LOCALadk Magazine

Spring 2017 LOCALadk Magazine 41 LOCALadk My wife Kate and I are from Ottawa, Ontario and we discovered the beauty of lakeside camping in the Adirondacks after purchasing a small camping trailer back in 2003. A random destination choice landed us at Fish Creek Ponds Campground north of Tupper Lake. We were ecstatic. We were amazed that all the campsites were right on the shores of the three interconnected ponds that make up Fish Creek. As we soon found out, waterfront sites like at Fish Creek are a rarity everywhere else, but not in the Adirondacks, where 17 campgrounds offer prime waterfront campsites. 2003 was the beginning of many years of memories that we have made at the campground, and it soon became our favorite place to vacation each year, starting as soon as the snow disappears. A bonus is that Fish Creek offers the longest season of any of the Adirondack campgrounds, opening early April, and closing in late October. During the summer the campground is busy with families that have camped there for decades. It is not uncommon to see signs saying 'Celebrating 50 years at Fish Creek' hanging by a campsite. Fish Creek first opened in 1920 and has been one of the most popular campgrounds in the Adirondacks, especially for those who love to swim, paddle, boat, or fish. It is a long-standing tradition that Fish Creek is the place to camp if you have a boat. Seventy to 100 boats often line the shores of the three ponds during peak summer months. Many campers even get creative at building docks to moor their boats. Needless to say, Fish Creek is a hub of activity during the summer, with kids out tubing or waterskiing, and families in their boats cruising the ponds or the connected waterways (including Upper Saranac). There are also legions of kayakers and canoers out enjoying the extensive network of small to medium interconnecting ponds and creeks that make up the area. The Teardrop Trailer Our first trip to Fish Creek was with our newly purchased teardrop trailer, a very compact, lightweight bed on wheels. Teardrop trailers get their name from their profile shape. The teardrop trailer is basically an upgrade from a tent, and it gets you off the ground. It has hard sides and two small doors to crawl through, on either side of the small cabin. The cabin contains a bed and usually shelves for storage and perhaps a small tv, radio, and lights. The cabin itself can range in size, but Tear Up the Adirondacks Story and photos by Dave McGrath

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