User:CharlesForbes918/sandbox

Recreation
Lower St. Regis Lake is located in Paul Smiths, New York and is a part of the St. Regis Canoe Area which is the only designated canoe area in New York State. Lower St. Regis Lake is a part of the seven carries which occupies the major water bodies of the St. Regis Canoe Area. Lower St. Regis Lake has been a popular location for recreation and leisure in the Adirondacks since Paul Smith’s moved to this region in the mid-1800's. Lower St. Regis Lake mainly used by visitors for fishing, canoeing, and the use of Adirondack guideboat. Since the 1970's, Lower St. Regis Lake has gone through a large ecological shift in its water quality that has affected the fisheries and the aesthetic of the lake. The Adirondack Watershed Institute (AWD) with help from Paul Smith’s College have been monitoring Lower St. Regis Lake to maintain healthy water quality levels.

Lower St. Regis Lake has a large visitor population, primarily during the summer months. Recreational activities such as boating, paddling, fishing, and camping are the most popular that occur on the lake during peak summer season. Other recreational activities that occur off the water body are hiking, photography, birding, and hunting. During the winter season when the lake is frozen snowmobiling, ice fishing, and cross country skiing are the predominant recreational activities that occur. Lower St. Regis Lake's recreation community participates in a range of different sports and activities all year round. Lower St. Regis Lake has access to backcountry camping and and access by paddling to other parts of the St. Regis Canoe Area which appeal to visitors. Lower St. Regis Lake has been known for recreational activities by visitors in the Northern Adirondacks.