camp santanoni

A most beautiful hike back to the lake and camp Santanoni. The hike is not a short one and about an easy to moderate level in different places for the most part. This used to be one of the great Adirondack camps and working farm, allot of it is still there but the entire camp is being restored. The camp itself is massive and a beautiful log home with boathouse right on the lake. There are a couple of nice campsites and lean to's by the lake where you can stay the night and continue on your trails around the preserve the next day if you so choose to backpack. In the spring and summer there are a few pair of loons nesting around different parts of the lake. I can't say enough, the flora and fauna in the late spring is spectacular and one of our favorite places to hike all times of the year. Oh, and also some great cross country skiing/snowshoeing in the winter too!

We picked up the brochure from the local Chamber of Commerce -- it did not mention the 10 mile round trip hike, so we were not as prepared as we should have been. However, it was a beautiful day, not too hot, and we had water plus our walking shoes. My husband and I, plus 4 kids (ages 7, 9, 12, and 14) made the trip to the house. The walk is flat with some uphill, lots of outhouses along the way (if needed), lots of bikers, beautiful scenery, the old farm buildings, and camping sites. There is no where to buy food, water, or bug repellent so make sure to bring it! The house itself is a shell - no furniture, but the architecture is interesting and unique. As mentioned in other posts, the house is currently being restored. We found the main fireplace and old refrigerators interesting! The upstairs is closed due to rotten floorboards and bats. The boathouse has kayaks and canoes that you can take out on the lake if you have the time. I'm sure my kids would say it was not worth the effort, but my husband and I loved the beauty and history. If you don't want to walk, bring bikes! The last thing to mention is that you can pay in advance to ride a buggy into the camp -- I'm not sure if the buggy was any faster than walking!

We decided to bike in on the 5 mile trail, it was fun for but not as easy as suggested by some sites. The road was not flat. The camp is really amazing. There was a staff person working on the restorations who was knowledgeable about the history. After a tour, we were able to relax by the water and eat the lunch we brought in. I think it would be really cool to try to cross country ski into. There is a man in the town of Newcomb who can bring you in by horse cart if you are curious but can't handle the hike or bike.

We own a vacation cabin in Newcomb, NY and have visited this area for over 40 years. The history and stories regarding the Santanoni are amazing! I'm in the process of writing a book regarding this site, in particular the disappearance of Douglas Legg, a nephew of the owner, in 1971. A brief introduction is below:A BOY VANISHESAUTHOR’S FOREWORDJuly,1971 was hot, humid, with much rain in the mountains of upstate New York. On a stifling Saturday morning, a young woman of 26 was parked on an old logging road in the Essex County area of the Adirondack Mountains of New York. She hunched over the hood of her Jeep, studying topographical maps spread out there while awaiting the arrival of a troop unit of the New York State Army National Guard. Although the woman had spent her life in these mountains from childhood and had a deep abiding love and respect for them, and although she knew the territory intimately, she reviewed the maps carefully. The mission, for which she and other members of her sportsmen’s club had volunteered, at the request of then Governor Nelson Rockefeller, was to guide the Guardsmen into the inner reaches of the wilderness, searching for a missing 8 year old boy from a wealthy Syracuse family, lost a week earlier at his uncle’s private Santanoni Estate – property of over 13,000 acres and one of the few remaining Great Camps of the Adirondacks. This search was to be conducted through approximately 27,000 acres of mountains, some over 5,000 feet in elevation, forests ,lakes, ponds, swamps and streams, at an arms-length distance between the searchers. As a mother of a small child herself, this mission held special significance.At the time, the woman knew very little of the details of the vanished child except that which she had heard and read from the media, but as a mother, she could well imagine the devastation and pain suffered by the parents and the family of the boy. She also knew of the estimated eight thousand others drawn into the search – many volunteers including Adirondack guides, hunters, fishermen, volunteer fire departments, the Adirondack Mountain Club, the ‘46’ers Club, the Sierra Madres Search and Rescue Team…and the list went on and on. She later learned of many more agencies officially involved – NYS Dept. of Environmental Conservation, the Essex County Sheriff’s department, the NYS Police, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the US Army, the US Marines, the US Air Force from Plattsburgh, New York. who brought their heat-seeking aerial technology into play, the inmates and officials of several low security correctional facilities, among many others. The tiny Town of Newcomb pitched in and was nearly devastated financially supporting the searchers and feeding masses of people for six weeks. Families used their precious vacation time to search. Employees took unpaid days from work. For most, the grueling search was a labor of love. Never before, nor since 1971, has a search of such magnitude been mounted for any missing person in the Adirondack State Park, though many have been lost...What transpired was the largest manhunt in the history of this awe-inspiring wilderness – all for naught. Douglas Legg, the missing boy, was never seen, heard from, nor his clothing or bones ever found. How the child could have remained missing under the onslaught of such an intensive scouring is the mystery which remains in the hearts and minds of many and which haunts this author even today. Strange and odd incidents continue to surface every few years regarding this case, which this book will present in detail. As she frequently hikes and fishes in this particular area of the Adirondacks, she continues to examine the ground and terrain, seeking the answer to the vanished boy. Many a campfire conversation still occurs, puzzling over little Dougie’s fate. For most, the conclusion is that Douglas Legg was not lost, but rather he completely vanished.For this author, what began as simply telling this story has morphed into an investigation. One of three possibilities still remains – he either became lost and ultimately died in the woods; he ran away on his own accord; or he suffered at the hands of foul play. If he was lost, it is highly likely some trace would have been found long ago. If Douglas ran away, we must examine why he chose to do so, and consider the possibility that he is alive somewhere today, and now a man of 50 years old. Foul play is also a serious consideration. The family was prominent and wealthy, yet no threatening communication or ransom demand was ever received. Whatever actually occurred, one fact remains – little Douglas Legg was a victim – a beautiful blond haired boy with china blue eyes and an innocent child. The reward poster for information which might lead to the solving of this mystery was prominently displayed in the local general store in Newcomb, New York, and still remains there, somewhat yellowed with age, but with the promised reward never paid. Oddly enough, the case continues to remain open within the NYS Police and the FBI and sealed to the public, even after all this time, “because it violates the privacy of the parties involved”. Both were investigating agencies which still steadfastly refuse to release their files under the Freedom Of Information Act. This, in itself, is a very telling indication of a situation which went terribly wrong.Forty-two years later, it seems that the time is right and appropriate that this story be told in its entirety, and is, in fact, long overdue. It is time the mountains and the parties involved give up their secrets and that the thousands of New Yorkers who, from their hearts, gave of their time and effort and money, be recognized, thanked, and most importantly, be offered the opportunity to decide for themselves what really happened to Douglas Legg and to achieve closure.This author was the young woman described above. I have never forgotten that during the search, a helicopter flew overhead with a loudspeaker broadcasting, “Dougie….walk to a clearing so we can see you. Your mother loves and misses you”. Remembering this still brings tears to my eyes. Sorting through the facts and telling the story for Douglas Legg, the victim, who is unable to tell the story himself, is an honor and has become a welcome obligation.

It is a 5 mile hike but you will enjoy the camp at the end. The historic buildings continue to be restored. The dirt road leading to the camp is well maintained and marked. It is not a difficult hike in the summer and is also a wonderful place for a winter cross country trip. Maybe on the hike in you will see various bird life(hawks, grouse, blue jays ) or see native secretive furbearers such as pine marten or fisher or common wildlife such as deer.

Unique attraction - a Great Camp that was NOT all about glitz & glamour. If you time it right during the summer, you can get a tour conducted by an intern who is helping restore the buildings, complete with historic photographs. The addition of 5 primitive campsites along the way, each with its own outhouse located close to the road, helps, since this trek is 10 miles round trip. I did this same trip 12 years ago and remembered it as flat, but it's NOT flat at all. Plenty of uphills to challenge you. But it's on a wide dirt road - you're not rock hopping as in traditional hikes. You can also do this on a mountain bike if you have the strength for the uphill portions. Expect to spend around 2 hours walking in, 1 hour on the site, and 2 hours walking out. Minimum.