Adirondack Cabins: Camp Driftwood in Indian Lake, New York: Spring

When the Adirondacks awaken from their long winter, the early spring provides many great opportunities for hiking, fishing, and just watching nature's changes.

Those lucky enough to see the ice blow out of an Adirondack lake in April will remember the spectacle for a long time. Otters and loons soon reappear on the newly opened waters. Fishing comes alive.

As the lakes go brim full and the rivers rise to flood stage, rafting and kayaking begin. Most seasoned river runners identify the upper Hudson at its spring peak as the best whitewater in the eastern United States, and Indian Lake is rightfully known as the "Whitewater Rafting Capital of New York State".

The early spring, from the big thaw up to mid-May, is our second "secret season", offering great hiking, and views, no bugs, and true peace and quiet. As the trails dry out, this special time of the year provides an excellent chance to do some early hiking and mountain biking. The vistas are unobstructed, wildlife is abundant, and the trails are never crowded.

As the season warms further and the trees begin to leaf out, visitors are treated to a soft and subtle mountain springtime quite unlike anything elsewhere. The redbuds of the soft maples and the pale greens of the other new leaves provide a pastel backdrop for the riot of trilliums, daffodils, apple blossoms and other mountain blooms

Spring is a solitary time at Camp Driftwood. Except for the ever-popular Memorial Day weekend, visitors can generally expect to see very few, if any, other visitors on the lakes or trails. The weather can be extremely changeable and unpredictable, but is likely to include some of the year's warmest, sunniest and certainly longest days. Insects — particularly the notorious blackfly — have been a serious consideration at times. However, recent changes in our climate have made this much less of a factor in recent years. If it is going to be a "buggy" spring, insects usually arrive the third or fourth week in May. You're welcome to contact us for a candid appraisal of local conditions during this later part of the season.

Spring's special events include Indian Lake's town-wide garage sale, the Whitewater Derby on the Hudson River, and the Blackfly Challenge Bike Race.

Cabin rates are discounted until the third week in June. Click here for details.