Eckford chain facts for kids

The Eckford Chain is a group of three beautiful lakes found in the Adirondack Mountains in New York. These lakes are Blue Mountain Lake, Eagle Lake, and Utowana Lake. They are all located in a town called Indian Lake, which is in Hamilton County.

The chain of lakes was named after a famous engineer and ship builder named Henry Eckford. He explored and surveyed these lakes way back in 1811.

A Historic Waterway

In the early days of the Adirondacks, these lakes were a very important part of a major travel route. People used them to move around the region. You could travel from Blue Mountain Lake to Raquette Lake by using the Marion River.

From Raquette Lake, travelers had more options. They could go west through the Fulton Chain of Lakes all the way to Old Forge. Or, they could head north along the Raquette River to the Saranac River. From there, they could even reach Lake Champlain. This network of lakes and rivers made it much easier for people to explore and settle in the Adirondacks long ago.