I had such a fantastic time white water rafting with Adirondack River Outfitters. I purchased a Groupon for two people which included the rafting, a light lunch, and a bbq dinner. We spent four hours with a great tour guide navigating 17 miles of the Hudson River (way up north, past the thought of pollution).
The water was warm, clear, and the rapids were exhilarating. You don’t need any experience to raft; you just need a sense of adventure and some stamina. You get bits of history and nature information from your guide along the way. There are spots where you can jump off of a big rock or swim around. The nature surrounding the river is beautiful. There are many cedar trees, birds, and cliffs to gawk at during paddling breaks. Your lunch break along the river is great fuel for the rest of the trip, and the bbq dinner was hearty and beer well deserved. This was a lovely and different way to spend a summer day.
As if we didn’t get enough exercise paddling, we decided to make the most of our trip up north by hiking Hadley Mountain. I figured a (approx) 3-mile round trip hike wouldn’t be so bad, however our tired souls were pretty strained by the strenuous nature of the trails. It was pretty much up the entire way, but there are interesting rock formations, flowers, and wildlife as diversion.
The views and cool mountain air were well worth the struggle once we reached the summit.
There is a restored fire tower which facilitates spectacular views in every direction.
A summer day filled with sunshine, fresh air, and exercise is my favorite equation. My sore muscles the next day were just a reminder of a perfect adventure.
http://www.localhikes.com/Hikes/Hadley_0160.asp