Lake Lila
Encyclopedia
Lake Lila is a 1,400 acre (5.6 km²) Lake in the William C. Whitney Wilderness Area
, in the town of Long Lake
, in the west-central portion of the Adirondack Park.
Lake Lila is the largest lake in the Adirondack Park whose shoreline is entirely state-owned; it is the twenty-second largest body of water in the park. The southeastern portion of Lake Lila is an extensive wetland drained by the Shingle Shanty Brook, which feeds the lake; the lake is drained by the Beaver River. The lake is bordered by 2220 feet (676.7 m) Mount Frederica.
There are 24 primitive campsites, 18 of which are accessible only by boat. Boats must be hand-launched, and motors are not permitted; there is a 0.3 mile (0.482802 km) carry from the parking lot to the lake.
assembled a 115000 acres (465.4 km²) preserve, called Nehasane Park, in the process of creating the Mohawk and Malone Railway
(later called the Adirondack Railway
). Webb built a Great Camp, Forest Lodge, on the western shore of Smith Lake, which he renamed for his wife, Lila Osgood Vanderbilt Webb, the daughter of William H. Vanderbilt.
In 1979, New York State acquired the 7200 acres (29.1 km²) of Nehasane Park surrounding Lake Lila; Forest Lodge was razed by the state at the request of the Webb family as part of the acquisition process. The railway station that formerly served the lodge still stands. The area was originally known as Lake Lila Primitive Area, before it was made a part of the William C. Whitney Wilderness Area in 1997. The railroad right-of-way is now the Remsen-Lake Placid Travel Corridor.
William C. Whitney Wilderness Area
The William C. Whitney Wilderness Area, an Adirondack Park unit of New York's Forest Preserve, is located in the town of Long Lake, Hamilton County...
, in the town of Long Lake
Long Lake, New York
Long Lake is a town in Hamilton County, New York in the United States. The population was 852 at the 2000 census. The town is named for long Long Lake beside which it sits. The town is entirely within the Adirondack Park and is the most northerly town in the county. It is a summer tourism...
, in the west-central portion of the Adirondack Park.
Lake Lila is the largest lake in the Adirondack Park whose shoreline is entirely state-owned; it is the twenty-second largest body of water in the park. The southeastern portion of Lake Lila is an extensive wetland drained by the Shingle Shanty Brook, which feeds the lake; the lake is drained by the Beaver River. The lake is bordered by 2220 feet (676.7 m) Mount Frederica.
There are 24 primitive campsites, 18 of which are accessible only by boat. Boats must be hand-launched, and motors are not permitted; there is a 0.3 mile (0.482802 km) carry from the parking lot to the lake.
History
Lake Lila was originally called Smith Lake. William Seward WebbWilliam Seward Webb
William Seward Webb, M.D. was a businessman, and Inspector General of the Vermont militia with the rank of Colonel. He was a founder and former President of the Sons of the American Revolution.-Biography:...
assembled a 115000 acres (465.4 km²) preserve, called Nehasane Park, in the process of creating the Mohawk and Malone Railway
Mohawk and Malone Railway
Dr. William Seward Webb's Mohawk and Malone Railway crossed the northern Adirondacks at Tupper Lake Junction, just north of Tupper Lake. Webb was president of the Wagner Palace Car Company...
(later called the Adirondack Railway
Adirondack Railway
The Adirondack Railway was a railroad that connected Saratoga Springs to North Creek, New York. Built by Dr. Thomas Clark Durant, vice-president of the Union Pacific Railroad, it was started in 1864 and completed in 1871 by the Adirondack Company. After Durant's death, it was taken over by his...
). Webb built a Great Camp, Forest Lodge, on the western shore of Smith Lake, which he renamed for his wife, Lila Osgood Vanderbilt Webb, the daughter of William H. Vanderbilt.
In 1979, New York State acquired the 7200 acres (29.1 km²) of Nehasane Park surrounding Lake Lila; Forest Lodge was razed by the state at the request of the Webb family as part of the acquisition process. The railway station that formerly served the lodge still stands. The area was originally known as Lake Lila Primitive Area, before it was made a part of the William C. Whitney Wilderness Area in 1997. The railroad right-of-way is now the Remsen-Lake Placid Travel Corridor.