Adirondack Interpretive Center
Programs and Activities
Adirondack Interpretive Center Events
5922 State Route 28N, Newcomb, NY, United States, New York
aic@esf.edu | 518-582-2000
Spring Bird Walk
Saturday | May 10 | 8:30 am
Join us to look for songbirds, waterfowl, raptors, and other feathered creatures. Guest birders James Mills and Emily Reichert will be your guides for a walk along the Rich Lake Marsh on the Huntington Wildlife Forest. This walk is along a mostly level dirt road and great for beginning birders. Binoculars are available thanks to Northern New York Audubon. Space is limited. Registration required.
You can also email shample@esf.edu
Winged Wonders: A Day with the Birds
Saturday | May 10
- Walk - 8:30 am
- Building - 11 am
- Film - 1 pm
Join us at the Adirondack Interpretive Center for a fun and immersive day celebrating our avian neighbors! Start with a guided bird walk to observe local species in their natural habitat, then get hands-on building your own birdhouse to support backyard wildlife. Cap off the experience with a screening of “Birds” from the BBC’s Life series. Perfect for nature lovers of all ages, this program blends exploration, creativity, and education into one unforgettable event! Come for one activity or stay for them all!
All materials and tools for bench building will be provided. Bird houses: $20
You can also email shample@esf.edu
Ready, Set, Trek: Backpacking Basics for New Adventure's
Saturday | May 17 | 10 am -12 pm
Ready to trek the trails? Join our backpacking basics class to learn essential gear, trip planning, safety practices, and much more. Get the skills you need to confidently start your backpacking adventure!
You can also email shample@esf.edu
Mushroom Meanders
3rd Sunday of the Month | May - October | 1 pm
May 18th, June 15th, July 20th, August 17th, September 21st, and October 19th
With the guidance of mushroom enthusiast Sandy Bureaus, head out for an afternoon of mushroom hunting along the AIC trails. Whether you are a beginner or seasoned forager these walks will help expand your knowledge into the mysteries of mycology. Walks will be held every third Sunday at 1pm starting in May and continuing through October. Registration is not required but encouraged.
You can also email shample@esf.edu
Main Hall Exhibit Ribbon Cutting
Sunday | May 25 | 11:00 am
Over the past several years, the staff at SUNY ESF’s Newcomb Campus have been dedicated to creating a new exhibit at the Adirondack Interpretive Center (AIC). This exhibit highlights the connection between SUNY ESF’s main campus and the AIC in Newcomb while showcasing ESF’s presence within the Adirondack Park, across New York State, and internationally.
The completion of this exhibit is the result of extensive collaboration and hard work by the Newcomb Campus staff, the communications department, and our exhibit designer, Bob MacNamara, (LA, ’73). To celebrate this achievement, we invite you to join us for a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Sunday, May 25th, at 11:00 AM at the AIC. Light lunch to follow.
Spring Bird Hike with Miok
Saturday | June 7 | 9:00 am
Join guest birder Miok Salz as we look for early arriving avian migrants and resident birds. We’ll walk along the Rich Lake Marsh on the private Huntington Wildlife Forest. Walks are easy rambles and great for beginning birders. Binoculars are available thanks to Northern New York Audubon. Space is limited. Registration required.
You can also email shample@esf.edu
Trail to Timber: Honoring Aldo Leopold
Saturday | June 14
- Walk - 9 am
- Building - 11 am
- Film - 1 pm
Join us at the Adirondack Interpretive Center for a day of exploration and hands-on activities in celebration of Aldo Leopold! Take a guided walk to discover the beauty of spring wildflowers, then put your skills to work by building your very own Leopold Bench—a perfect spot to sit and reflect on your newfound botanical knowledge. End the day with a screening of A Green Fire, a powerful documentary on Aldo Leopold’s life and lasting legacy. Come for one activity or stay for them all!
All materials and tools for bench building will be provided.
Leopold Benches: $40
You can also email shample@esf.edu
Elaine Schwartz Memorial Woods Walk
Saturday | June 21 | 10 am
Join the Interpretive Naturalist Intern Saturday, June 21st at 10am for the summer’s first Woodland Walk on the Rich Lake Trail in memory of AIC friend Elaine Schwartz. The Rich Lake trail is an easy 0.7-mile loop that winds through various habitats, including a raised boardwalk through a cedar swamp, and offers views of the Goodnow Fire Tower.
You can also email shample@esf.edu
Woodland Walks
Every Wednesday and Saturday | June 25 - August 16 | 1pm
Join us for a guided walk along our beautiful Rich Lake Trail every Wednesday and Saturday at 1pm throughout the summer until August 16th. The Rich Lake trail is an easy 0.7-mile loop that winds through various habitats, including a raised boardwalk through a cedar swamp, and offers views of the Goodnow Fire Tower.
Escape the Elements Summer Screening Series
Sunday's | June 29 - August 17 | 1pm
Need to escape from the heat or rain? Join us at the Adirondack Interpretive Center Sunday’s at 1pm and enjoy BBC’s mini-series, Life! Feel free to bring a comfier camp chair as well as snacks and drinks (Non-alcoholic beverages only, please)!
From the BBC and the Discovery Channel, producers of Planet Earth and The Blue Planet: Seas of Life, comes the newest landmark natural history series, Life. In Planet Earth, we brought you the world as you’ve never seen it before. Now, get closer with Life. Four years in the making, filmed over 3000 days, across every continent and in every habitat, with breathtaking new high definition filming techniques not available for Planet Earth, Life presents 130 incredible stories from the frontiers of the natural world, 54 of which have never been filmed before. Packed with excitement, revelation and entertainment, this remarkable 11-part blockbuster, narrated by Oprah Winfrey, captures unprecedented, astonishingly beautiful sequences and demonstrates the spectacular and extraordinary tactics animals and plants have developed to stay alive.
June 29th - Challenges of Life
July 6th - Reptiles and Amphibians
July 13th – Mammals
July 20th – Fish
July 27th - Hunters and Hunted
August 3rd - Creatures of the Deep
August 10th – Plants
August 17th – Primates
Loons and Logs Fundraiser Event
Saturday | July 19 | 11am
The Annual Rubber Loon Race is going back to its origins with ‘Loons and Logs’ making a comeback! The Loons and Logs event originally celebrated the connection between humans and the natural history of the Adirondacks but, just like nature has evolved and changed so has this event. With the loss of the bridges on the Sucker Brook Trail due to the unprecedented flood on July 11th, 2023, which served as the start and finish lines, we have decided to change things up and test our loons' diving skills instead! We are excited to see which loon will be crowned the best diver! Like in years past, you can sponsor a loon for $10 for your chance to win the title of the first-ever Loon Diving Champion (and a prize, of course).
Since the event is all about Loons and Logs, we thought it would be fun to embrace losing our bridges by challenging you to build a bridge made of logs - well, popsicle sticks, but still wood. For just a $10 entry fee, you can show off your design skills in the Build Us Bridges! Competition. Construct the bridge that can hold the most weight and earn the title of Bridge of Brawn or go for aesthetics and compete for the title of Bridge of Beauty. One entry fee lets you compete in both divisions. The top competitors in each division will win a night at Huntington Lodge on the ESF Newcomb Campus.
Sponsor a Loon Bridge Registration
Zine-Making Workshop
Saturday | July 26 | 11am
What is a zine? Zines are self-published mini booklets and this workshop will teach you how to make your own! This workshop will show participants how to use a single sheet of paper to create a little book that can be easily copied and shared with friends, community and family. Using suggested prompts or one’s own imagination, participants will fill pages with words, drawings and/or collage. This workshop is all about connecting (or reconnecting) with creative play and self-expression while learning about the power (and fun!) of self-publishing.
No drawing experience necessary!
Materials needed: colored pencils and markers, scissors, 8.5 x 11 sheets of printer paper, scrap magazines/books, glue sticks.
You can also email shample@esf.edu
Learning Through Comics Workshop
Saturday | August 16 | 11am
This workshop will explore the value of drawing as a tool for learning! Drawing can be a potent way to internalize new information and investigate a curiosity. You don’t have to be an “artist” to benefit from exploring new subjects with a combination of both words and pictures. This workshop will introduce participants to the joys of visual note-taking and together we will spend time researching a topic of choice and creating a single-page educational comic from what we learned.
No drawing experience necessary!
Materials needed: colored pencils, graphite pencils with erasers, printer paper (at least 2 sheets per participant), pens (just regular ballpoint pens are perfect).
You can also email shample@esf.edu
Fall Foliage Hike Up Goodnow Mountain
Sunday | September 28 | 9am
Wednesday | October 1 | 9am
The Adirondacks have long been known for its breathtaking fall foliage, attracting people from all over the Northeast. The bright greens of summer turn to fiery reds, yellows, and oranges of autumn giving the forests a beautiful new palette. What better place to experience these magnificent colors than from Goodnow Mountain fire tower. Learn about the forest’s seasonal changes on the 4-mile round trip hike, considered moderately challenging, that culminates in a spectacular 360-degree view of Rich Lake, Huntington Wildlife Forest, the High Peaks, and surrounding areas. Dress for the weather. Meet at Goodnow Mountain Trailhead.