Camping does all sorts of good for the soul.
It is so essential to leave the city and disconnect every once in a while, if only for a weekend. I’m not saying you have to go backcountry and trek miles into the unknown, just build a fire and gaze at the stars with no cell reception. My friends and I had a great time at the Ausable Chasm Campground, and it was a great jump off spot for lots of interesting things to do in a short radius not too far from the Capital Region.
The first stop of course was the Ausable Chasm. This attraction has many options including hiking, rafting, tubing, and rock climbing. We chose to do some hiking on the well-marked trails, this allowed us to see all of the amazing views from above.
A rafting river tour put us in the chasm with a very different set of views, plus we got some history of the space from a tour guide, and a cool down from the water.
The next day we hiked the Copperas Pond trail, a short jaunt up hill to find a bit of paradise. We claimed a rock for the morning. We tanned, swam, and enjoyed the glorious nature all around us.
We headed to Lake Placid in the afternoon to do some exploring and eating. The next day we swam, relaxed, and walked about Lake Champlain.
I wish I could build a fire every night, watch the stars, and hike and swim all day perfectly in bliss. I must however settle for a weekend trip, and enjoy every moment of it till the next time!
http://www.ausablechasm.com/Accommodations/campground.asp
http://alltrails.com/trail/us/new-york/copperas-pond
http://www.lakechamplainregion.com/recreation/outdoors/swimming