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RVing in the Adirondacks: Beautiful Lake Champlain & Ausable Chasm

| Updated Feb 26, 2021

RVing in the Adirondacks should be on every RVer's bucket list!

Lake Champlain and the Ausable Chasm are amazing destinations in the Adirondacks!

We came through this area in June 2019 on our way down from a Leisure Travel Van rally in Montreal.

Northern New York is simply gorgeous in the summer and Lake Champlain is a sight to behold.

Things to Do While RVing in the Adirondacks

RVing in the Adirondacks: Beautiful Lake Champlain & Ausable Chasm 1

If you’re coming to this area from the Northeast, consider taking one of the Lake Champlain Ferries to cross over from Vermont to New York.

If you’re ending your trip here, definitely go over into Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine to further explore all the Northeast US has to offer.

1. Point au Roche State Park

The Point au Rouche State Park ranges along 6 miles of the Lake Champlain shoreline, with a variety of terrains including abundant woodlands, sandy beaches, rocky outcroppings, and marshlands.

One of the most trafficked trails is the 1.8 mile Dr. Philip C. Walker Memorial Trail, named after a prominent field biologist who used this area for explorations with his students and, in the process, widely popularized the park.

Most of the trails lead to views of Lake Champlain and many of the routes parallel the shoreline.

2. Battle of Plattsburgh Interpretive Center

If you’re a history buff, you may be interested in the Battle of Plattsburgh Interpretive Center.

In 1814, the largest invasion in U.S. history took place at the village of Plattsburgh and Cumberland Bay on Lake Champlain.

Britain's army of eleven thousand crossed the border from Montreal into New York and the British Navy's feet moved south on Lake Champlain, both headed for Plattsburgh. The battles at Plattsburgh ended the War of 1812.

The Allan S. Everest Interpretive Center offers exhibits chronologically recounting the events of the Battles at Plattsburgh within the context of the War of 1812, including the political and economic causes of the war, the land and naval engagements at Plattsburgh, and the significant role that the battles here played in the final peace negotiations.

The center is open Wednesdays – Saturdays 10 am – 3 pm, May – October. Their address is 31 Washington Rd, Plattsburgh, NY 12903.

3. The Apple Orchards

If you're RVing in the Adirondacks in the fall, make sure to take advantage of apple picking and fresh apple cider at the numerous orchards. There are many orchards near Plattsburgh where you can pick fresh, crisp apples right off the branch!

Some of these include Banker Orchards, Everett Orchards, Applejacks Orchard, Rulfs Orchard, and Northern Orchard. Each farm produces many different varieties of apples from McIntosh, Cortland, Honeycrisp, Fuji, Red Delicious, Gala, Macoun, Cameo, Fortune, Paula Reds, Zestar!, and dozens of other favorites.

4. The Ausable Marsh Wildlife Management Area

RVing in the Adirondacks: Beautiful Lake Champlain & Ausable Chasm 2
Trout fishermen on the Ausable River in the Adirondacks

Heading further south, check out the interesting Ausable Marsh Wildlife Management Area.

This extraordinary marsh habitat is a breeding ground for many species of fish and frogs, which attract a number of birds and mammal species.

As a result, this marsh offers some of the finest bird watching in New York State, including small warblers, osprey, bald eagles, great blue herons, black ducks, mallards, mergansers, teal, and common goldeneyes.

5. The Ausable Chasm

 

If you're RVing in the Adirondacks, don't miss the Ausable Chasm!

Known as the “Grand Canyon of the Adirondacks” it is one of the oldest natural attractions in the United States (Est. 1870).

There are a number of activities to do here from hiking along the chasm, rafting tours, tubing, rappelling, rock climbing, lantern tours at night, and an all-new Adventure Trail in the Upper Chasm (via ferrata/cable course) which contains cliff walks, cable bridges across the AuSable River, and a cargo net climb.

There are multiple routes to take hiking through the Ausable Chasm but the prettiest is along the Inner Sanctum trail. You’ll be able to look straight down the 150-foot vertical ridge from the top of the rim.

A series of walkways, bridges, and stairs throughout provide stunning views of the chasm and amazing waterfalls. On the trails, you’ll stroll past Rainbow Falls, Elephant’s Head, Column Rock, Hyde’s Cave, and Mystic Gorge.

The Ausable Chasm is really a “choose your own adventure” sort of place. But it is well worth it to combine some of the activities. For example, there is the “Classic Tour” which takes you through the hiking trails and then the 2-mile boat tour on a raft through the chasm ($29.95/person).

There is also a “Premium Package” which combines the classic tour with admission to the Adventure Trail as well.

The Ausable Chasm is open year-round, 9 am-4 pm.

Share Your Experience of RVing in the Adirondacks 

Have you been RVing in the Adirondacks? If so, please share your experience and your favorite destinations in the comments. We'd all love to benefit from your experience!

RVing in the Adirondacks: Beautiful Lake Champlain & Ausable Chasm 3

7 Day Adventure Guide for RVing in the Adirondacks

If you want to go RVing in the Adirondacks, leave the planning to us! We have created a 7 Day Adventure Guide of the Adirondack Park and Finger Lakes area in New York. 

We provide a suggested route and itinerary, links to multiple campgrounds and boondocking spots, and the best spots to see along the way.

Don’t go RVing in the Adirondacks without it! 

You can hit everything in seven days, do a whirlwind weekend tour, or you can take your time and explore the area over a few weeks.  

Get My Adirondack Travel Guide

Mike Wendland

Published on 2021-02-26

Mike Wendland is a multiple Emmy-award-winning Journalist, Podcaster, YouTuber, and Blogger, who has traveled with his wife, Jennifer, all over North America in an RV, sharing adventures and reviewing RV, Camping, Outdoor, Travel and Tech Gear for the past 12 years. They are leading industry experts in RV living and have written 18 travel books.

One Response to “RVing in the Adirondacks: Beautiful Lake Champlain & Ausable Chasm”

February 26, 2021at11:05 am, Norm Randolph said:

For those that are interested, directly across the parking lot from the entrance of Ausable Chasm is a wonderful Museum that features the area’s role as part of the Underground Railroad.

Our 2016 vacation as pre-RV wanderers in an automobile featured us using Burlington, VT as our home base while taking daily side trips around the area.

We took in a hot air balloon festival in Stowe, VT on the same evening that we visited Ausable Chasm that morning!

Cheers,

Norm

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