08/06/2026
You know the feeling when you see this sign.
For generations of Adirondack travelers, the brown-and-yellow “Entering Adirondack Park” sign has meant something more than simply crossing a boundary. It means the mountains are getting closer, the roads are getting quieter, and whatever adventure brought you north is about to begin.
The Adirondack Park itself was established by New York State in 1892, and today encompasses roughly six million acres of public and private land inside the famous “Blue Line.” Unlike a national park, there isn't a single entrance gate, admission booth, or closing time. Instead, more than 50 of these distinctive signs mark roads crossing into the Park.
Even the signs themselves have a little Adirondack craftsmanship behind them. The familiar wooden signs are shaped like the actual outline of the Park and are made by hand at the New York State DEC sign shop in Northville, a shop that has been operating since the 1960s. That same small operation produces signs for trails, campgrounds, boat launches, wild forests, and other state lands across much of New York.
The brown-and-yellow color scheme has become so closely associated with the Adirondacks that efforts over the years to standardize park signage have met resistance from people who see those colors as part of the region's identity. Even NYSDOT describes the gateway signs as “iconic.”
It's a simple wooden sign on the side of the road—but if you've spent enough time in the Adirondacks, seeing “Entering Adirondack Park” has a way of feeling a little bit like coming home. 🌲🛶🎣🏕️
