Birding Festivals in the Adirondacks:
2016 Great Adirondack Birding Celebration
Getting Here
| This site is no longer being updated with current information on birding activities at the VIC. For current information on the events planned for the 2017 Great Adirondack Birding Celebration, visit: http://www.paulsmiths.edu/vic/gabc/schedule/. For information on birding in the Adirondacks, visit: Adirondack Wildlife: Birds of the Adirondacks. |
The Paul Smiths VIC is located in the Trilakes region of the Adirondack Park – a publicly protected area of 6.1 million acres in northeastern New York State. Great Adirondack Birding Celebration attendees from outside the region can find lodging within a few miles of the VIC or in one of the Trilakes resort towns of Saranac Lake, Lake Placid, or Tupper Lake. Getting here also offers many choices:
Boreal Birds of the Adirondacks: Alder FlycatcherLook for the Alder Flycatcher on the Bloomingdale Bog & Madawaska Flow field trips.
By car: The Trilakes area is about five hours drive from Northeast metropolitan areas, including New York City, Boston, Montreal, Ottawa, and Toronto. Driving directions:
From New York City and New Jersey: Take the NY State Thruway (I-87) north to the Adirondack Northway (Exit 24 in Albany). Follow 87 to Exit 30. Pick up Rt. 9 north and follow it for two miles to Rt. 73. Continue on 73 for 28 miles to the Lake Placid area, an additional 8 miles to Saranac Lake. Continue on Rt. 86 (12 miles) to Paul Smith's College. Turn right on Route 30. The VIC entrance is one mile on the left. Drive time from NYC: 5 hrs, Albany: 2 1/2 hrs.
From Montreal: Get on Autoroute 720 W from Rue Notre-Dame E. Take QC-138 O to NY-30/State Highway 30S in Elgin. Follow NY-30 S through Malone, NY, toward Paul Smiths. The VIC entrance is on your right, about 31 miles from Malone. Drive time: 2 hours.
From Ottawa: Take routes south to the Cornwall Bridge. Pick up Route 37 east to Malone. Follow Route 30 south. The VIC entrance is on your right, about 31 miles from Malone. Drive time: 2 1/2 hours.
From Toronto: Take 401 east to Cornwall Bridge. Pick up Route 37 east to Malone. Follow Route 30 south to Paul Smiths. The VIC entrance is on your right, about 31 miles from Malone. Drive time: 5 hours.
From Boston, Springfield, Hartford: Take Massachusetts Turnpike (I-90) to Albany. Pick up I-787 north to Cohoes. Connect with Route 7 west to I-87 north. Follow I-87 (Northway) to Exit 30. Pick up Rt. 9 north and follow it for two miles to Rt. 73. Continue on 73 for 28 miles to the Lake Placid area, an additional 8 miles to Saranac Lake. Continue on Rt. 86 (12 miles) to Paul Smith's College. Turn right on Route 30. The VIC entrance is one mile on the left. Drive time from Boston: 5 hours.
From Buffalo, Rochester, Syracuse, Points West: Take I-90 (NY State Thruway) east to Exit 36 (Syracuse).Take Route 81 North past Watertown to Exit 48. Take Route 342 east to Route 3. Travel east on Route 3 toward the Trilakes area. To go directly to the VIC, take a left at the intersection of Route 3 and Route 30 (east of Tupper Lake). Follow Route 30 North one mile past Paul Smith's College to the VIC on your left. Drive times to the VIC: From Buffalo: 5 1/2 hours; Rochester: 4 1/2 hours; Syracuse: 3 1/2 hours.
By air: It is suggested that birding festival attendees fly into Albany, NY, Plattsburgh, NY, Burlington, VT, or the Adirondack Regional Airport in nearby Lake Clear and obtain a rental car.
Boreal Birds of the Adirondacks: Adirondack Regional Airport: This airport is served by Cape Air, which provides three daily round-trip flights from Boston's Logan International Airport. The Adirondack Regional Airport is located on the Lake Clear Road, about 9 miles from the Paul Smiths VIC. Hertz Car Rental is available at the airport.
Albany International Airport: This airport is served by Cape Air, Delta Airlines, Southwest Airlines, United Airlines, and American Airlines. It is about 2 1/2 hours from the Trilakes area. Car rental services available at the airport include: Avis, Budget, Enterprise Rent-A-Car, and Hertz.
Burlington International Airport: This airport, in Burlington, Vermont, is served by JetBlue, American Airlines, United Airlines, Delta Airlines, Porter, and Allegiant. It is about 2 1/2 hours from the Trilakes area. Car rental services available at the airport include: Alamo, Avis, Budget, Enterprise, Hertz, National, and Advantage.
Plattsburgh International Airport: This airport is served by Allegiant and Spirit Airlines. It is about an hour's drive to the Trilakes area. Hertz Car Rental is available at the airport.
Birds of the Adirondacks: Golden-winged WarblerThe best opportunity to see the Golden-winged Warbler is on the Birding Across the Adirondacks field trip.