The Adirondack Park By The Numbers

To live (or visit) in the Adirondack Park is to love the Adirondack Park. But did you know that 43 percent (or about 2.6 millions acres) of the Park is owned by New York State? Here are some more number- related facts about the largest area of publicly protected land in the contiguous United States*:

84 million – Estimated number of people who live within a day’s drive of the Park (based on Adirondack Park Agency estimates of a 7 hour travel day at an average of 50 miles per hour)

6 million- Approximately the number of acres within the boundaries (also known as the Blue Line) of the Park

Map of New York showing Adirondack Park bounded by traditional Blue Line. Author: Jackaranga, blue line added by Daniel Case

130,000 – People who live in the Adirondacks year-round

5,334 – Height in feet of Mount Marcy, the highest peak in the Adirondacks and in the state

2000 -  Miles of hiking trails in the Park

1909 – Year in which the first fire tower, built from wooden logs, was erected on Mount Morris

1892 – Year the Adirondack Park was created by the State of New York, in part due to concerns about deforestation and water resources

200 – Estimate of the number of species of birds known to breed in the Park

102 – Number of towns and villages within the park

57  – Number of fire towers that have existed within the Park. Thirty-four still remain.

54  – Species of mammals known to live in the Adirondacks

43 – Average age of residents in the Adirondack Park, according to the Adirondack Regional Assessment Project. Residents of the Adirondack Park are the oldest in the country, second only to  residents of the west coast of Florida, as reported here.

1.3 – Acres in millions classified as Wild Forest, a category which allows for use of the land for many recreational activities

1 – Number of peaks in the Adirondacks named after a woman. Esther Mountain is named for Esther McComb, who, at 15 years old, made the first recorded ascent of the peak. Click here for more on Esther Mountain.

0 – Number of  stop lights in Hamilton County, according to VisitAdirondacks.com

*unless otherwise noted, facts are compiled from the Adirondack Park Agency or the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation