Great Camp Sagamore Experience An Instant Hit

Experience life in the gilded age... with better bikes.

Ever wonder what it was like to live like a Vanderbilt? Morning coffee while relaxing lakeside in an Adirondack chair as the sun rises, shady forest strolls, a lazy paddle on smooth water. Perhaps a mid afternoon cup of tea before moving to the open air bowling alley to roll a few frames. Delicious meals in an elegant, yet rustic dining room followed by a game of bocce on the lawn and a campfire.

Well, for three days in August, we lived it during the first of two BikeADK Great Camp Sagamore Experience events planned for this year.

Historic Great Camp Sagamore sits on peninsula along pristine Sagamore Lake.

First, a little about the setting. Built in 1897 by visionary great camps designer William West Durant on 1,526 acres of remote wilderness in the Adirondack Park, Great Camp Sagamore was a wilderness retreat for the Vanderbilt family for half a century. Today, it's a National Historic Landmark managed by a non-profit educational institution as a public trust.

It's also a perfect setting to host an all-inclusive road cycling event, the second of which you can register for now.

Mornings were spent exploring the backroads around nearby Inlet with a 20-mile route to Big Moose Station the first day and a 23-mile out-and-back on quiet (and rolling) South Shore Road to Old Forge. Deer hopped in and out of the forest, rivers and ponds appeared around corners for postcard worthy images.

Big Moose outlet was a highlight on the Day 1 route.

Following a fine morning ride, it was time for lunch and an afternoon of soaking up the history of Great Camp Sagamore - whether by guided tour, a self guided hike on the well maintained trails or by checking out a canoe, kayak or stand up paddleboard from the boathouse.

Guest tour one of the many buildings while Great Camp Sagamore staff share the history.

The highlight, however, may just have been the open-air bowling alley added on to the camp in 1912 by the Vanderbilt Family. Guests took turns rolling a frame or two, while the friendly staff of Great Camp Sagamore reset the pins by hand.

"A tremendous setting, warm and friendly group of people — young and old — and enjoyable rides and post-event activities. We’ll be back." - Matt Massiano

There's nothing like bowling on a lane built in 1912 while wearing Crocs.

Evenings were highlighted by "Happy Hour" complete with craft beer from Paradox Brewery, Montezuma wines and appetizers on the covered porch of the Wigwam building, which overlooks a babbling stream.

After dinner, it was time for lawn games followed by a campfire at the lean-to. For this event, we were lucky enough to have professional story teller Mitch Lee regale the group with spirited tales from his youth growing up in Inlet.

There's nothing like listening to local stories from a local while sitting around a fire.

The only thing left at the end of this inaugural event was a total consensus that we could stay a few more days. And some guests did.

A few registration spots still remain for the September 19-21 event during prime fall color. Book yours today. It was one of those events where the staff felt like they were on vacation too. Perhaps even the staff of Great Camp Sagamore, who joined us for games and Tuesday's bike ride.

That's how you know it was a good event. To learn more about Great Camp Sagamore, visit sagamore.org.