New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) has announced Three Winter Weekend events will be held for the fifth consecutive year at Camp Santanoni in the Adirondacks.

Events are scheduled during the Martin Luther King holiday weekend, January 13-15; President’s Day holiday weekend, February 17-19; and the weekend of March 10-11. Cross-country skiers and snowshoers will have access to the historic camp properties located in the town of Newcomb, Essex County, to rest, tour the buildings, and view interpretative displays.

A 9.8-mile round trip cross-country ski or snowshoe excursion traverses from Camp Santanoni’s Gate Lodge complex to the remote lakeside main lodge complex. The trip provides a moderate physical activity and a great opportunity to enjoy the outdoors.

The Winter Weekend Events continue to grow in popularity each year according to an announcement by DEC; more than 400 people attended last year. Visitors can enjoy the wilderness surroundings and the rich cultural history of the Adirondacks. Amenities are provided in the nearby community of Newcomb. The Winter Weekend Event this weekend will once again coincide with Newcomb’s 2018 Winterfest, which will be held Jan. 13 and 14. Visit the town of Newcomb’s website for more information and links to the schedule of events.

During the three Winter Weekend events, cross-country skiers and snowshoers will be able to visit both the Gate Lodge and Main Lodge of Camp Santanoni, view displays about the great camp, and take interpretive tours with Adirondack Architectural Heritage (AARCH) staff. The wood stove heated Artist’s Studio, a log and stone building near the main lodge on the shores of Newcomb Lake, will be open as a warming hut. Participants are encouraged to bring their own cups to enjoy free coffee, tea or hot chocolate. The Adirondack Interpretive Center will provide snowshoes at the Gate Lodge for visitors without their own.

The three Winter Weekend events are being hosted by DEC, AARCH, the Town of Newcomb, and the SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry’s (ESF) Adirondack Interpretive Center.

Staff from SUNY ESF’s Adirondack Interpretive Center will host a Wildlife Animal Tracking program at the Farm Complex from 1 to 2 pm on Saturday, January 13, as part of Newcomb’s Winterfest. This is a fun learning experience for families and children of every age.

In addition to the popular 9.8-mile round trip from the Gate Lodge to the Main Lodge, cross-country skiers and snowshoers are encouraged to take the half mile-trail that connects Camp Santanoni to the nearby Adirondack Interpretive Center’s 3.6-mile trail system. The center’s buildings will be open 10 am to 4 pm during the Winter Weekend events.

While people may visit Camp Santanoni 365 days a year, the buildings are not typically open to the public during the winter months. Additional open house weekends may be considered based on the popularity and success of these weekend events.

Construction of Camp Santanoni began in 1892 by Robert and Anna Pruyn and eventually consisted of more than four dozen buildings on 12,900 acres including a working farm, the Gate Lodge complex, and rustic Main Lodge, and other buildings situated on Newcomb Lake. Camp Santanoni was in private ownership until 1972. Over the last several decades of state ownership, the camp has gradually been restored through a partnership between DEC, AARCH, and the town of Newcomb. Santanoni is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and is a National Historic Landmark. Camp Santanoni is considered by many to be the classic Adirondack Great Camp.

Reservations are not required. Contact AARCH at (518) 834-9328 for more information on the winter weekends. More information about Camp Santanoni can be found here.