To get on this
loop you have to take Hwy-8/12 (north) out of Utica. Until they built the I-90
Thruway, this was quite simple. Now, however, here's how you do it. Take exit
31 which puts you on I-790. Follow I-790, past North Genesee Street to
Hwy-8/12. Take the Hwy-8/12 North exit and you're ready for a delightful tour.
Highway 12 is a
true freeway for about a dozen miles out of Utica. Then it is just a plain old divided
highway. It doesn't look much different but you do need to be on the alert for
side traffic. When you get up to Alder Creek, two things happen. That is the
end of the divided highway (that's how you know you're at Alder Creek :-)) and
there is a side road of interest designated Highway 28. Turn right onto 28.
Soon you will enter one of America's most beautiful, pristine forests, the
Adirondack Forest Preserve, and it is absolutely breath-taking. The color of
fall, these autumn leaves so many thousands drive hundreds of miles to view,
are right here. And you' pass through such picturesque communities as Otter
Lake, Old Forge, Eagle Bay, Blue Mountain Lake, Indian Lake and my oldest
son's favorite, Speculator.
Many years ago (I
won't say how many), when I was stationed on Fort Jay, we'd bundle the kids
into our family sedan and take a Sunday drive. David had read Cooper's Last
of the Mohicans and he had been pestering us to go see where they used to
live. So, we combined his need for exploration with our need to view the
autumn leaves. I couldn't show him Fort Edwards or Fort William Henry but why
not the Adirondacks? It is a looooong way from where we were living to the Adirondacks, - the Catskill are so much closer. But we
drove to the accompaniment of a many "... are we there, yet...?" The
drive was worth it; the view, for us, of the great variety of colors and, for
David, an imagination running wild. When we got to Speculator, he called it
'Spectacular' and, in our family at least, the name stuck. And, yeeasss, it IS
spectacular!
Hope you aren't
lost, yet. You are supposed to be on Hwy-28. When you get to its junction with
Hwy-30 at Blue Mountain Lake, turn right and follow 30, past Indian Lake (now
isn't that spectacular!) to Spectacular, excuse me, Speculator. Turn right on
Hwy-8 and it will lead you all the way back to Utica.
The total drive
is not quite 200 miles and could (should?) take most of the day. There is a
great BBQ type restaurant co-resident with the Snowy Mountain Inn about 6
miles south of the junction of Highways 28 and 30 at Indian Lake. There are
also a couple of cafes in Speculator. Stop; take time to enjoy the scents of
the Adirondack autumn.
contributed
by RT
Most hotels and motels are 'booked up' during the autumn leaf-viewing season. If you haven't made your hotel or motel reservations yet we have included a list of area hotels and motels with access to an on-line hotel reservation system for your convenience.
