Summer
Although the Camp Santanoni Preserve is open to the public year-round, many of the historic buildings are only open from late June to Labor Day, when the site is staffed full-time.
Of the historic structures at Camp Santanoni, only those at the Gate Lodge complex are accessible by motor vehicles.
The Farm complex is located one mile from the trailhead. The Main Lodge complex is located five miles from the trailhead. These areas may only be reached on foot or bicycle, or by chartering a horse-drawn wagon.
For the second year, visitors with disabilities or those who are otherwise unable to walk or bike the distance to the Farm or Main Camp are eligible to reserve and use a power wheelchair device to access these areas free of charge. The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC) will make the devices available on Saturdays, Sundays and holiday Mondays from July 5 through October 13, 2025.
More information about this program and how to make a reservation is available here.
NYSDEC prohibits all other motor vehicles, including electric bikes on Newcomb Lake Road.
Groups larger than 20 people must apply in advance for a Temporary Revocable Permit from NYSDEC.
Bicycle rentals are available in Newcomb at Cloudsplitter Outfitters.
Outhouses are available at the trailhead and the Main Camp.
Free tours of the Main Camp will continue into early fall on a reduced schedule through October 11. More information about the extended tour schedule is available on the Fall, Winter + Spring page.
Reservations for free tours are not necessary, although larger group tours may be arranged in advance by contacting AARCH at 518-834-9328 or santanoni@aarch.org.
For information on special tours led by Adirondack Architectural Heritage or the Santanoni Friends, see our Special Events page.
If you took a tour, we’d love your feedback. Please take our visitor survey so we can continue to improve on-site interpretation.
Access to Great Camp Santanoni is available by horse-drawn wagon for a per-person fee during the summer season.
The wagon departs the parking lot at the trailhead promptly at 10 a.m., and begins its return trip from the Main Camp at 2 p.m., returning to the parking lot at approximately 3:30 p.m. The ride takes about an hour and a half each way. If no reservations are scheduled, the wagon will not depart, so please book in advance.
For more information, pricing, and to reserve a ride, contact Larry & Pam Newcombe at Newcombe Farm, (518) 480-1743, or on Facebook.
There are eight primitive tent sites and two lean-tos around the lake for camping on a first-come, first-served basis (no reservations). Five of the campsites are located south of the Main Camp along the Newcomb Lake Road Trail on the shore of Newcomb Lake outlet, while the others are north of the Main Camp on the shores of Newcomb Lake and may be accessed using the Newcomb Lake Trail.
The designated campsites are marked with a yellow "Camp Here" disc. These backcountry campsites have a firepit and outhouse. There are no hook-ups for water or electricity.
Additional information about the campsites and the many miles of hiking trails in the area is available via the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation website.
Contact the Wagon operator for information about transporting gear to the primitive camp sites.
