The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC), Adirondack Architectural Heritage (AARCH), the Town of Newcomb, and SUNY-ESF's Adirondack Interpretive Center are pleased to announce that historic Camp Santanoni in Newcomb (Essex County) will be open for three special long weekends this winter. Over these weekends, cross-country skiers and snowshoers will be able to visit the Gatelodge and Main Lodge, get short interpretive tours with AARCH staff, and warm up at the Artist's Studio before the return trip. These "open house weekends" will be:
January 14-16, February 18-20, and March 17-18.
Camp Santanoni was built beginning in 1892 by Robert and Anna Pruyn and eventually consisted of more than four dozen buildings on 12,900 acres including a working farm, Gatelodge complex, and a huge rustic Main Lodge and other camp buildings situated on Newcomb Lake. Santanoni was in private ownership until 1972 and over the last several decades, in state ownership, it has gradually been restored by a partnership between NYSDEC, 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 one of the most popular cross-country ski destinations in the Adirondacks, and for good reason. The snow conditions are usually excellent, the trip itself is of only moderate intensity, and the camp on its remote lakeside setting makes for an interesting destination. The round-trip cross-country ski and showshoe trip is 9.8 miles on a gently sloping carriage road. People may visit Santanoni 365 days a year but these weekends are rare opportunities to visit the camp in winter, have a brief tour, and have a place to warm up at the camp.
Reservations are not required but for more information, contact Adirondack Architectural Heritage at (518) 834-9328.
Location, Contacts and General Information
Camp Santanoni and the Santanoni Preserve is located in Newcomb, New York, just north of NYS Route 28N. Camp Santanoni is open to the public year-round, 365 days/year, 24 hours/day, and is accessible (depending on the season) on foot, by bicycle, on cross-country skis, and via a horse-drawn wagon.
Between the end of June and Labor Day, a half dozen of Santanoni's buildings are open to the public and can be viewed with the assistance of staff interpreters. At other times of the year, the Preserve is open but most, if not all, of the buildings are closed and no interpreters are on site. AARCH also offers day-long guided tours of the camp in June, July, August, and September.
For more information about visiting Camp Santanoni and/or the guided tours,
call AARCH at (518) 834-9328, Monday - Friday, 8:00am - 4:00pm,
or (518) 582-5472 (June-Labor Day).
For information regarding canoe, kayak, and mountain bike rentals, contact Cloudsplitter Outfitters, 28N, Newcomb, NY 12852, call (518) 582-2583, or email: olbert28n@yahoo.com
For more information about the horse-drawn wagon, contact: David O'Donnell (518) 582-2360.
For local weather and ski conditions, please call the Visitor Interpretive Center in Newcomb at: (518) 582-2000.
Click here for a MAP of Camp Santanoni.
Reminders for Responsible Use of the Santanoni Preserve
- Camp Santanoni is an historic site. Please treat the buildings, their contents, and the landscapes with respect. Leave artifacts where you find them.
- Plan ahead and prepare. A visit to Camp Santanoni is a visit to a remote Forest Preserve site. Please plan ahead, bring proper clothing and ample food and water, travel in small groups, and keep to the carriage road and trails.
- If you carry it in, carry it out. Pack everything that you bring in out with you.
- Respect wildlife and plants. Leave plants and rocks where you find them. Avoid contact with animals by keeping a clean camp and by not feeding the wild animals.
- Respect other visitors. Keep your dog close to you and under direct control at all times. Keep loud voices and noise to a minimum.
- Camping regulations. Camp at least 150 feet from roads, trails and water. Obtain a camping permit from a Forest Ranger for groups of 10 or more or stays of more than three nights in one spot. There are eight designated camping areas in the vicinity of Santanoni's Main Lodge. Use dead or downed wood for campfires and make sure fires are out when you leave. For complete regulations, contact a DEC office.