Cranberry Lake State Park
in the Adirondacks of New York
Day 1:
We left for Moreau Lake State Park at 8:15. We arrived at 2:45. The park is very wooded with a big lake. Next to our site there is a trail that leads down to the lake. Mom and Dad's clothes and two sleeping bags got wet on the way up. So, we went to a Laundromat to dry them. After dinner we walked along the lake to the playground and beach.
Day 2:
Today after breakfast we tried out our new reflector oven. We made blueberry muffins. They turned out a little mushy, but they were still goo d. When we finished we blew up our new boats. We took them down to the lake. The girls went in one boat while the boys went in another boat. We rowed around the lake for a while. At the other side David and Katie switched boats. Katie and Dad went to the beach. While Mom, Allison, and David rowed for a while then drove to the beach. When we all got back we walked through the walk-in campground. There are about six where everyone has to bring everything they need on their backs.
Day 3:
Today we left for Cranberry lake at 10:30. This small town is between Upper Tupper and Watertown. On the way up we passed many lakes and crossed the Hudson River numerous times. We climbed up many mountains wondering if the camper would make it up the next hill. When we got at the site at 2:30 the first thing we saw was the lake. The lake was The re was a trail that led right to the lake. After we set up the camper we went for a walk through the campground. After dinner we went to the dock. There Katie dropped her Skipper doll into the lake.
Day 4:
Today when Dad and Katie went fishing for Skipper, Mom, Allison, and David went for a boat ride in our boats. We rowed all the way to the dock where Skipper was taking a bath. It only took us 45 min. After lunch on the beach Allison and Mom rowed back while the rest drove back. When Mom and Allie got back we hung out on the beach, We went swimming and Allison and David practiced rowing. That night Katie's Rebecca (from the beach) came over and we made Coffee Cake in the Reflector Oven. The cake was really good. It even attracted some raccoons. During the night the raccoons came and ate our tomatoes and all of our sugar.
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Day 5:
Today is Mom and Dad's Anniversary. After breakfast Mom covered Dad's eye because he thought he got bitten or stung during the night. Then, Mom took Katie to the beach while Allie and David went down to the lake. After Mom and Katie got back Mom took all of us out in the boats, except for Dad because he was sleeping. We went in a cove where we could see huge Bear Mountain. Further down the lake we could see a little cabin with a dock. After dinner that night we went out in the boats to watch the sun set. The water was so calm it seemed like glass. The sunset was beautiful. The sun was reflecting off the water in brilliant colors.
Day 6:
Today we are going to the top of Bear Mountain. It is a mile long hike to the top. The bugs were really bad at the bottom. Swarms of them! Half way up we met this nice family from Syracuse. The top was tough to get to because the mountain was very steep. At the top there was a beautiful overlook. We could see for miles and miles. We couldn't see the campground on the other side. We didn't know the lake was this big!! After chatting for a while with the family we met we started on the 1.5 mile hike down the other side. It was just as steep as the way up. After lunch we went to the village of Cranberry Lake. They had a Post Office and a Library in one building. There were a couple of old lodges and a Mobil Mini Mart Motel down the road. Ralphie's Restaurant was run down and for sale. After stopping at the Mini Mart we went to the Cranberry Lake Gift Shop. Minutes later the family we met on top of Bear Mountain pulls up next to us. We looked through there for a while. After dinner we went down for an other sunset row. We also baked brownies in the Reflector Oven. They turned out really good.
The view of Cranberry Lake from the top of Bear Mountain
Day 7:
Today is our last full day at Cranberry Lake. After breakfast Dad and Katie went to the beach (as usual) and Mom took Allie and David out in the boats. Where we saw the cabin yesterday was a huge house around the corner with a second story balcony overlooking the water. Further down there was another house. This one was for sale. All the way down we found about another 10 houses. After lunch we all went back in the boats. The boys in one and the girls in another. The clouds were getting dark so we weren't going to go to far. We got to the point where we could see the big house when it started to lightning and thunder at the other end of the lake. Dad tried to row back because David rowed there , but we found out that Dad couldn't row and canoeing wasn't working so, David rowed back. After we got back to shore we took it easy and watched our last sunset at Cranberry Lake.
Day 8:
Today we left for our last stop, North South Lake in the Catskills. We left at 9:45. On the way there we stopped at Dad's college in Schenectady. We saw his fraternity, the 16 sided building, and the gardens. The garden had a big tree, lots of nice flowers, and a stream running through it. It was really nice. When we finally got to the Catskills we were barely making it up the hills. Our campsite has a nice view of the water. After we got unpacked at 5:30 we walked down an old road along the lake to a picnic area where we went fishing.
Day 9:
Today is our last day camping. This morning after breakfast Dad took Katie fishing. Mom, Allie, and David went rowing and found them fishing down the old road. We all took turns rowing out to the island with the picnic table on it. The lakes weren't very deep. At one place in the middle of North Lake it was only about 2 feet deep. After lunch Katie and Dad went to the beach. After the rest of us rowed for a while we walked to the beach. We then hit the souvenir shop in town. We bought some tee-shirts and Dad bought a book. On the way back we found some logs for our last fire.
Day 10:
Today we left for home.
The Sunset over Cranberry Lake
More Information
Links:
Moreau Lake State Park
DEC: Cranberry Lake State Park
Adirondacks Official Home Page
Adirondacks Travel Guide
Wikipedia: Adirondacks
DEC: North South Lake State Park
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