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If snowmobiling ends in West Yellowstone, it begins in upstate New York in Hamilton County. Enjoy a day of lake-to-trail-to-lake riding, ride high in the Central Adirondacks or commune with abundant wildlife on acres of state-owned land. Around mid-December, flakes start falling at a rate of about 100 inches per season. But whether brown or white, the snowmobile season officially begins with the Annual Snodeo in Old Forge, New York in the second weekend of December.
Within its borders, Hamilton County stretches over some six million acres of land, including the Adirondack Mountains. More important to snowmobilers are its 750 miles of groomed trails, connecting the areas of Long Lake in the northeastern corner; Inlet and the Town of Webb to the west; and the small towns of Morehouse, Piseco, Speculator and Lake Pleasant to the south.
About an hour south of Lake Placid, snowmobilers in Long Lake, New York enjoy snow from about mid-December to mid-March depending on whether spring storms bring snow or rain. Nestled atop their own mountain, Donna Adams of Mountain View Farm said she can virtually guarantee snow, and will call snowmobilers to let them know if it's looking sparse. Situated on 36 acres, the lodge is a popular gathering spot for the locals, who leave their sleds at Mountain View so they can just drive up and head for the trails. These local "kids," as Adams refers to them, take visiting riders on half or full-day tours of the Long Lake area.
"The town kids hang out here because this is where the action is," she said. "They know how to link up on trails and lakes. I have never had anyone complaint about a tour."
A shorter, half-day tour starts at Long Lake. From Long Lake, riders travel to a small trail then to a back road that takes them to Forked Lake. Then it's off to Raquette Lake and into town for lunch and then back to Long Lake for a total distance of about 78 miles. Even though it's primarily trail riding, Donna said that the local guides are a visitor's best bet for making the connections where the trails cross the lakes. If you opt to go without a guide, you should still consult a local rider for unsafe ice spots.
If riders want to see more of the area, guides will begin a trip similar to the half-day excursion, but instead of turning around in Raquette Lake, riders continue on to Fourth, Seventh and Eighth Lakes and stop in Inlet for lunch before returning back to Long Lake. This route offers about 95 miles of riding in one day.
Another special trip, again starting in Long Lake, begins on a small trail that leads to the Old Adirondack Railroad, now a snowmobile trail. Riders follow the tracks to Beaver River, where the owner of the Beaver River Inn keeps it open especially for day-trippers.
Though not the wide logging roads found in Maine, the trails in the Long Lake area allow for passing and are well-maintained and usually not too busy, Adams said. Because they aren't snowmobiling superhighways, they tend to discourage the rowdier riders and leave them fairly open to touring riders, especially couples.
"When the town kids are here at night, the trails are busier, so we do a moonlit ride and bonfire down by the lake," Adams said.
Hamilton County offers visitors a rural, deep wilderness riding experience with all the amenities of guides and miles of interconnected, groomed trails. One special feature of all of Hamilton County is its wildlife populations. Adams said they take riders past deer feeding posts where the lodge takes care of 18 deer.
"There's always a fox running around, a coyote here and there," Adams said. "And there are birds everywhere. It's just beautiful."
One thing visiting snowmobilers are sure to notice is that they can easily go from one area to the other, and that booking an area to base your trip is just a matter of choice - you won't pick a bad spot.
About 40 to 50 miles southwest of Long Lake, the locals in the Inlet area are likely to recommend a tour of the Moose River Recreation Area. Offering a unique riding experience with 50,000 acres of wilderness in the Moose River Plains, a joint permit for Inlet and the Town of Webb will allow you access to the area's 42 miles of trails which connect to Indian Lake. For wildlife buffs, there are several very tame deer trained to the sound of the groomer; they gather at the exact point at 10 AM when the groomer stops to feed them, and then again at 2 PM on his return sweep. The most popular riding spot in the area, an estimated 10 to 15 thousand riders cover the area each season, but it's not overcrowded by any means, according to Mary Yahnke, director/coordinator of the Inlet Chamber of Commerce.
"We don't need anyone out there directing traffic," Yahnke said. "There are a lot of side trails...The Highway departments concentrate on the fact that snowmobilers are our guests during the winter. They're out seven days a week grooming."
Well aware of the economic effect of winter tourism, the towns of Hamilton County are alive and kicking and catering to their snowmobiling guests. There are not many areas that satisfy all of the snowmobiler's senses, including breath-taking vistas, exciting riding areas, savory "comfort" food, and luxurious inns to rest both body and spirit. From the visitor who regards lodging as just an eight hour hiatus between trail rides to one who demands morning coffee and a mint on a freshly-ironed pillowcase, Hamilton County offers a wide variety of options. Rustic cabins and housekeeping cottages, motel rooms and quaint bed-and-breakfasts await, and any one of the local chambers of commerce can direct you to appropriate lodging.
One nice thing about basing a trip in Inlet is that besides the riding in the immediate vicinity, it offers ready access (and trail permit reciprocity) to the Town of Webb. Snowmobilers can easily ride across Hamilton County, as well as Herkimer County, just south and west of Inlet.
As of last year, the state of New York no longer grants reciprocity for out-of-state snowmobile registrations. You must contact the New York State Department of Motor Vehicles to register. Out-of-state registration costs $25. Snowmobilers can stop at the Utica office, with identification papers, and register on the spot. But Mary Yahnke noted that since Utica is 60 miles south of Inlet, you may want to call ahead and send your information.
At the southern end of Hamilton County, the towns of Speculator, Piseco, Lake Pleasant and Morehouse cluster together to form a chain of pit stops for snowmobilers. Sarah Osborne, director of the office of tourism in Speculator, said it's this connectedness that attracts snowmobilers to this area.
"It's because we have trails from one little hamlet to another," she said. "And our woodland trails have a reputation for being beautifully groomed." Covering more than 100 miles, there are no fees for riding the trails in this area, Osborne added.
Typically, a ride in this area would start off in Ohio, New York, and head northeast to Morehouseville, Osborne said. From there, still heading northeast, you would come upon the town of Piseco ("peseeko") and either head south to Fulton County or east to Lake Pleasant and Speculator. From Lake Pleasant, riders head to Indian Lake or come almost full circle to the Moose River Recreation Area, Inlet and the Town of Webb.
If you're beginning to recognize some of the names of these small trailside towns, you're getting the idea of the interlocking trail systems in Hamilton County. If your time is limited, you'll certainly be satisfied to remain in any one of these areas - Long lake, Inlet or the cities of southern Hamilton County -for the duration of your stay. But for the complete range of riding experiences, you will certainly want to venture out for the full circle tour of New York's third largest county, Hamilton County.
FOR INFO
Hamilton County Tourism
Courthouse
Lake Pleasant, NY 12108
518-648-5239
Inlet Area Chamber of Commerce
PO Box 266
Inlet, NY 13360
315-357-5501
Emergencies: 315-357-5091
Snow Conditions: 315-357-5501
Long Lake Department of Parks,
Recreation and Tourism
Long Lake, NY 12847
518-624-3077
New York State
Department of Motor Vehicles
Utica, NY 315-793-2623
New York Snowmobile
Coordinating Group (NYSCG)
31 Hughes St
Whitesboro, NY 13492
315-736-7905
New York Tourism Division
1 Commerce Plaza
Albany, NY 12245
800-225-5697 or 518-474-4116
Office of Tourism
Speculator, NY 12164
518-548-4521
Tourist Information Center
Old Forge, NY 13420
315-369-6983