2019-20 Southern Adirondacks Guide to the First Wilderness Heritage Corridor

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The roads leading into Thurman
twist and wind along rivers once
choked with logs bound for the
mills. Their serpentine course
compels you to slow down, step
back from daily cares and enjoy the
mountain vistas. Today, instead of
logs, the river may carry a raft full of
revelers or invite the solitary canoeist
or kayaker. It laps around the feet of
the fisherman angling for the supper
skillet or a swimmer finding respite
from summer’s heat.
Thick forests blanket the hills
of Thurman—more logs for the
mills and a haven for songbirds
and other wildlife. Spring foliage
appears gradually. Early on you’ll
spot the yellowy-green growth of
the “popples” (aspens) as they leaf
out, and crimson tinge of the red
maples, set off by the deep shades
of evergreens. Early harbingers of
spring are the phoebes, who love
to nest under the eaves of a porch
roof, or even on top of a porch light.
It’s not long before other feathered
friends appear. The feisty hummingbirds
dart about, eager for a sip at a
feeder, and as the season progresses,
you may be treated the insistent call
of the wood thrush. On the many
local ponds this is the time you can
see Mr. & Mrs. Canada Goose,
taking their offspring out for a swim
or parade, and you might catch the
V-shaped slice in the water caused
by a swimming muskrat or beaver.
Thurman comes alive in spring.
Canada geese make their home on many Thurman ponds, spring
through fall.
In fall the mountains blaze on the horizon, welcoming visitors for
the last pre-winter hurrah.
Summer is the season for gardening.
Many fill their pantries with canned
produce, and two farms specialize in
organic and/or all natural vegetables
for marketing. Summer is also a time
for swimming, fishing and getting in
wood for the coming fall and winter.
Come the fall most Thurman homes
have wood smoke curling from
their chimneys and during hunting
season, local guides can lead visitors
to the abundance of deer, bear and
wild turkeys. Autumn also brings
October’s Thurman Fall Farm Tour,
a celebration of fall harvest.
Winter follows, luring ice fishermen,
showshoers and downhill/
cross-country skiers and snowmobilers.
As late winter gets in its last
licks, and sap rises in Thurman’s
abundant sugar maples, sugaring
begins—the age-old art that turns
sap to syrup and syrup to other
delectable confections, luring and
tantalizing visitors from all over the
northeast and beyond during the
three weekends of Thurman Maple
Days.
As the weather warms, look around
Thurman for an ice cream social,
the Annual Woods Walk and
Artisan Market, six free outdoor
summer concerts, and a barn loft
“Cheese Jam” concert. Perhaps
you’ll take in a wedding at our local
rustic barn wedding venue or a trail
ride at Thurman’s newest ranch.
Spring, summer, fall or winter,
you’ll find a warm welcome at our
local B&B, campsites, and private
rentals. Don’t just sit there; Visit
Thurman, where nature is a way
of life.
thurmanny.com | VisitThurman.com/events
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