The Adirondack region of northern New York is comprised of the Adirondack mountains, more than 3,000 ponds and lakes, and close to 2,000 miles of trails for hiking and biking. In addition, there are a variety of overnight accommodations, such as campgrounds and resorts. Recreational activities are available year-round. Try skiing in the winter, fishing in the spring, touring a historic fort in the summer and hiking under a canopy of foliage-bearing trees in the autumn.
The train that is now called the Adirondack is a descendant of what was once the Delaware and Hudson Railway (D&H), which carried coal from Pennsylvania to New York City in the 1820s. Amtrak took over D&H's operations in the 1970s and soon started train service from New York City to Montreal. Most recently, Conde Nast Traveler Magazine named Amtrak's Adirondack route as one of 2008's "10 Most Scenic Train Trips in North America." Amtrak is the only provider of train service from New York City to Montreal via the Adirondacks.
Train Number 68 departs New York City's Penn Station at 9:30 a.m. each morning and arrives in Montreal by 7:10 p.m. It reaches Ticonderoga, the first of the Adirondack towns, by 1:17 p.m. and Rouses Point, the last of the Adirondack towns, by 4 p.m. Train Number 69 departs Montreal at 9:30 a.m. daily and reaches Rouses Point by 11:05 a.m. and Ticonderoga by 2:33 p.m. Snacks, sandwiches and beverages are available at the Amfleet Dinette car. Travelers crossing the border should have a passport or other approved identification such as military identification with orders or an enhanced driver's license. Reservations are required and can by made by calling 800-800-872-7245 or online at amtrak.com (see Resources for a link).
From New York City, the train to the Adirondacks traverses through towns such as Irvington, once the home of author Washington Irving; Pollepel Island, site of the abandoned military surplus facility known as Bannerman's Castle; and Saratoga Springs, home of the Saratoga thoroughbred horse race track.
The Adirondack train makes six stops in the Adirondack region. Ticonderoga is located between Lakes Champlain and George and is the home of Fort Ticonderoga, built by the French in 1756 and taken by colonial forces in 1775. Port Henry is nestled on the edge of Lake Champlain and famous for being the spot to see "Champ," the dinosaur-era reptile who lives in the lake. Westport is the sight of Lake Placid, two-time host of the Winter Olympics. Port Kent is where passengers can disembark and board the seasonal ferry to Burlington, Vermont, from May to October. Plattsburgh is the site of the Battle of Plattsburgh, one of the many skirmishes of the Battle of 1812. The American victory quelled the efforts of the British to claim territory in the New England states or in the area of the Great Lakes. Rouses Point is a border checkpoint for people traveling from Canada into the United States and its proximity to the border made it a popular smuggling point doing Prohibition.
