Discover waterfalls, ponds, museums and more in St. Lawrence County, New York

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Directly across the St. Lawrence River from Prescott, the small upstate New York city of Ogdensburg is a little over an hour’s drive from Ottawa. That makes it—and surrounding St. Lawrence County, also home to the communities of Massena, Potsdam and Canton—a great choice for a quick weekend getaway.

You can fish, hike, see waterfalls, visit a museum of Old West art, stay in a former school, try your luck at a casino, learn about North Country art traditions and ecology, cruise to a mansion on an island, and much more. This area of New York is quite sparsely populated, so you might find yourself driving quite a bit.

Disclosure: I researched much of the following with assistance from the St. Lawrence County Chamber of Commerce, which neither reviewed nor approved this post.

Top photo: Blue Heron Trail at the Red Barn Preserve, Morristown.

Table of contents

Where is St. Lawrence County, New York?

If you drive over the St. Lawrence River via the Ogdensburg-Prescott International Bridge or the Seaway International Bridge (linking Cornwall, Ontario to Akwesasne and to Massena, New York), you’ll arrive in St. Lawrence County. Here’s a map to help you get your bearings and to find many of the places I mention in this post.

Outdoor adventures in St. Lawrence County

Red Barn Preserve, Morristown

For a ratio of critters encountered to effort expended, it would be hard to beat the Blue Heron Trail at the Red Barn Preserve, about 25 kilometres southwest of Ogdensburg (518 River Road East, Morristown NY). It’s free, it’s open from dawn to dusk year round, and the trails are largely flat. Bring bug spray, as this is a wetland and mosquitoes seem to like it. Luckily, so do the namesake herons, as well as boisterous frogs (near some of the ponds on my hike, they were almost deafening).

There were so many songbirds that at one point, I pulled out my phone to make a recording on my Merlin birdwatching app. (If you’ve never used it, it’s amazing—sort of like Shazam for birds.) Anyway, my one-minute recording not far from the parking lot revealed that the trees above me were full of American robins, house wrens, grey catbirds, yellow warblers, song sparrows, common yellowthroats and eastern towhees. The preserve is also home to deer, beavers, turtles, butterflies and all sorts of other wildlife. Don’t forget your binoculars.

Lampson Falls Trail, Clare

The Lampson Falls Trail is another easy, free trail with a wonderful payoff. Park your car near the trailhead on New York State Route 27 near Clare (GPS coordinates 44.405270, -75.061578). From there, a 10-minute flat forest hike will bring you to an observation point overlooking a wide cataract that tumbles 30 metres (100 feet) over a stony cliff. Hike another five minutes down a steep incline and across a rocky shore, and you’ll get an even clearer vantage point. There’s a longer loop trail you can continue onto, but I’ll admit that I was happy just seeing the falls and ambled back to the car.

Note that the section of this trail past the first observation point would be quite challenging in spring, when water volumes and spray would be much greater. Proceed with extra caution.

Stone Valley Trail, Colton

There are multiple entrances to the free Stone Valley Trail, which is actually a 13-kilometre (8 mile) network of riverside paths. I picked the popular southeast trailhead, at the end of Riverside Drive just past Spring Street in Colton. The link above will provide you with detailed driving directions to all of the trailheads.

Again, if you want the biggest payoff for the least effort (are you sensing my lazy tendencies?), this is the trailhead for you. Within minutes of leaving the parking lot, you’ll be enveloped by the roar of the Raquette River, which foams over numerous rocky outcrops along the way. This trail is somewhat more challenging than the first section of Lampson Falls, with lots of tree roots, stones and hills. However, I’m far from the fittest hiker in the world, and I managed an hour-long, out-and-back hike with little trouble. Note that this section of the trail is immediately downriver from a dam in Colton, and so the water may rise very quickly and unexpectedly. This advice applies to trails in general but this one in particular: Stay on the trail and pay attention to any alarms you hear!

Nicandri Nature Center, Massena

I’ve never been particularly fascinated by turtles. I mean, I have nothing against them, but I’m more of a bird and chipmunk person. But the Nicandri Nature Center (19 Robinson Bay Road, Massena) changed my mind. In the lobby, there’s a huge tank filled with turtles gliding about or sunning themselves on rocks. It’s hypnotizing—I must have watched them for 10 minutes at least. And if you’re lucky, you might see one of the centre’s naturalists feeding the turtles.

But there’s much more to Nicandri than turtles. Displays provide insights about local flora and fauna, including ducks, beavers, ospreys, pygmy shrews, bears, fungi and ferns. The centre offers a wide range of guided hikes and other educational events. You can even just relax and watch birds flittering around the centre’s many feeders. Nicandri is open year round, and admission and programs are free. You can even borrow snowshoes, skis, binoculars and guidebooks at no charge.

Indian Creek Nature Center, Rensselaer Falls

Some 20 kilometres southeast of Ogdensburg, you’ll find the Indian Creek Nature Center (770 County Road 14, Rensselaer Falls). Spread across 129 hectares (320 acres), the centre has almost 13 kilometres of trails through wetlands and other habitats, including the 1.6-kilometre accessible Boardwalk and Observation Deck Trail. Bring your binoculars to look for northern mockingbirds, trumpeter swans, belted kingfishers and a wide array of other birds, as well as animals such as painted turtles and northern leopard frogs. Trails are free, and interpretive programs are offered year round.

Fishing

If angling’s your game, Ogdensburg offers lots of places to fish. The St. Lawrence River is the main focus, and if you want a little guidance, countless outfitters will be eager to take you out on the water to fish for northern pike, walleye, muskie, large- and small-mouthed bass and more.

Frederick Remington Art Museum: The Old West and more

You can learn all about one of the region’s most famous sons at the Frederic Remington Art Museum (303 Washington Street, Ogdensburg). Remington was born in Canton, about 29 kilometres from Ogdensburg, in 1861. His family moved to Ogdensburg when he was 11 and he took his first art lessons there. As an adult, he gained fame as an illustrator, painter and sculptor. Although he covered the Spanish-American War for Hearst newspapers, as a journalist and illustrator, his lasting fame comes from his many paintings and bronzes of Old West themes, especially horses and cowboys.

If you’re familiar with the Outaouais, you might be intrigued by the paintings Remington created when visiting the long-gone Pontiac Game Club, near present-day Sheenboro. Remington bought shares in the club in 1909—sadly, also the year he died of peritonitis.

After he died, his widow lived for several years in the grand 1810 mansion that now houses the museum. As well as numerous Remington artworks, the museum’s collection includes many of the artist’s sketchbooks and personal possessions.  

Interestingly, the museum also includes a permanent exhibition devoted to one of Remington’s contemporaries, Sally J. Farnham. She was born in Ogdensburg in 1869 and went on to have an intriguing career that ranged from sculpting military memorials and famous men (the huge statue of Simon Bolivar in New York City’s Central Park is her work) to designing shoes and theatre sets.

North Country Children’s Museum, Potsdam

Travelling with young kids? Don’t miss the small but entertaining North Country Children’s Museum (10 Raymond Street, Potsdam). The hands-on exhibits include a water-play table that teaches kids about rivers and dams, a construction area with a pint-sized crane and plastic plumbing supplies, a STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art and math) section with a flight lab and Lego cars, and lots more. Keep this one in your back pocket for rainy days.

Other attractions in St. Lawrence County

Singer Castle

You’ve probably heard of Boldt Castle in the 1000 Islands, but do you know about Singer Castle? Built on Dark Island in the early 1900s for Frederick Bourne, the millionaire president of the Singer Sewing Machine Company, it remained in the family until the 1960s. Today, you can take a 45-minute guided tour of the enormous stone mansion from spring through fall. Feeling like a millionaire yourself? You can rent a suite in the castle and stay overnight. A boat shuttle to Singer Castle leaves from Schermerhorn Harbor, on the southwestern edge of St. Lawrence County; you can also get there on a boat cruise from Alexandria Bay.

Ogdensburg Command Performances

It could be fun to plan your trip around one of the shows presented by Ogdensburg Command Performances at the George Hall Auditorium (1100 State Street, Ogdensburg). The non-profit group brings in professional touring productions of musicals and other popular fare.

Akwesasne Mohawk Casino Resort

On the northeastern edge of St. Lawrence County, you can try your luck at slot machines, table games and sports betting at the Akwesasne Mohawk Casino Resort (873 State Route 37, Hogansburg), where you can also eat, stay and catch a live show.

Akwesasne Cultural Center, Library and Museum

At the Akwesasne Cultural Center, Library and Museum (321 State Route 37, Akwesasne), you can learn about the region’s Indigenous history, culture and arts, either on your own or on a guided tour. Exhibitions explain traditional arts, such as basketry and beadwork, and the center often hosts festivals, classes and other special events.

Restaurants in St. Lawrence County

Jake’s on the Water, Hannawa Falls

Of the restaurants and cafés I tried in St. Lawrence County, my favourite was Jake’s on the Water, on the outskirts of Potsdam (5726 State Highway 56, Hannawa Falls). What was so great? Everything, really. The service was friendly and kind, which is not always a given when you’re a party of one. My chicken pesto pizza, piping hot out of a brick oven, had lots of flavour and was cooked to perfection. (The rest of the menu featured a something-for-everyone range of pasta, steak, burgers, fish, chicken, salads and appetizers.)

The place was lively without being deafening, and the waterfront location was charming. It was foggy and raining the night I visited, so my photos don’t really do the setting justice.

The Dirty Gringo, Ogdensburg

For Mexican specialties, try the takeout from The Dirty Gringo (109 Main Street, Ogdensburg). There—along with more traditional dishes—you can get balsamic chicken quesadillas, tacos topped with peach-bourbon sauce, and burritos stuffed with Jamaican-style jerk chicken. I tried the chipotle chicken bowl (with extra cilantro, because I love do love cilantro) and it wasn’t bad, but I’m kind of wishing I chosen those peach-bourbon tacos instead.

Park Bros Coffee & Bagels, Potsdam and Canton

Park Bros. Coffee & Bagels (103 Main Street, Canton; 9 Market Street, Potsdam) serves excellent bagel sandwiches, fancy java and other goodies. The tasty California breakfast bagel will keep you fuelled for much of the day, as it’s stuffed with two fried eggs, cheddar, avocado and garlic mayonnaise.

Foster the Plant Café, Potsdam

Seeking vegetarian and vegan fare? Foster the Plant Café (55 Market Street, Potsdam) dishes up smoothies, salads, baked goods, wraps, pancakes, bowls and more. My vegan blueberry muffin was just as tasty as most non-vegan equivalents I’ve tried. Note: Time your visit carefully, as the cafe is currently open for breakfast and lunch only (9am to 2pm).

3 Bears Gluten-Free Bakery and Café, Potsdam

After noshing my way through several eateries in Potsdam and Canton, I was too stuffed to try the awesome-looking cupcakes at 3 Bears Gluten-Free Bakery and Cafe (51 Market Street, Potsdam), but I couldn’t resist at least photographing them.

Chase’s Riverside Dining, Massena

The last place I ate on my most recent trip, just before returning to Canada, was Chase’s Riverside Dining (829 State Highway 131, Massena). It’s a bit tricky to find, as it’s in the clubhouse of the Louisville Landing golf course and there was no exterior sign when I visited. However, once you do locate it, it’s a pleasant spot overlooking the St. Lawrence River where you can order classics such as turkey club sandwiches, burgers, Cobb salads or French onion soup. They don’t stint on the portions, perhaps assuming that everyone is going to work them off with a round of golf. Open year round (i.e., not just in golf season).

Shopping in St. Lawrence County

I’ll be honest: I haven’t done a lot of shopping in St. Lawrence County, but I have found a few places you might enjoy.

TAUNY Center, Canton

To learn about local folk art traditions and buy pieces made by artisans from across northern New York state, be sure to drop by the TAUNY Center and North Country Folkstore (53 Main Street, Canton). Part gift shop, part gallery, part workshop and part museum, it’s a fascinating place to explore and to “shop local.” You can pick up pottery, clothing, jewellery, artwork and other items, all made in the 14 New York counties north of the Mohawk River (AKA “the North Country”). At the back of the ground floor, you’ll find the current temporary exhibition by a local artist. Upstairs, you can learn more about local artists, crafters, dancers, singers, musicians and more via video displays. And check the centre’s website for the full calendar of festivals, classes, talks and concerts.

Pickens Hall and General Store, Heuvelton

Pickens Hall and General Store (83 North State Street, Heuvelton) may well be the biggest thing in tiny Heuvelton. Upstairs in the heritage stone building, you’ll find a concert hall and other public rooms. Downstairs, the shop sells honey, quilts, baskets, home decor, toys and more (the weekly arrival of local cheese curds is a bit of an event). Ask them to point out the 19th-century safe, complete with scorch marks from some long-ago bookkeeper’s candle.

Maple Run Emporium, Potsdam

I know, I know—it seems heretical to buy maple syrup in New York state when Ontario makes loads of lovely syrup. But keep and open mind and stop by Maple Run Emporium (49 Market Street, Potsdam). As well as maple syrup of all descriptions, you’ll find goodies such as maple-bacon jam and maple stroopwafels (a Dutch-style wafer cookie that is delicious warmed over a cup of tea). The shop also sells cookware, kitchen utensils, cookbooks and other food products.

The University Bookstore, Potsdam

If you need some new reading material—popular paperbacks or weightier academic tomes—try the University Bookstore (39 Market Street, Potsdam), where you can also pick up Clarkson University gear, if you’re so inclined.

Quirky history: Bootleggers’ bottles

Like many border towns in the era of Prohibition, Ogdensburg once hummed with bootleggers. According to a story in the Manotick Messenger, a little enterprise near Manotick called the Pokey Moonshine Distillery shipped crates of hooch to Prescott in crates marked “tea.” That was akin to bringing coals to Newcastle, as J.P. Wiser had a thriving distillery in Prescott, and the town’s port frequently handled booze shipments from producers in Toronto and Montreal.

Of course, it was illegal to send the stuff to the U.S., but that didn’t stop rum runners from figuring out creative ways to get around the rules. Bottles crossed the St. Lawrence hidden in cars, trucks, boats and, in winter, sleds. Not all the bootleggers succeeded; in some cases, their booty ended up in the bottom of the river. The criminals’ trash is the modern scuba diver’s treasure, however: The Ogdensburg Chamber of Commerce now promotes the waters just off town as “Bottle Alley” and notes that a genuine bottle of 1920s whiskey is worth about $1,000 (but the office urges any keen treasure hunters to have it tested before drinking, which is probably wise advice for anything you dig up from the bottom of a river).

Where to stay in St. Lawrence County

Disclosure: If you book a place to stay by following the links or using the map in this section, I’ll receive a small commission—at no extra cost to you. Thanks for supporting this website!

The Sherman Inn (615 Franklin Street, Ogdensburg) is a bed and breakfast housed in a former elementary school. The guest rooms are in one-time classrooms, so they’re enormous—about 74 square metres (800 square feet). Each guest room is named after an American president who visited Ogdensburg, with décor to match—plaid throws and a frontier-themed rug in the Teddy Roosevelt Suite, for instance.

I stayed in the Ulysses S. Grant Suite and, honestly, it was bigger than a lot of studio apartments I’ve seen. In fact, I had to take two photos just to give you an idea.

As this is an old school, the HVAC is a bit vintage. There was a portable air conditioning unit in my room with a big hose that vented it outside through the window. Not the most elegant-looking solution, but it worked just fine.

And in the morning, this tasty breakfast awaited me, courtesy of the inn’s gracious and friendly owners, Jim and Donna Reagen. (P.S.: I’ll be doing a full-fledged review of the Sherman Inn soon—stay tuned!)

The Best Western University Inn Canton (90 Main Street East, Canton) has a very convenient location on the eastern edge of Canton. It’s right across the street from a Price Chopper, if you need road-trip groceries, and fast-food outlets and gas stations abound. There’s lots of free parking, and the hotel is adjacent to a golf course. Amenities include a heated indoor pool, a sauna, a hot tub and a fitness centre. The hotel is practically next door to the St. Lawrence University campus and a short drive from SUNY Canton. Speaking of universities—there are a lot in this area—the hotel is about a 15-minute drive from Potsdam, home to Clarkson University and SUNY Potsdam.

Like most rooms in the hotel, mine had a mini-fridge. Many rooms also have a microwave and/or a sofa bed. And I can personally vouch for the fact that the beds are very comfortable.

Looking for other options? Please use the map below.

If you go

Ogdensburg is 99 kilometres south of Parliament Hill. Take Highway 416 south until it ends, then follow the signs to the Ogdensburg-Prescott International Bridge.

One last reason to visit Ogdensburg: At Ogdensburg International Airport, you can catch a quick flight to Philadelphia (where you can make all sorts of onward connections) with Contour Airlines.

For more visitor information, drop into the Dobisky Visitors’ Center (100 Riverside Avenue, Ogdensburg, Ogdensburg.org), or check with the St. Lawrence County Chamber of Commerce (101 Main Street, Canton).

Looking for more tips on things to see and do in Eastern Ontario, the Outaouais, northern New York state and beyond? Subscribe to my free weekly newsletter or pick up a copy of my book, Ottawa Road Trips: Your Weekend Getaway Guide, from which this post is adapted.

As the owner of Ottawa Road Trips, I acknowledge that I live on, work in and travel through the unceded, unsurrendered territory of the Algonquin Anishinaabeg Nation. I am grateful to have the opportunity to be present on this land. Ottawa Road Trips supports Water First, a non-profit organization that helps address water challenges in Indigenous communities in Canada through education, training and meaningful collaboration.