charles lathrop demonstration pack forest

Pack Forest AND Pack Forest Lake are great for hiking in the Adirondacks, on flat terrain. The trail goes around the lake, and only measures a couple miles. The leaves are actually starting to change, thanks to the chilly nights we've had.

Our daughter has gone 2 years in a row, and just loves it. The location is remote, all the better for a summer camp. She learned a lot about the environment, camping, hiking, and all the Adirondacks have to offer. She'll be back!

I was at Pack Forest in August 2008 for an environmental workshop. There is an environmental education center on the grounds maintained by the NY state department of environmental conservation and SUNY as a scientific study site. This part of the property is private, but the public is welcome to hike (some handicap accessible) or kayak/canoe on the lake. The place is very peaceful and quiet. There are wide, well-maintained trails that are easy to hike through old-growth pine forests. The lake and adjacent wetlands are beautiful and pristine, you couldn't tell that the lake is man-made. Fishing is also allowed in the lake -- sunfish, bass, and pickerel.The site is close to Warrensburg, which has several nice B&Bs, antique shops, restaurants and an ice cream stand that serves superior softserve. I'm a confirmed urbanite and don't often go to the mountains, but Pack Forest seems like a perfect place for dayhiking or easy kayaking. Walking through the woods on a late summer afternoon hearing only running water and wildlife was blissful.From the state website:The property includes 2,500 acres of woodlands,an 85-acre lake and countless miles of trails leading to mountain vistas, marshes and the banks of the Hudson River. Pack Forest was named after Charles Lathrop Pack, an Adirondack landowner who donated the land to SUNY to be used for research and training in the field of environmental studies.