William C. Whitney Wilderness Area
Encyclopedia
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
. It is bounded on the east by Hamilton County Route 10, on the south by lands of Whitney Industries, on the west by private lands owned by The Nature Conservancy
and the Brandreth Park Association, on the northwest by the Remsen
to Lake Placid
Railroad right-of-way, and on the north by other private land holdings. The area contains 12 bodies of water covering 4,286 acres (17.1 km2) and 20 miles (32 km) of foot trails
. The area is named for William C. Whitney, who was an American political leader and financier.
The terrain consists of lakes, ponds, wetlands, and low forested hills with a few modest mountains ranging as high as 2,297-foot (700 m) Antediluvian Mountain. The centerpieces of this area are 2,300 acre (9.2 km2) Little Tupper Lake and 1,400 acre (5.6 km2) Lake Lila
, respectively the seventeenth and twenty-second largest water bodies in the Adirondack Park. This area also includes twelve smaller water bodies, a short section of the Beaver River
, pond and lake outlets and numerous other small streams and flows. There are extensive wetland complexes within the area, particularly along the western end of Little Tupper Lake and the southeastern portions of Lake Lila.
The vast expanses of the area are important to many species of mammals and the area abounds with bird life.
The area is a popular destination for canoeing
. It also contains an extensive network of old logging roads which provide prime cross-country skiing trails.
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
's Forest Preserve
Forest Preserve (New York)
New York's Forest Preserve is all the land owned by the state within the Adirondack and Catskill parks, managed by its Department of Environmental Conservation. These properties are required to be kept "forever wild" by Article 14 of the state constitution, and thus enjoy the highest degree of...
, is located 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...
, Hamilton County
Hamilton County, New York
Hamilton County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. It is named after Alexander Hamilton, the only member of the New York State delegation who signed the United States Constitution in 1787 and later the first United States Secretary of the Treasury. Its county seat is Lake Pleasant...
. It is bounded on the east by Hamilton County Route 10, on the south by lands of Whitney Industries, on the west by private lands owned by The Nature Conservancy
The Nature Conservancy
The Nature Conservancy is a US charitable environmental organization that works to preserve the plants, animals, and natural communities that represent the diversity of life on Earth by protecting the lands and waters they need to survive....
and the Brandreth Park Association, on the northwest by the Remsen
Remsen, New York
Remsen, New York is the name of two locations in Oneida County, New York, USA:* Remsen , New York* Remsen , New York...
to Lake Placid
Lake Placid, New York
Lake Placid is a village in the Adirondack Mountains in Essex County, New York, United States. As of the 2000 census, the village had a population of 2,638....
Railroad right-of-way, and on the north by other private land holdings. The area contains 12 bodies of water covering 4,286 acres (17.1 km2) and 20 miles (32 km) of foot trails
Trail
A trail is a path with a rough beaten or dirt/stone surface used for travel. Trails may be for use only by walkers and in some places are the main access route to remote settlements...
. The area is named for William C. Whitney, who was an American political leader and financier.
Geography
Lake Lila
Lake Lila is a 1,400 acre Lake in the William C. Whitney Wilderness Area, in the town of Long Lake, in the west-central portion of the Adirondack Park....
, respectively the seventeenth and twenty-second largest water bodies in the Adirondack Park. This area also includes twelve smaller water bodies, a short section of the Beaver River
Beaver River (New York)
The Beaver River is a small mountain stream which flows from the Adirondack Mountains to the Black River at Naumberg, north of Lowville in northwestern New York. The Beaver flows through parts of Hamilton, Herkimer, and Lewis counties...
, pond and lake outlets and numerous other small streams and flows. There are extensive wetland complexes within the area, particularly along the western end of Little Tupper Lake and the southeastern portions of Lake Lila.
The vast expanses of the area are important to many species of mammals and the area abounds with bird life.
Recreation
Canoeing
Canoeing is an outdoor activity that involves a special kind of canoe.Open canoes may be 'poled' , sailed, 'lined and tracked' or even 'gunnel-bobbed'....
. It also contains an extensive network of old logging roads which provide prime cross-country skiing trails.