A Walk Along The Treetops
Nestled deep in the Adirondacks is The Wild Center, a natural history museum and mountain park that showcases the distinctive features and ecology unique to this region of the northeast. And new this summer is Wild Walk, an elevated trail that runs along the treetops across the park. It might be one of the best ways to see the Adirondacks. It’s certainly one of the coolest.
The Wild Center, in Tupper Lake, N.Y., started life as the Natural History Museum of the Adirondacks, when it was first conceived in 1999. In 2006, it was rechristened The Wild Center and opened to the public.
Over the past decade, it has grown into a world-famous interactive and exploratory nature experience. The Wild Center sits in the middle of 81-acres of Adirondack forest. During July and August, you can book guided canoe trips along the Raquette River. If you’re ready to get out of the sun, you can spend time indoors exploring the center’s main exhibits and checking out its aquarium, including river otters. The Great Hall hosts daily programs with animal experts and handlers that put you up close with the animals that live in the park. And for younger kids, the center has a hands-on room where you can examine preserved specimens and fossils, along with other wonders from the Adirondacks. And then of course, there’s the Wild Walk, a treetop hiking trail that gives you a bird’s eye view of the Adirondacks.
It’s a great way to experience something as wide and wonderful as the Adirondacks in just a few hours. Tickets, which are good for two days, can be bought online at www.wildcenter.org/visit. They range from $20 for adults to $13 for kids 5-17 years old. Kids 4 and under get in free. During the summer, from Memorial Day to Labor Day, the park is open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily.
