Things to see or do Near Fort Drum, NY.

My son is getting stationed in Fort Drum in June. The wife and I would like to go see him sometime. When is the best time of year to see this area. What species can one go after up there ( trapping). He is an outdoors type of course Being attached to the 10th Mountain Division one better be outdoors men.
Tips on best time for fishing and what species is most prevelant--best place to go.
Hunting- What is up there.
Site seeing etc.
I have never been that far upstate NY but have always wanted to go to the Northeast to see the color change on the trees.

look up Black Lake

Summer into fall seem to be a pretty good time to visit. lots of state land for trapping and hunting, the Thousand Islands are nice to see and take a boat tour. plenty of lakes and rivers to fish thank your son for his service.

St. lawrence seaway is another thing worth seeing.

and yes thanx to your son.

https://fortdrum.isportsman.net/

Check out the above web site for on FT DRUM wildlife area, Army welfare and rec (boats, canoes, camping equipment, fishing, hunting and trapping) cost is small or free as he is a soldier: the 1000 Islands offers some old world big money attractions (estates and a castle); you can drive across the Adirondacks in 3 hours or less: Saranac lake for Olympics/training. Lake Champlain for revolutionary history. Most people just want to go fishing in the mountains and relax. Saint Lawerence River as great Musky Fishing.

Enjoy and tell him thanks for serving.

lots of good fishing.Walleye,perch.bass,pike.

The Adirondacks...

pcr2. Black Lake is a terrible, worthless place. lol. Beaver,rats,mink,otter,yotes,a few fox,weasel,skunk,coon. No bag limit and fairly long seasons. And that’s just trapping. With low fur prices hardly any competition. Finally saw a guy trapping rats today.

lots of beaver and rats and otter on fort drum land

Brings back some memories. I used to work at a paper mill up there and would go fishing at lunch on the black river. Good smallmouth bass and walleye fishing on the black river.

Just wondering is it far enough north that the water is “clean” there? Out here in Iowa all you hear is how polluted the water is in New York.

Water is clear UP here! Please don’t consider NY to be one place.

That’s why I asked, I’ve never been there so anything I know is what I hear or read and like most things you always get the worst of the reports. Also national news comes out of New York so guess what we get told out here.

All kinds of opportunities to hunt, fish, and trap in and around Ft. Drum. It's 5.5-6hrs(250-300mi.) northwest of NYC.
All together different people than the ones in the city.
I been going up there to hunt since 1991.

Thank your boy for his service for me and let him know it snows a little up there in the winter. Like 15-20 FEET!!!!

I have reread and let things sink in a little and realized what I said needs context. The main issue I hear about is the Hudson where New York had a corporation creating the pollution, and that is what I wasn’t sure of, if there was a polluter like that there. I didn’t mean to lump you guys in with the people from the city of New York and I am sorry for my question doing so.

Thank You all for the responses. Some great info to pour over.
I will tell him you guys say Thank You for serving.
He was raised in Wyoming in the Bighorns so he will be used to deep snow BUT not with a heavy ruck on youth has it's advantages.

Bob, NYC is about a 7 hour drive from Fort Drum. Hudson river is brown, only clear water in most all upstate NY. For people that grew up in the Midwest it's an eye opener when they visit the northeast.

Near by Franklin county has some excellent brook trout fishing

The Hudson River from Fort Edward south is contaminated with PCB's.The river was dredged, but the cleanup was insufficient. Most of the streams in the Adirondacks are clean and the mountains are beautiful.Don't miss taking a ride through them..I would be careful of eating fish coming out of the St.Lawrence river, which drains the great lakes. That said, there is GREAT fishing in Lake Ontario..Please do not equate NYC with northern New York; two separate worlds.There are too many beaver to be drinking out of any stream without knowing the source.

Drinking the water unfiltered, or not heated to a rolling boil could earn you

a memorable bout of Giardiasis from ingestion of Giardia Cysts

which are endemic to any waters which have a beaver population

upstream from where you drink the water.

Since most Adirondack or Northern New York watersheds have

extensive beaver populations, I'd be real careful about drinking water

here without taking the proper precautions,

no matter how clear, clean, and pure the water (looks).

w

Check out the NYSDEC website and key in on Regions 5, 6, and 7. Good info. on outdoor recreation. Also, check outdoor sections of county websites like: Oswego, Jefferson, Oneida, Lewis, and St. Lawrence. Good luck and we appreciate your son's service!

there is so much to do up there. only if you like

Catching 10-12lb walleyes
catching some salmon,
fat small mouth and muskies on the St. Lawrence,

theres alot to do and see, revolutionary war stuff 1.5hr south,
The adirondack mtns, old forge, racquet Lake, Lake Placid, are nice places to visit..

there are 100's of things to do....

dont go to Oswego, its pretty much a commune for homosexuals....

agree Hup.been visiting up there at least once a year and love the area.3rd week of May i'll be at the lake.remember some great snowshoe hunts and listening to the target practice at Drum while fishing as a boy.even at a 5 hr drive,i've spent many 3 day weekends in the area.