My friends and I all had things we wanted to see and do in the Adirondacks. I wanted to kayak at sunset, and capture images of waterfalls and Common Loons in summer plumage. Don wanted to see a moose. Robb just wanted to take a walk on the wild side.

The Wild Walk at the Wild Center in Tupper Lake, that is. The Wild Center is a natural history education center with trails and a large exhibit space.

The highlight is the Wild Walk, a trail across the treetops, designed to show visitors the Adirondacks from the perspectives of different animals. There’s a spider web, an eagle’s nest, and an old hollow tree with a staircase inside, all connected at various heights off the forest floor. Just Robb’s cup of tea.

The views over the top of the forest to the mountains beyond were amazing.

We took a walk on the forest floor, too, and found tiny mushrooms sheltered in the base of an old tree.

Sensitive fern – my favorite fern. Yes, I have a favorite fern. Robb is partial to maidenhair.  The forest understory in the Adirondacks was carpeted by ferns, ferns and more ferns.

After lunch, we explored Bog River Falls. Bog River flows through the Horseshoe Wild Forest before tumbling over a set of waterfalls into Tupper Lake. The upper and lower falls can be accessed on both sides of the river. I dug out my tripod and tried my hand at some long-exposure photography.

The upper falls split around a tree-filled island.

Nearby, small feeder streams cascaded into the Bog River.

Below the upper falls.

My compadres on a rocky slab extending out into the lower falls. The panorama of Tupper Lake at the top of this post was taken from this same spot.

Simon Pond. From the tallest treetops to expansive blue lakes, raging waterfalls to peaceful ponds – what a pleasure to be wild and carefree in the Adirondack Mountains.