Tupper Lake

Adirondack Trail and Olympic Byway, State Rt. 30 and County Rt. 3, in Franklin County

Tupper Lake is on two Scenic Byways and is home to the Natural History Museum of the Adirondacks, known as the WILD Center.

The Village of Tupper Lake has long been known as the “crossroads of the Adirondacks” because of its geographic location in just about the exact middle of the six million acre Adirondack Park.

A gentle rolling landscape of hills, lakes, ponds, and streams makes Tupper Lake the headquarters for the "10 Rivers Region.” This is an area of 30 miles in all directions where you can explore the major rivers that flow within the Adirondack Park: the Cold River, Raquette River, Beaver River, Marion River, Oswegatchie River, St. Regis River, Bog River, Grass River, and Saranac River.

Tupper Lake was the lumber capital of New York in the early 1900s, and its lumberjack heritage and today’s lumber based businesses give the town a distinctive North Woods atmosphere--with a dash of Quebecois, there's a part of town that locals call the French Village. Make sure to visit the town’s beautiful historic synagogue, and the restored old movie theater.

At the annual Woodsmen Field Days festival, one of the largest event of its kind in New York State, you can watch competitions that recall the early history of the town. It takes place on the lake shore site of the giant mill that burned in a spectacular fire. Today the site is a public park, and home to several other local events. Spectators – and participants—are eager for annual outdoor events such as the Tinman Triathlon, a qualifying event of swimming, biking, and running for the National Iron Man Competition.

Lectures, exhibits, and receptions at the Goff-Nelson Memorial Library will help you learn about the human and natural history of the area and enjoy the artwork of local and regional artists.

Because of the sparse population in the center of the six million acre Adirondack wilderness, one of the most distinctive experiences you can enjoy in the Tupper Lake , and throughout the Adirondack Park, in fact, iis the amazing display of the night time sky. To make the most of this wonderful natural resource, plans are underway to build the Adirondack Public Observatory.

When you visit the new state-of-the-art Natural History Museum of the Adirondacks, also called the WILD Center, you’ll see a 20-foot high mountain waterfall, an exhibit housing playful live otters, giant aquariums, and live exhibits that explain the wonders of the natural world.

• Franklin County Tourism Information

• Adirondack Regional Tourism Council