of about forty American Bison or buffalo as they are commonly called. In the late fall and winter, it's only open by appointment only. So call first at 518-532-9466 to confirm. Adirondack Buffalo Company is one of the area's favorite attractions. Visitors enjoy seeing the buffalo from our spacious deck and shopping in our gift shop for bison products, fresh produce, baked goods, gourmet foods, rustic furniture, and souvenirs. Please browse through the site, enjoy some pictures, and visit on your next trip to the North Country!

Seagle Festival (Formerly Seagle Music Colony) is the oldest and one of the most distinguished summer vocal training programs in the United States. It is also the premier opera and musical theatre producing organization in the Adirondacks, producing six full productions each summer during its nine week season.