History, gardens and hiking – Visiting Fort Ticonderoga in New York State

I recently hit the road for another week of hiking and camping in the United States with our camper van. We had planned to spend a week in Vermont and to get there, we decided to drive along Lake Champlain through New York State. On the way, we stopped at Fort Ticonderoga.

In fact, I have to admit that our initial plan was to go do a little hiking in the Adirondacks before heading to Vermont. But heavy rains in the previous days had forced the closure of a few roads in the area (including the road leading to the trail we wanted to hike), so we had to change our plans. Since we had to go through Ticonderoga, we decided to take the opportunity to stop there and visit its famous historic fort.

Without too much expectation, we headed towards the famous fort. We were a bit surprised by the entrance fee we had to pay (nearly $30 US per person), but since we usually like to visit historical sites, we figured that this stop at Fort Ticonderoga would be worth it!

The fort

Fort Ticonderoga was originally built in 1755 by the French at the southern end of Lake Champlain (it was then called Fort Carillon). The fort controlled an important portage point between Lake Champlain and Lake George (Ticonderoga is actually the Iroquoian word for “the place between two waters”). Its location made it of strategic importance during the 18th-century colonial conflicts between Great Britain and France.

The fort was captured by the British during the Seven Years’ War and then left to fall into disrepair. The fort again became the scene of battles during the Revolutionary War, this time between the British and American Patriots. The fort changed hands a few times, but the British eventually abandoned it towards the end of the war.

No longer of military importance, the fort was left abandoned and local residents stripped it of much of its valuable materials. The fort was eventually purchased in the 1820s and became private property until it was restored and became a tourist attraction in the 20th century.

Visiting Fort Ticonderoga is therefore a journey through the military history of the United States. It is possible to visit some restored rooms that give a glimpse of what life at the fort was like in the 18th century. Costumed interpreters answer questions and give the impression of visiting an open-air museum.

As a French native speaker, I really enjoyed finding traces of the French presence in this corner of the United States (several cannons have French names, and there is even a reference to the history of the Quebec flag in one of the exhibits). I also really liked the magnificent view from the fort, over Lake Champlain and the mountains that surround it.

The gardens

After touring the fort, we walked to the King’s Garden, a few metres away. Gardens are part of the fort’s history, as French, British and American armies all grown vegetables in the gardens located below the fort walls. But after the property was purchased by William Ferris Pell, he planted an extensive arboretum and built a pavilion on the shores of the lake.

In the years that followed, the Pell family rented the property to a series of tenants who operated a hotel and farm there until the early 20th century. When restoration work on the fort began, Stephen H.P. Pell and his wife Sarah transformed the pavilion into a summer residence, and established and designed the ornamental garden that exist today.

It was named the King’s Garden, a reference to the Jardin du Roi that French soldiers had planted in the 18th century.

After the busy fort, the gardens seemed quite peaceful and beautiful. We were also surprised to see a bald eagle feeding its eaglet at the top of a nesting platform.

Carillon Battlefield Trail

After touring the fort and gardens, we decided we still had some energy left to hike. It was extremely hot, but the Carillon Battlefield Trail is less than 2 miles (3 kilometres) long and fairly flat, so it seemed like an easy hike to do in the heat.

The trail passes through the battlefield where the British attacked the French in an attempt to capture the fort in 1758. Over 2,000 soldiers were killed or wounded in what was called the Battle of Carillon, making it the bloodiest battle in the United States before the Civil War.

There are still some visible traces of the battle in the forest, though you have to know where to look (you can download an interpretive trail guide online).

It wasn’t the Adirondack mountains, but it was nice to be able to stretch our legs on a trail before heading to Vermont! This visit to Fort Ticonderoga was definitely interesting and allowed us to learn a little more about an important historical site in the United States!

Note that the entrance fee for the fort also gives access to Mount Defiance, a small mountain that apparently offers a magnificent view of the fort and the surrounding area. It is possible to drive to the top, but unfortunately for us, RVs are not allowed on that road. So maybe it will be for another time!