History Tours, Hikes & Paddles
Stay a few hours:
Guided History Tour:
The Great Camp
Guided Paddle Tour:
Reflections of a Great Camp
Guided History Hike:
Harvesting the
Wilderness
Guided History Hike:
Engineering the Wilderness
History Tours & Hikes are made possible through a generous donation from David and Janet Griffith.
Guided History Tour: The Great Camp
Saturdays at 1:30 PM | May 31 & June 7
Daily at at 10:00 AM & 1:30 PM | June 14 - October 17
Come experience a masterpiece of Adirondack architecture, a place where America’s most influential people came to take a break from the clamor of their “modern” lives. The 27-building Great Camp stands alone on a remote lakeside. Sagamore’s builders gathered the colors, scents, and textures of the wild forest and reassembled them in a style that is now imitated nationwide. This family-friendly historic tour of the buildings & grounds takes about two hours.
History Tours start and end at Sagamore’s charming Gift Shop, open daily from 9:00 am to 4:30 pm.
Upgrade your Tour…Add on a buffet Lunch in our Historic Dining Hall overlooking Sagamore Lake! Advanced reservations for lunch are required. See more details regarding Dining @ Sagamore below.
Questions, or interested in booking a large group?
Contact tours@greatcampsagamore.org
Guided History Hike: Engineering the Wilderness
Wednesdays and Saturdays at 10:00 AM | July 2nd - September 24th
Explore Sagamore’s natural history and its ingenious engineering innovations.
When William West Durant built Sagamore in 1897 and Alfred Vanderbilt enlarged it in 1902 and 1914, they committed to providing cutting edge luxuries of the day—central heating, hot and cold running water, flush toilets, on-demand gas lamps fed by self-sustaining systems and, eventually, full-fledged electricity. Miles from the nearest railroad and anything like a municipal works or utility department, they engineered those luxuries from nature itself.
During this 5.5 hour experience, guests walk around Sagamore and on trails through the surrounding woods to see the sites and discuss the scientific principles that made it all possible. From a series of spring houses, cisterns, and waterways; to a hydro-electric power plant; to a self-regulating machine that turned gasoline into naphtha lighting; to massive cast iron wood burning boilers, Sagamore had all the engineering and technological triumphs available at the turn of the 20th Century.
This tour highlights the extraordinary vision and labor required to create, operate, and maintain these engineering feats, and how they both altered and maintained the experience of “being in nature.”
History Hikes start and end at Sagamore’s charming Gift Shop, open daily from 9:00 am to 4:30 pm.
History Hikes are from 10 AM to 3:30 PM,
and include lunch in the historic dining hall.
Please Note: The day includes approximately 4.5 miles of guided hikes through state forests. This experience is for individuals who have no mobility concerns, and who have experience walking through the woods. The pace is leisurely and measured. If you do not often walk in the woods, this may not be the best “first” experience doing so. Feel free to consult with Sagamore staff on questions—we’re happy to discuss more and find the right balance between caution and adventure!
Guided History Hike: Harvesting the Wilderness
Mondays & Thursday’s at 9:30am | July 1 - October 10th
Step into Sagamore’s historic farm meadow and discover how this remote Adirondack retreat fed an entire community at the turn of the century. Before roads and refrigeration, Sagamore relied on its own fields, barns, woods, and waters to sustain guests and workers.
This 2 hour hike winds through the historic farm meadow and into the surrounding woods to uncover the living systems that fed Sagamore. Guests learn how crops were grown and preserved, how dairy cows and chickens provided daily staples, and how hunting and fishing added fresh meat to the table. Foraging for berries, mushrooms, and wild greens also played a role in the camp’s seasonal rhythms. These foodways were more than survival—they supported a kind of wilderness luxury, with multi-course meals prepared daily for dozens of guests and staff.
Explore a lesser-known but vital side of Sagamore’s story—one of resilience, resourcefulness, and the delicious art of living off the land.
History Hikes start and end at Sagamore’s charming Gift Shop, open daily from 9:00 am to 4:30 pm.
Upgrade Your Experience…Add on a buffet Lunch in our Historic Dining Hall overlooking Sagamore Lake before your hike! Advanced reservations for lunch and the hike are required. Learn more about Dining at Sagamore below.
Better yet, consider adding lunch AND the Great Camp Sagamore History Tour and make a day of it!
Guided Paddle Tour: Reflections of a Great Camp
Tuesdays at 9:30am & Sunday's at 1:30pm | July 1 - October 10th
Launch from Sagamore’s original boathouse and explore the camp’s storied shoreline on this 1.5-hour guided paddling excursion. As you canoe past the main lodge, dining hall, and Lakeside, you’ll learn about how William West Durant designed Great Camp Sagamore to blend into its natural surroundings—using native timber, stone, and materials crafted right on site.
Midway across the lake, your guide will share the natural history of the Adirondacks, from the retreat of the last glaciers to the formation of the region’s dramatic landscape and ecosystems. As you return along the north shore, experience Sagamore from the water, just as its earliest guests did—surrounded by nature, and steeped in history.
The Guided Paddle Tour starts and ends at Sagamore’s charming Gift Shop, open daily from 9:00 am to 4:30 pm.
Upgrade Your Experience…Add on a buffet Lunch in our Historic Dining Hall overlooking Sagamore Lake after your paddling excursion! Advanced reservations for lunch are required. Learn more about Dining at Sagamore below.
Better yet, consider adding lunch AND the Great Camp Sagamore History Tour and make a day of it!
Upgrade your experience with lunch
in Sagamore’s Historic Dining Hall
Add on a Buffet Lunch in our Historic Dining Hall overlooking Sagamore Lake!
Meals at Great Camp Sagamore are hosted in the majestic Dining Hall, with glorious views of Sagamore Lake and the surrounding mountains. Our exceptional meals are enjoyed in a shared setting where you’ll meet new people and make new friends. Three times a day the “dinner bell” calls our guests to our buffet to enjoy the array of delicious options prepared by our talented chef and kitchen staff. Our mission as a non-profit organization is centered around building a sense of community and a passion for new experiences, and eating meals together provides the perfect environment to do just that.
Advance reservations are required, so when registering for the tour or experience, select the option that includes a meal.
Join Us for A Multi-Day Program
Great Camp Sagamore offers a variety of immersive experiences that encompass a wide range of interests and pursuits, including programs that focus on topics and activities such as traditional Adirondack arts, music, outdoor recreation, history, wellness, family options and more. Multi-Day Programs include lodging, delicious meals in the Dining Hall overlooking Sagamore Lake, and access to property amenities. Multi-Day Programs run between 2 and 5 nights.