Long Lake.

Long Lake is fourteen miles long. It is, in fact, the longest body of water that goes by the name "lake" in New York State. (Several rivers are longer; several reservoirs are too. But none of those calls itself a lake.) The hamlet of Long Lake sits at the south-central narrows, at the only road crossing — a working two-lane bridge that has been the regional pinch-point for over a century.

Helms Aero Service has run a commercial seaplane operation from the lake since the 1940s. The Cessna 180s and de Havilland Beavers tied up at the dock are not for show; they fly working trips into the wilderness ponds north and west of the village, drop off paddlers, fishing parties, and the occasional surveyor, and return at the end of the day. It is one of the few places in the Northeast where a casual visitor can pay for a real bush-flying experience without leaving the lower 48.

The village is also the northern terminus of the Northville-Placid Trail — the 138-mile through-hike that runs from the southern boundary of the Park to the High Peaks region. The trail enters Long Lake from the south, drops out at the village for a real meal at Cathy's Diner, and continues north. It is the southern Adirondacks' premier multi-day backpacking route, and Long Lake is its working trail-town.