Located just 10 miles south of the Canadian border and 12 miles west of Chazy, the Town of Altona sits along the banks of the Great Chazy River.
Altona’s historic region was once home to various indigenous peoples. Archeological studies of the area have found that by 1300 CE, the St. Lawrence Iroquoians built fortified villages similar to those visited and described by explorer Jacques Cartier in the mid-16th century. In 1857, Altona was formed from part of the Town of Chazy.
Today, Altona is a rural community best known for its year-round, Adirondack outdoor recreation.
Explore historic Lewis Preserve, located just south of Altona. There, you can traverse abandoned farm fields and second growth forest, take a short, side trail to a group of Civil War-era charcoal kilns, and see the foundation of the original homestead and numerous old apple trees.
When the snow falls, Lewis Preserve’s multi-use nature trails offer incredible snowshoeing and cross country skiing opportunities. Race through Altona’s groomed snowmobile trails and view the Adirondack
Coast’s scenic, white landscapes in the winter months.
Several bluebird nest boxes have been erected on the nature trails, and three major streams run through Lewis Preserve’s site, providing top quality, Adirondack Coast fishing.
For more fishing opportunities in Altona, be sure to check out the Great Chazy River, which flows from nearby Miner Lake into beautiful Lake Champlain. The last 20-mile section of the Great Chazy River also allows you to experience a wide range of adventurous paddling.
