Running southwest to northeast through the heart of the, Adirondack State Park, the lake regions of the Adirondacks offer unrivaled opportunities for boating and canoeing. Miles and miles of beautiful lakes and streams are available for the boater to explore. While a few may feel the presence of roads and railroads detract from the wildness of the woods, most find the surroundings peaceful and serene. In fact, except for the larger lakes during the summer months, the Adirondack Routes (especially the streams) are largely unchanged from colonial times.

In and around the Adirondack Park you'll find some of the best canoeing and kayaking in the world. Coursing through pristine forests and dramatic mountains are more than 30,000 miles of brooks and streams, 6,000 miles of rivers and almost 3,000 lakes and ponds. Whether it's shooting Class V rapids in the Hudson River Gorge, pond-hopping in the St. Regis Canoe Area, island camping on Indian Lake, or drifting down the long and lazy Raquette River, the remarkable diversity of the Park's water provides endless prospects.

Canoeing or kayaking is one of the best ways to view the remarkable wildlife of the Adirondacks. Wildlife is everywhere—especially deep in the wilderness, along the Paddling routes. Those animals you're most likely to spot in your travels include the white-tailed deer, red fox, and beaver. More reclusive are the area's black bear, coyote and moose. There are hundreds of species of birds. Among the more noteworthy are the osprey, loon, hawk, Great Blue heron, and American bald eagle. Nearly all of the waters offer great fishing. Most lakes and streams have thriving populations of trout, northern pike, bass and salmon.