At the Great Chazy River, river access and local history meet in Champlain. The Northern Tier Recreation Trail is another draw, beginning at the Village of Champlain and ending at Rouses Point Elementary School. If you’re looking for a vacation rental for a stay that includes time outdoors and historical interests, Champlain offers several distinct points of interest: river access, a non-motorized trail, and sites commemorating people and events. You can weigh these themes separately when planning, rather than combining them into a fixed route.
River Access and Trail Route
The Village of Champlain is located on the Great Chazy River. There is a boat dock, fishing access, and a kayak launch. These offer different ways to enjoy the water: you can plan around boating, fishing, or kayaking. River access conditions can change seasonally, so check them before your visit.
The approximately five-mile Northern Tier Recreation Trail is for non-motorized use only. It begins at Bill Earl Park in the Village of Champlain and ends at Rouses Point Elementary School. The trail allows residents and visitors to walk, run, bike, or travel using mobility devices between the two villages. Its approximate length and two endpoints provide a concrete framework for planning your own trip; no walking or riding time is specified. Also check route conditions and facilities before your visit.
Local History on the Great Chazy River
The Champlain History Center is in the center of the Village of Champlain, next to the bridge over the Great Chazy River. The Center’s Franco-American Room houses a book collection about Franco-Americans in northern New York and New England. Its subject matter therefore reaches beyond individual places in Champlain and focuses on a community across two regions.
Historical markers and modern interpretive signs about events and places can be found in and around the Town of Champlain. The East Battery marker commemorates the camp of American General George Izard and 4,500 soldiers during the War of 1812. East Battery is at the intersection of Pine Street and Spruce Street.
Another marker at the Ashmun Birthplace Site identifies the location as the birthplace of Jehudi Ashmun. It also identifies Ashmun as the first colonization agent in Liberia, Africa, from 1822 to 1828. The East Battery marker commemorates a camp; the marker at the Ashmun Birthplace Site commemorates Ashmun’s birthplace and his position in Liberia.
The history of the sawmill is also tied to a named location: between May and November 1788, Pliny Moore and several of his settlers built a sawmill at Perry’s Mills on the Great Chazy River while staying in Champlain. The Pliny Moore Sawmill site is on Locust Street or Perry’s Mills Road. The “First School with Dr. William Beaumont as Teacher” marker is on Oak Street.
The field containing Dewey Family Cemetery is now owned by the Town of Champlain and serves as a community park and memorial to the soldiers. Champlain Meeting House, by contrast, is privately owned; confirm access arrangements before visiting.
Discover more destinations: Plattsburgh.
View the broader travel overview: Clinton County.
