Long Lake (Hamilton County, New York) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Long Lake |
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Long Lake, looking north from NY 30
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 Long Lake
Location in New York
Long Lake
Location in the United States
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| Location | Adirondacks, Hamilton County, New York, United States |
| Coordinates | 43°58′22″N 74°25′16″W / 43.97278°N 74.42111°W |
| Primary inflows | Raquette River |
| Primary outflows | Raquette River |
| Basin countries | United States |
| Max. length | 14 mi (23 km) |
| Max. width | 1 mi (1.6 km) |
| Surface elevation | 557 ft (170 m) |
| Islands | 9 Pine Island Moose Island Round Island Camp Islands Island House |
| Settlements | Long Lake, New York (hamlet) |
Long Lake is a beautiful lake located in the Adirondacks of New York State. It is about 14-mile (23 km) long, but only about half a mile wide on average. This long, narrow shape is how it got its name!
The lake is part of the Raquette River, which flows through a straight valley. A road called NY 30 crosses the lake where it gets narrow, about 4 miles (6.4 km) from the south end. This is where the small town of Long Lake is located.
Long Lake is a great place for outdoor activities. You can find two public beaches and a state boat launch here. More than half of the shoreline is protected as part of the New York State Forest Preserve. This means much of the lake's northern end remains wild and undeveloped.
The lake is also part of the huge 740-mile Northern Forest Canoe Trail. This trail is a long water path that starts in Old Forge, NY, and ends far away in Fort Kent, ME. If you love arts, the Long Lake Camp for the Arts is located on the west side of the lake.
Contents
History of Long Lake
Early Settlement and Travel
People started settling around Long Lake in the 1830s. For a long time, the only way to reach the area was by water. This changed when the New York Central Railroad built a train line to Sabbatis, north of the town.
The first people to live here were often hunting guides and boat builders. They helped visitors who came to enjoy the wilderness. Many sportsmen and tourists visited the area, even back then.
Water Routes and Journeys
Long Lake was an important part of a big water route. This route connected the Fulton Chain of Lakes with the Saint Lawrence River. In the mid-to-late 1800s, people often traveled this route by guideboat or canoe.
A common trip might start at the Saranac Lakes. From there, travelers would go to the Raquette River using places like Indian Carry and Stoney Creek. The journey would then continue through several lakes connected to the river, including Long Lake, Raquette Lake, Forked Lake, Blue Mountain Lake, and Tupper Lake.
Past Ideas for the Lake
There was once a plan to connect Long Lake to the Hudson River using a canal. Work on this canal started, but it was never finished.
