Skip to main content
Be prepared with helpful travel tips!
  • See & Do
    • See & Do
    • See all
      • See all
      • Seasons
        • See all
        • Spring
        • Summer
        • Fall
        • Winter
      • Accessibility
      • Arts
      • Attractions
      • Downtown
      • Health & Wellness
      • History
      • Live Music
      • Parks
      • Shopping
      • Stories
      • Weddings
  • Outdoors
    • Outdoors
    • See all
      • See all
      • Hiking
        • See all
        • Nature Walks
      • ADK Guides & Tours
      • Birding
      • Boating
      • Camping
      • Cross-Country Skiing
      • Cycling
      • Downhill Skiing
      • Fishing
      • Golfing
      • Ice Fishing
      • Mountain Biking
      • Paddling
      • Snowmobiling
      • Snowshoeing
  • Eat & Drink
    • Eat & Drink
    • See all
    • Cafés & Coffee Shops
    • Craft Beer & Cocktails
    • Restaurants
  • Events
    • Events
    • See all
    • Adirondack Snowshoe Fest
    • ArtWorks ArtMarkets
    • Can-Am Rugby Tournament
    • Celebrate Paddling ADK
    • First Night Saranac Lake
    • Plein Air Festival
    • Winter Carnival
    • 3rd Thursday Art Walks
  • Stay
    • Stay
    • See all
    • Cabins & Cottages
    • Camping
    • Inns, Lodges, Bed & Breakfasts
    • Resorts, Hotels, Motels
    • Vacation Rentals
  • First Time Visitors
    • First Time Visitors
    • See all
      • See all
      • Accessibility
      • Downtown
      • Getting Here
      • Greater Region
      • Stories
      • Seasons
        • See all
        • Spring
        • Summer
        • Fall
        • Winter
  • Local
    • Local title-header
      • Live Here
        • See all
        • Meet the Locals
        • Real Estate
        • Town of Harrietstown
        • Town of North Elba
        • Town of St. Armand
        • Village of Saranac Lake
      • Do Business Here
        • See all
        • Chamber Job Board
        • Essex County IDA
        • Franklin County Economic Development Co.
        • Professional Services
        • Saranac Lake Area Chamber of Commerce
      • Community Initiatives
        • See all
        • Arts & Culture Master Plan
        • Downtown Revitalization Initiative
        • Saranac Lake Brand
        • Village Community Development Department
What can we help you find?
  • See & Do
      1. See & Do
      2. See all
        1. See all
        2. Seasons
          • See all
          • Spring
          • Summer
          • Fall
          • Winter
        3. Accessibility
        4. Arts
        5. Attractions
        6. Downtown
        7. Health & Wellness
        8. History
        9. Live Music
        10. Parks
        11. Shopping
        12. Stories
        13. Weddings
  • Outdoors
      1. Outdoors
      2. See all
        1. See all
        2. Hiking
          • See all
          • Nature Walks
        3. ADK Guides & Tours
        4. Birding
        5. Boating
        6. Camping
        7. Cross-Country Skiing
        8. Cycling
        9. Downhill Skiing
        10. Fishing
        11. Golfing
        12. Ice Fishing
        13. Mountain Biking
        14. Paddling
        15. Snowmobiling
        16. Snowshoeing
  • Eat & Drink
      1. Eat & Drink
      2. See all
      3. Cafés & Coffee Shops
      4. Craft Beer & Cocktails
      5. Restaurants
  • Events
      1. Events
      2. See all
      3. Adirondack Snowshoe Fest
      4. ArtWorks ArtMarkets
      5. Can-Am Rugby Tournament
      6. Celebrate Paddling ADK
      7. First Night Saranac Lake
      8. Plein Air Festival
      9. Winter Carnival
      10. 3rd Thursday Art Walks
  • Stay
      1. Stay
      2. See all
      3. Cabins & Cottages
      4. Camping
      5. Inns, Lodges, Bed & Breakfasts
      6. Resorts, Hotels, Motels
      7. Vacation Rentals
  • First Time Visitors
      1. First Time Visitors
      2. See all
        1. See all
        2. Accessibility
        3. Downtown
        4. Getting Here
        5. Greater Region
        6. Stories
        7. Seasons
          • See all
          • Spring
          • Summer
          • Fall
          • Winter
  • Local
      1. Local
        1. Live Here
          • See all
          • Meet the Locals
          • Real Estate
          • Town of Harrietstown
          • Town of North Elba
          • Town of St. Armand
          • Village of Saranac Lake
        2. Do Business Here
          • See all
          • Chamber Job Board
          • Essex County IDA
          • Franklin County Economic Development Co.
          • Professional Services
          • Saranac Lake Area Chamber of Commerce
        3. Community Initiatives
          • See all
          • Arts & Culture Master Plan
          • Downtown Revitalization Initiative
          • Saranac Lake Brand
          • Village Community Development Department

Take A Swim!

Watch Video
Be prepared with helpful travel tips!
Alan Belford
July 20, 2013

            With summer now in full swing, it is the time of year when Wren and I are taking daily swims in Lake Colby in Saranac Lake.  I return from working in the field each day sticky and sweaty from hiking around and conducting bird or vegetation work, and there is nothing I want more than a swim to cool off. 

            Wren is always game to swim (she swims until the ice is on the lakes!), and might not leave the water if I don’t force her to do so, so she is more than happy to take me up on the offer.  We generally start by taking a short walk during which time Wren plunges into every stream crossing or water body we pass before we head to the lake. 

Lake Colby
Lake Colby

            We usually swim near the boat launch at Lake Colby – a great place for swimming and for dogs – there is also a public beach on the other side of the lake.  I initially throw the ball a while for Wren to retrieve – I’ve been sick of late and she always has more energy than I do anyway.  Eventually I join her in the water and chuck the ball so we can both race for it.  She usually wins. 

            Of course Lake Colby is just one of many, many Adirondack lakes which are great for swimming and great for swimming with your dog.  It is one of the best things about living or visiting this area.  We all have miles and miles of natural swimming pools at our fingertips – or paws.  And right now the water feels great.    

osprey - Larry
osprey - Larry

            And, not only is swimming in Adirondack lakes great for exercise and fun, we often see a variety of wildlife when we are out swimming.  Birds like cedar waxwings and common yellowthroats are always on the brushy wet edge near the boat launch on Lake Colby and we often find other larger species there as well.  Just last week Wren and I were at Lake Colby and a merlin – a small species of falcon – was chattering loudly from the top of a white pine along the lakeshore.  That was followed shortly by a calling broad-winged hawk overhead and then two bald eagles – first an adult and next an immature bird.  Two days later we saw an osprey while swimming and we often see common loons.  That’s not bad when all you are really trying to do is to cool off.  And taking a swim is the best way I can think of to top off a warm summer day. 

Lake Colby
Lake Colby
osprey - Larry
osprey - Larry

Related Stories

The Taste of Community: Saranac Lake
Hike Like a Pro
Bar Flies and Fish Stories
5 Reasons to go Birding in Saranac Lake
Happy Campers
It's Snowmobile Season
Preparedness Is No Accident
Birding From Home
Five Ideas for Winter Family Fun
Saranac Lake Adventure Travel
Three Fantastic Fall Hikes in Saranac Lake
A Fall Vacation with Hot Sara
Norman Ridge Ride
A Decidedly Different Fall Day in Saranac Lake
Lake Kushaqua, A Beautiful Place to Rest
Fall Fun in Saranac Lake
Mt. Pisgah: The Adirondacks’ Finest Uphill Bike Park
Perfect Paddling at the VIC
Decidedly Different Saranac Lake
Hiking Haystack
Gravel biking at Kushaqua
It's All Good at the Saranac Lake Skateboard Park
A Week’s Worth of Nightlife in Saranac Lake
Paddling Middle to Lower Saranac Lake
Cycling Loops in Saranac Lake
Hot Town, Summer in the Village
Three Great Birding Sites within Three Minutes of Town
Sixty Degrees in April
Finding Fun and Snowfleas at the VIC
Cross-Country Ski The Jackrabbit Trail
Finding Winter Finches — and other Cold-Weather Species
Skiing from Placid to Saranac Lake
First Day on the Bog
Saranac Lake's Snowshoe Centers
Snowshoeing at the VIC
The VIC's Black Pond Loop
5 Paths to Winter Adventure in Saranac Lake
A Day on McKenzie Mountain
The Kiwassa Curse
A Fall Hike up St. Regis Mountain
A Jones Pond Paddle
A Paddle (and Birding!) on Lake Clear Outlet
Exploring Dexter Marsh and Santa Clara Flow
Summer Scoop: Five ADK Ice Cream Destinations
Hiking and Birding in Bloomingdale Bog
Rebuilding a Whitewater Park
Extreme Art: Painting Inside the Blue Line
Saranac Inn Golf and Country Club
Our Five Favorite Swimming Holes
Music on the Green 2018
Hiking an Adirondack Mountain for the First Time
Sweet Isle O' Mine - Adventures in Island Camping
Two Ways of Exploring the Natural World at the VIC
The VIC: it's luxury hiking!
Walking the Walk: 20 years of ArtWalks in Saranac Lake
Get down! The best low-elevation hikes in Saranac Lake
The Great Adirondack Birding Celebration!
Rejoice!! May Birding is Here!!
Three of Saranac Lake's Best Paddling Routes
The Excitement of Early Spring Birding!
Family Paddling Day: Planned for You
Get away with the girls
WINTER IS COOL
Boreal Birds and Northern Finches!
So Much Snow! And Some Great March Skiing!
Let's Glide - Enjoy Fish Creek Park!
Top 5 tips for fishing on Lake Colby
Woods and Waters Trail, a great ski!
A Holiday Ski!
First Skis of the Season!
Get Acclimated!
Feeling Grateful
Detours are great!
Paddling Jones Pond in the Fall
A Fall Hike Up Mount Baker
An Evening Paddle on Lake Clear Outlet
Azure Mountain Adventure
A Fall Paddle on Little Green Pond
Fall Migration is in High Gear!
St Regis Mountain: Paddle and Hike
Fall Seasons Cold Water Paddling
4 Go-To Paddling Destinations for Fall Foliage
An Evening Paddle on Middle Pond
Crossbills and Boreal Birds
Moose Pond: A Cool Fishing and Camping Combo
Paddling and Birding along Quebec Brook
How to pick your camping spot
McKenzie Road Bouldering
Not just a walk in the park
Rugby — A Gentleman’s Sport
Birding in Madawaska
Family fun that's free
Stock up for your stay
Sprung!
Three hikes to include everyone
Slow paddle to Oseetah
Skiing and Exploring the Jackrabbit Trail
A Great Ski on the Jackrabbit Trail!
Dewey Mountain - Just Wild Enough
Ice Fishing First-Timer
Counting Birds in the Olympic Region
Finding Birds on the Saranac Lake Christmas Bird Count
2016 Most Popular Blogs
Cross Country Skiing in Lake Clear
Enjoying Late Fall Cold Fronts And Their Migrants
Great Fall Birding!
New Road Mountain
A Fall Paddle On Lake Clear Outlet
Don't be afraid of the kayak
The Possibilities Of Fall Birding
A Fall Hike on Baker Mountain
Ampersand: A Family Tradition Realized
Village of Boulders
Zooming Around in the Fall
So many hikes, so little time
Girls just wanna have fun
Searching for Philadelphia Vireo and other species
The coolest camping is on an island
Tri to stay dry
Puppy's first mountain climb
A Rainy Day Birding Trip in Madawaska
Coolest Places to Get Your Cone On in Saranac Lake
Coolest Adirondack Chopped Challenge!
A beginner's mountain bike adventure
A Friends Weekend in the Coolest Place
Early Spring Birding!
Wonderful Weddings in Cool Places
Springing!
Spring Ice on the McKenzie Mountain loop
Our Winter Waxwing
Cross-Country Skiing on the Bloomingdale Bog Trail
Yeah, we're cool - no matter what we're wearing!
Gray Jays!
Fun with Ice: Saranac Lake Creativity
2015 Most Popular Blogs
Five Great Wilderness Views
Trotting for Turkeys
Select seven: Family hikes under four hours
Tubing: the sport to please the masses
Timeless Tubing at Mount Pisgah
Excellent October Birding!
Brighton: Dusk 'til Dawn
Paddling and Hiking Around Little Green Pond
Camping in the Cold (Disclaimer: This is NOT a How-To Guide)
A Cool Adirondack Adventure
Fall Warblers and Other Migrants!
Enjoying Late Summer Wildflowers!
Dog Days of Summer aka Beach Time!
Martha Reben: Staring down the Great White Plague
Hiking and camping, with goats
Seeing if the boot fits: Exploring the Bays
Lake Clear: Our Secret Paradise
Paddling and Birding Around Jones Pond
Paddling Middle Pond
Stevenson Cottage - small outside, a world inside
Paddling in the Adirondacks for the First Time!
Hiking with the Crew up Baker Mountain
Riding the Rails, Adirondack style!
Keeping It Local
July is when things heat up!
Great Birding at Intervale Lowlands - It's that Time of Year!
Finding Lots of Birds Just by Taking a Simple Walk
Coming Home to Saranac Lake
Great Birding and Loads of Warblers in Madawaska!
Saranac Inn, golf with a taste of Scotland
Free Water Park Ride In Our Backyard
Summer music is everywhere in Saranac Lake
Early May Wildflowers: A Kaleidoscope of Color
Fun and Free (or almost)
A Spring Hike Up Baker Mountain
5 reasons we are the Lake Country
Learning to Love Every Season
Exciting Beginnings of Spring Migration!
In Defense of Mud Season
Skiing in April and on Easter - No Foolin'!
Boreal Birding In and Around Town
The Joy of Spring Skiing
Saranac Lake is a dog town
Winter Birding with Signs of Spring
Adirondack Cure for Cabin Fever
Jackrabbit Trail: Lake Placid to Keene
Jackrabbit Trail - Day 2: McKenzie Pond to Lake Placid Pub & Brewery
Winter Birding: Saranac Lake and Paul Smiths
Newbie Skier Tackles Titus
Memorable Firsts: Carnival & Cross-Country Skis
Skiing the Fish Pond Trail
Wedding planning with the pros
Two sides of the Trifecta
Enjoying Winter Birding
A Winter Hike into the McKenzie Mountain Wilderness Area
Adirondack Traditions, then and now
Enjoying White Snow to Take Away the Winter Blues
Wellness Resolutions: Easy does it!
59th Saranac Lake Christmas Bird Count
A Winter's Hike up Baker Mountain
Four Seasons of High Points
Hiking & Tracking Wildlife on Scarface Mountain
Skiing - and Falling - in a Winter Wonderland
Early Season Cross-Country Ski Destinations
Fly our Adirondack skies
Searching for Boreal Birds
St. Regis Canoe Area - An Interesting Ski Tour
The First Ski of the Season!
Birding Along Lake Colby
Saranac Lake Remembers the Great War
Adirondack Firetower Challenge: Climbing the Fire Tower Peaks near and around Saranac Lake
New fun at Titus Mountain Ski Area
Doing the Doggie Paddle: Paddling the Adirondacks with your pet!
An Apt Pair: Ampersand Mountain & Follensby Clear Pond
Learning to Identify Fall Leaves
The Horse Knows The Way
Mount Pisgah getting ready for winter ski season
Paddling and Snorkeling Little Green Pond
A Red Phalarope at Little Clear Pond!
Searching for Fall Warblers and Other Songbirds
Boat Trip Massages: Two Roads to Wellness
Forks, Fests, and Flatwater: 3 Featured Fall events
Paddling Little Clear Pond
3 Short Paddles found in the St. Regis Canoe Area
Paddling Lake Clear Outlet
Frequently overlooked hikes near Saranac Lake
Hiking and Exploring Azure Mountain
See artists at work in the mountains
An Evening Paddle on Moose Pond
A Great Place to Break Down
A cure cottage tour, a step back in time
The Art Walk is a path to art, music, and fun!
Mid-summer events in Saranac Lake
Adirondack Paddling, Choosing the Right Paddle
Adirondack Paddling - Choosing The Right Boat
Birding at the Spring Pond Bog
“One Particular Island” all to ourselves
Events roundup for Saranac Lake
Roughing it in style: a tour of White Pine Great Camp
The Great Adirondack Birding Celebration
Spring Paddling on Lake Colby
Warblers Aplenty at Massawepie Mire
One Magic Canoe: The Seven Carries Canoe Route
Roadside Gems, Paddling the Saranac Lake Region
5 Hidden Gems for Hiking, Paddling & Trail Running
Art Event or Fun Party? BluSeed blurs the line
Our lakes were born for boating
Top 10 Spots for Paddling in Adirondacks
Get Ready For Fishing Season
VIC music sweetens a ski Sunday
Thursday Night Music Jam
Night Skiing at Mt. Pisgah
Mid-Winter Events 2014
Best Ice Fishing Holes
Building the Ice Palace
Slip Sliding Away Winter Hiking
Silent Night
Snowshoe Shopping
Lost and Found
Short & scenic hikes
Mount Arab
Debar Mountain and Black Peak
Ducks and Otters at Lake Colby
Muskrats!
Hiking during Hunting Season
Goodman Mountain
Ducks on the Pond
Saving Einstein
Snow up high on McKenzie
You Don't Paddle Into the Wind
Hiking St. Regis Mountain
Fall at the VIC
Panther Trifecta
A Fall Paddle on Jones Pond
A Fall Hike Up Baker Mountain
Sparrows Along Lake Colby
Going to Church
Visitors in My Yard
A Hike Up Panther Mountain
Where the leaves are on fire with color
The Colors of Late Summer
Scarface Mountain Adventure
Bloomingdale Bog Birds
Fifth Annual Hobofest: Music, Food and Fun on the Tracks
Late Summer Yard Birds
Stomping out the Saranac 6 – Week 2 – St. Regis Mountain
Hobofest tops the calendar this weekend
FlavorFest at The Wild Center
Hobofest Returns to Saranac Lake
Lows Lower Dam to Lows Ridge, A surf and Turf Adventure
The Osgood's
A Birding Trip in Madawaska
Black Pond to Bridge Brook Pond – A new trail
Local Massage Therapist Takes It Up A Notch
Local Family Friendly Swimming Spots
A peaceful afternoon on Jones Pond
Take A Swim!
Ampersand Mountain
Hiking and Birding on Baker Mountain
Entertaining events will keep you hopping this weekend
A Birding Trip to Bloomingdale Bog
Blog on Bogs
Top 5 Family Friendly Activities in the Saranac Lake Area
Searching for Spruce Grouse
Camping in the rain - better known as "damping"
Safe Guiding Services with High Adventure!
Paddling and Fishing the Colby’s
Follensby Clear Pond to "Round Pond"
Trail Running the Deer Pond Loop
Birding in Spring Pond Bog
Hiking and Birding on the Jackrabbit Trail
Birding in Massawepie Mire
Lower Saranac Lake Path
Long Pond to Pink Pond's
The Amphibious Choirs of Spring
Little Clear Pond and Grass Pond, a Canoeing experience
The Kettle Trail
Hiking from the North End of the Bloomingdale Bog Trail
Night Birding in Madawaska
What can we help you find?
Sign up to receive more information.
Enter Email
Do•Stay•Eat•Shop•Events
Work Here•Contact Us•DEI•Media Kit•Privacy Policy
39 Main Street, Saranac Lake, NY 12983
Powered by the Regional Office of
Sustainable Tourism
THERE’S MORE TO EXPLORE
We’ve got the best ideas for things to do on your next Adirondack adventure, and we will deliver them right to your inbox! THANKS FOR SUBSCRIBING! Your next adventure awaits you in your inbox! Tell us more about what interests you, and we can help you plan your next trip.
MANAGE YOUR PREFERENCES