This Small Upstate New York Town Is One of the East Coast's Most Underrated Destinations for Stargazing

"There's something about being in the pitch-black of night that makes your mind work illogically. Amid a night paddle under a nearly full moon on the Raquette River, a mysterious shape moves through the water directly in front of my tandem kayak. My brain immediately thinks "alligator," despite being in a place where we do not, in fact, have alligators. After my guide reminds me the river monster was probably just a beaver, I rally from my spook,"

"As I'm discovering in real time on this nighttime paddle, the lack of light pollution in Tupper Lake means it gets exceptionally dark. So dark, in fact, that the small town within the 6-million-acre Adirondack Park has been expanding its dark-sky endeavors, making a name for itself in the growing world of noctourism. With its elevated setting, Tupper Lake is tailor-made for stargazing and exploring after dark."

"Little Wolf Beach Campground is a great waterfront choice, offering 50 tent sites, RV hookups, and amenities such as restrooms, showers, a basketball court, volleyball, and a lifeguarded swimming area. For those interested in primitive camping, Little Tupper Lake, about 20 minutes south of town, has 24 designated tent sites within the Whitney Wilderness. Here, you can enjoy paddling and fishing for brook trout on a serene lake, without the constant buzz of motorized boats."

Tupper Lake's minimal light pollution creates exceptionally dark nights, enabling vibrant nocturnal experiences such as paddling, stargazing, and wildlife listening. Night paddles can produce startling but harmless encounters with species like beavers while offering memorable soundscapes of crickets, loons, and owls. The town within the 6-million-acre Adirondack Park is expanding dark-sky initiatives and attracting noctourism. Overnight options include waterfront campgrounds with amenities, primitive sites in Little Tupper Lake's Whitney Wilderness for quiet paddling and brook trout fishing, renovated historic tiny cabins, and higher-end hotels like Trailhead by Weekender in town. Campsites and primitive sites often operate on a first-come, first-served basis.

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