First named Irondale, this area is known as the “Birthplace of the Electric Age," since it was here that the first industrial application of electricity in the United States took place.
Joseph Henry invented the Electro-Magnet was to recharge the crude iron ore separator, which was first used here in 1831. Start at the Penfield Homestead Museum.
Ticonderoga began with the fort and was soon a center of paper production. It has more than three dozen buildings listed on the National Register.
Did you know the former Agway building (1879), no longer in use, began as a grist mill? Take the walking tour to learn more cool facts!
First known as Pleasant Valley, Elizabethtown was first settled in 1798, by veterans of the Revolutionary War. Its development as the county seat resulted in many striking homes built by the educated lawyers of the area.
Willsboro was first settled in 1765, as Willsborough Falls, or simply, “The Falls.” Ironworks from 1801 was a major economic driver. Most of the buildings seen today were constructed between the late 1790s and 1950s.
The result is a wide spectrum of architectural styles ranging from the elegance and symmetry of the Federal period, to the nationally popular Craftsman bungalow.
Download the PDF for a self-guided tour.
Located behind the Ticonderoga Middle School, this .5 mile nature trail displays 7 interpretive signs that allow for a self-guided tour that educate about surroundings. Connects to the LaChute Riverwalk Trail.
This trail passes by rocky ledges and leads to a lovely hemlock forest!
Take Route 22 north from Westport and bear right on Lakeshore Road, then bear right again onto Sherman Road. The trailhead is about 0.75 mile after the turn.
An easy 1 mile loop
This is another fine trail in the CATS trail system.
Mountain View Drive, 1.5 mi south of Route 22 in Willsboro.
1.2 mile loop, easy.
This scenic loop is an easy trail through a field, then a to creek leading to Boquet River. Goes along river to field and trail head. Take loop trail thru woods back to creek and trailhead.
Get outdoors in the Lake Champlain Region on a wonderful CATS trail!
From Route 22 in Essex, head south on Route 22 and continue straight onto Jersey Road. Bear left on Leaning Road. The trailhead is on the right in about 150 yards. This is the same parking spot as the Rocky Ledges Trail.
This tour will guide you through the evolution of Westport from its early industrial and agricultural beginnings to a summer resort that has responded to dramatic changes in expectations for rest and recreation over the course of a century and a half. See PDF for a detailed map and highlights.
Take a lovely loop around Bicentennial Park in Ticonderoga with many interpretive signboards to learn about history and nature.
This is an easy walk. It's perfect for families.
This level path is equally scenic in the winter.