When we want to test our fear of heights in NYC we may head to SUMMIT One Vanderbilt or Top of the Rock at Rockefeller Center, but daredevils upstate are testing their height limits with a walk across the treetops in the Adirondack mountains.
Located in Tupper Lake, The Wild Center nature park is allowing visitors to reconnect with nature and take in views of New York from new heights.
It’s the biggest natural park in the lower 48 states and can hold Yellowstone, Yosemite, Grand Canyon, Glacier, and the Great Smoky Mountains National Parks inside its borders.
At the heart of it all is the Wild Walk, a trail of bridges that offers visitors a chance to walk among the trees at a height that matches the High Line. Along the way you’ll stumble upon four-story twig treehouses, swinging bridges, a spider’s web you can walk on and hang out at, and opportunities to simply sit and observe the forest below.
Throughout your entire journey you’ll be surrounded by white pines, the tallest trees in the Adirondacks. The Adirondacks’ tallest white pine, which also happens to be the tallest tree in New York, stands at just over 160 feet. To put that in city dweller’s terms, that’s taller than the Statue of Liberty from base to torch!
Your journey even takes you inside a four-story snag—a white pine that was struck by lightning and transformed into a towering tree trunk.
At the highest point of the trail you’ll find a full-sized bald eagle’s nest where you can perch and look out across stretches of forest that seemingly have no end.
And, if you’re lucky, you may catch a glimpse high up in the trees of one of the many bald eagle nests that the area surrounding Wild Walk is home to.
When you’ve had enough of the outdoors there’s also fun to be had inside, from the Living River Trail Audio Tour to a visit to their gift shop or Waterside Cafe.
Things to note:
- Timed reservations are required to visit and must be made in advance
- The Wild Center is wheelchair and stroller accessible
For more information on how to become one with nature and hangout above the treetops, head to their website.