Fonda

Adirondack Trail, State Rt. 30A, in Montgomery County

The historic village of Fonda, with remains of a Mohawk Indian village, is the southern gateway into the 188-mile Adirondack Trail Scenic Byway.

In the small village of Fonda in the Mohawk River Valley, begin your northward exploration of the Adirondack Trail Scenic Byway. Learn about the area’s rich history: early settlement by Mohawk Indians; the arrival of Europeans in the mid-1700s; its critical strategic roles in the French and Indian and Revolutionary Wars; and the monumental opening of the Erie Canal in 1825 that enabled the first great westward migration of American settlers, and transformed New York State as towns and cities flourished along the corridor.

In the 1920's the section of the Byway from Fonda to Speculator was part of the Sacandaga Trail, a travel route labeled "New York's Most Beautiful Highway."

Take in the sights, sounds, and smells of a traditional county fair at the annual Fonda Fair that celebrates the area’s agricultural past and present. Enjoy old-fashioned tractor pulls, 4-H competitions, craft displays, and midway rides.

In the center of the Fonda, you’ll see the copper dome of the 1836 Greek revival courthouse, which houses one of the best genealogical libraries in the U.S.A.
In a rustic chapel in an 18th century barn visit the national Kateri Tekakwitha Shrine and at the Caughnawaga Indian Museum see displays of artifacts from an on-site archeological excavation of an entire Mohawk Village.

Beginning in the north just a few miles below the Canadian border, down to the Mohawk River Valley in the middle of New York State, the 188-mile Adirondack Trail Scenic Byway makes it easy for travelers to experience the woods, water, and wilderness of the Adirondack Mountains. Visitors can enjoy year-round recreational activities, have countless opportunities to learn about the region’s rich history, and enjoy the relaxed pace of life in small and medium size communities along the byway.

• Montgomery County Tourism Information