The Great Outdoors

In Montgomery County, the great outdoors beckons and water usually has a role in our recreational activities. Water is everywhere: you find it in stony creeks, all eventually absorbed by the Mohawk. You hear it in the falls and rapids that crash down or gently fall, depending on the time of year. You seek it, for boating and fishing and as the backdrop to lazy summer afternoons.

To be outdoors in Montgomery County: what a feeling. Did you ever see the orange-red of a sugar maple against the water? Or have a breeze lift your spirits as you amble along a historic canal towpath? Did you see the joy of that little boy fishing by a great river? Or glimpse a deer effortlessly clear a stone wall? And experience a certain thrill as you swing a golf club at a designer course? Did you savor a hot dog at a real county fair?

Whatever your pleasure, all those pleasures are here. In Montgomery County.


Canajoharie's Wintergreen Park and Gorge is a magnificent natural landscape of reflecting pools, waterfalls, nature trails, and picnic areas and a great place to while away some time.	The 18-hole Arthur Carter Amsterdam Municipal Golf Course is designed by Robert Trent Jones and a fine place to spend a day.

Attractions

Arthur Carter Amsterdam Municipal Golf Course
A Robert Trent Jones-designed course. 18 holes, restaurant, pro shop. Daily greens fees, carts available. Van Dyke Avenue, Amsterdam, 518-842-9731, call for hours.

Black Forest Stables
Riding, 202 Smith Road, Amsterdam, 518-883-3140.

Canajoharie Country Club
18 holes, restaurant, lounge, pro shop. Daily greens fees, carts available with notice. Route 163, Canajoharie, 518-673-3929, April-October, call for hours

Canajoharie Wintergreen Park and Gorge
Nature at its finest. Wintergreen Park has a dramatic gorge, beautiful waterfalls, nature trails, and picnic areas. Wintergreen Park Road, Canajoharie, 518-673-5508, Memorial Day-Labor Day, 9 am-9:30 PM.

Charleston State Forest
4600 acres to enjoy all season for hunting, camping, snowshoeing, and cross-country skiing. Route 30A south of Fultonville. Call 518-382-0680 for a brochure.

Covertdale
Riding lessons and trail rides, tack shop. Route 5, Palatine Bridge.

Cruise-In Car Rally
Open to all classic, antique, hot-rod and custom cars and motorcycles. Every other Wednesday, 6-9 PM, Parkside Drive-In, Rt. 5, St. Johnsville, May-Sept. 518-993-2755 or biga@telenet.net.


Photo opportunities of the Amish at work or play are rare, and should only be approached with the most discreet respect. But such sights to see!	"Meet you at the Fair" is a phrase you'll hear from many Montgomery County residents right around Labor Day. A century-old tradition, the Fonda Fair has something for everyone, whether your taste leans toward educational displays, 4-H competitions, or stock car racing and the midway.

Crystal Grove Diamond Mine and Campground
Dig for Herkimer diamonds. 161 County Highway 114, St. Johnsville, 518-568-2914, April 15-October 15, 8 am-dusk.

Erie Canal Trail and Bicycle Path
From the Port Jackson section of Amsterdam, a 7.5 mile paved bicycle path which leads to the Schoharie Crossing, the Yankee Hill Lock, and the public boat launch. Schoharie Crossing State Historic Site, Fort Hunter, 518-829-7516. Another bike path links Canajoharie and Fort Plain villages and can be accessed easily from Route 5S.

Fonda Fair
An old-fashioned country fair with displays, rides, exhibits, entertainment, horse and tractor pulls, 4-H competitions, and plain old fun. Annual event at Labor Day weekend. Fonda Fairgrounds, Fonda, 518-853-3313, www.fondafair.com. Other summer Fairgrounds event schedules, also call 518-853-3313.

Fonda Speedway
The drama of the race. Modified stock car racing. Fonda Fairgrounds, Fonda, April-October, Saturday evenings. 518-853-4235, www.fondaspeedway.com.

Guided Trail Rides at Giddy-Up-Go Riding Stables
Fun for the whole family. Route 30A N off Route 20, year-round, 518-875-6233, call for hours.

Hisert's Campground and Airstrip
Fly-in camping just 10 miles south of the Adirondack State Park. Call 518-993-5167.

Pangea's Puddle Ski School
Water ski camp and lessons, Route 162 at Mahr Road, Canajoharie. Call 518-673-2959.

Riverlink Park
Amsterdam's 9-1/2-acre Riverlink Park opens in Spring 2000. An elevated walkway with breathtaking views links downtown Amsterdam to a canalside plaza area with open-air stage, children's playgrounds, a roller/hockey rink, gardens, and 300 feet of transient boat docking. Call City Hall, 518-841-5190, for information.

Rural Grove State Forests
2000 acres for hiking, hunting, fishing, camping, trapping and other year-round activities. Includes Yatesville (Buttermilk) Falls. Routes 162 and Logtown Road, Rural Grove.

Sanford Farms Museum
Town-owned historic site, in development for scheduled 2001-02 opening, on grounds of famous thoroughbred breeding and training stables operated by the family that owned Sanford Carpets, Amsterdam, and sponsored the annual Sanford Stakes race at famed nearby Saratoga Race Track. Route 30N. Call Town Office, 518-842-7961, for information.

Schoharie Crossing Boat Launch
Boat launch, picnic area, fishing, and hike/bike path. Route 5S, Fort Hunter, 518-829-7516, May 15-October 27, dawn to dusk.

St. Johnsville Campsite and Municipal Marina
Tie up for the evening and enjoy a stay in this quaint town located on the Canal. Boat launch with fuel, water, gas, and diesel. Camping and bed and breakfast nearby. South Bridge Street, St. Johnsville, 518-568-7406 (seasonal), 518-568-2221 (yearly). May-November, 7 am-9:30 PM.

Thomas H. Burbine Memorial Forest & Nature Trail
A forever-wild territory, maintained by Montgomery County. Close to Charleston State Forest (see above) on Corbin Hill Road. Call 518-853-3814.


Farmers in the lush Mohawk River Valley have excellent soil and families have worked the land for generations. Many farms are open for tours and many are open for business with farmstands where you can stock up for a country picnic. Call (800) 743-7337 for a "Harvest Tour" map.	Montgomery County has its share of village greens and Hazlett Park in the village of Fort Plain makes a serene spot to read a book or catch a breeze on a warm evening. The park marks the entrance to the village and is a traditional green, surrounded by historic buildings.