You’re driving up I-87, the Northway, and you see the signs. They aren't the flashy, digital billboards of 2026. They're older. They feel like a memory. If you grew up in New York or spent your summers anywhere near the Adirondacks, Frontier Town Lake George—or more accurately, the North Hudson site just a stone's throw away—probably occupies a weirdly specific corner of your brain. It was the "Wild West of the East." It was where kids wore cap guns, watched stagecoach robberies, and felt, for a few hours, like they were in 1880s Wyoming instead of 1950s upstate New York.
It’s gone now. Well, the original theme park is.
But here’s the thing: people still talk about it like it’s opening next weekend. There is a deep, almost obsessive nostalgia for Frontier Town that you don't see for other defunct roadside attractions. Why? Because it wasn't just a park; it was the blueprint for the modern "destination experience" before that was even a corporate buzzword. Arthur Bensen, the guy who started it all in 1952, basically took a bunch of trees and a vision of cowboy culture and turned it into a gold mine. Honestly, it’s kinda wild how long it lasted—nearly 50 years—before the gates finally locked in 1998.
What Actually Happened to Frontier Town Lake George?
Most people think it just went bankrupt overnight. That’s not really the case. It was more like a slow, painful fade. By the late 80s and early 90s, the "Cowboy and Indian" trope was losing its grip on the American imagination. Kids wanted Nintendo and high-speed roller coasters, not a dusty street where a guy in a vest pretended to get shot for the tenth time that day. The park went through ownership changes, tax issues, and a general lack of investment that turned the "rustic" charm into "dilapidated" reality.
When the park finally shuttered, it didn't just disappear. It sat there. Rotting.
For nearly two decades, the site became a Mecca for "urban explorers" and photographers who wanted to capture the eerie sight of a pioneer village being swallowed by the Adirondack forest. You’ve probably seen the photos: a rusted-out train engine, a collapsed saloon roof, and weeds growing through the wooden sidewalks. It was haunting. It felt like a ghost town that had actually become a ghost town. Essex County eventually took over the land because of back taxes, and for a long time, nobody knew what to do with it.
The Rebirth Nobody Expected
Fast forward to around 2017. New York State decided to dump a massive amount of money—roughly $25 million—into the site. But they weren't rebuilding the theme park. Sorry, no stagecoach robberies are coming back. Instead, they built the Frontier Town Campground, Equestrian and Day Use Area.
It’s a different vibe.
It’s sleek. It’s "Gateway to the Adirondacks" energy. They’ve got charging stations for electric vehicles and high-end sites for horses. Yeah, horses. It’s a nod to the old park’s equestrian roots, but modernized for people who spend $80,000 on a trailer. There’s also the Frontier Town Gateway, a private business nearby that acts as a restaurant, shop, and event space. It’s not the old Frontier Town, but it’s keeping the name alive in a way that actually generates tax revenue instead of just memories.
Why the "Wild West" Worked in the Adirondacks
Think about the timing. 1952. America was obsessed with Westerns. Gunsmoke, Bonanza, and Roy Rogers were the kings of culture. Arthur Bensen was a telephone lineman from Staten Island who saw a gap in the market. He realized that families heading to Lake George for the water needed something else to do.
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He didn't have a Disney budget.
He had local lumber and a lot of grit.
The park was divided into different sections: the Pioneer Village, the Prairie Junction, and the Indian Village. Each one offered a specific flavor of frontier life. You could watch a blacksmith work or see a rodeo. It was immersive in a way that felt authentic to a seven-year-old in 1965. The "train heist" was the big draw. Masked bandits would jump onto the train, "rob" the passengers, and engage in a shootout with the law. It was high drama for the station wagon crowd.
The Controversy of Representation
We have to talk about the "Indian Village." By today's standards, it was... problematic. Often, the performers weren't even Native American; they were local kids in "Redface" or people from entirely different tribal backgrounds performing a Hollywood version of indigenous culture. While the park provided jobs and a platform for some genuine Native performers over the years, the overarching theme was firmly rooted in the "Cowboy vs. Indian" conflict that dominated 1950s cinema.
It’s a complicated legacy. Many former employees speak fondly of the "family" atmosphere and the skills they learned—bull riding, stunt work, carpentry. But you can't ignore that the park's central theme was a sanitized, often inaccurate version of a very violent period in American history. As cultural awareness shifted in the 90s, the park's refusal (or inability) to evolve contributed to its decline.
The Lake George Connection
Wait, why do people call it Frontier Town Lake George when it’s actually in North Hudson?
Simple: branding.
Lake George is the powerhouse of the region. It’s the "Queen of American Lakes." If you’re a tourist business within a 45-minute drive of that water, you’re going to claim Lake George. North Hudson is about 30 miles north, but back in the heyday, Frontier Town was the northern anchor of the "Great Adirondack Adventure." You’d do the Great Escape (formerly Storytown USA), you’d do Gaslight Village, and then you’d head up to Frontier Town.
It was a circuit.
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Today, that connection is being rebuilt through the Empire State Trail and the various multi-use paths that link these communities. The state wants you to start your trip in the village of Lake George and work your way up to the new Frontier Town site for a "wilderness" experience that still has hot showers and Wi-Fi.
The Nostalgia Economy: Why We Can't Let Go
There’s a Facebook group for everything, but the "Friends of Frontier Town" style communities are intense. They trade old photos like they’re currency. They remember the names of the horses. They remember the specific smell of the popcorn at the general store.
This isn't just about a park.
It’s about a specific era of American travel. Before cheap airfare made Orlando accessible to everyone, the "road trip" was king. You piled into a car without AC, drove through the mountains, and stopped at every weird roadside attraction you saw. Frontier Town represented a time when entertainment felt hand-made. If a stuntman fell off a roof, he really fell off a roof. No CGI. No safety harness. Just a guy in a hat hitting a pile of hay.
Honestly, we miss the simplicity.
In 2026, where everything is curated, digital, and hyper-monetized, the idea of a wooden town in the middle of the woods where you could buy a toy sheriff's badge for a nickel feels like a fever dream. That nostalgia is a powerful economic driver. It’s why the state kept the name for the new campground. They knew that "North Hudson Campsite #4" wouldn't pull people in, but "Frontier Town" would.
Is it Worth Visiting Now?
If you go to the site today expecting a theme park, you’re going to be bummed out. The old buildings are gone. The state cleared them out because they were a massive liability—think asbestos, lead paint, and roofs that would collapse if you looked at them funny.
But if you’re into "New Adirondack" style, it’s actually pretty great.
- The Campground: It’s one of the nicest in the state system. The sites are large, and the facilities are brand new.
- The Equestrian Trails: If you have a horse, this is arguably the best spot in the Northeast. They have "horse hay" and specialized stalls.
- The Gateway: This is the private side of the operation. It’s a massive building with a restaurant and a lot of Frontier Town memorabilia. If you want a t-shirt or to see old photos of the park, go here.
- The Schroon River: The river runs right through the property. It’s perfect for tubing or just sitting by the water and wondering where the stagecoach used to cross.
A Note on Urban Exploration
Don't do it.
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Seriously. I know the old YouTube videos of people sneaking into the ruins look cool, but that era is over. Most of the ruins have been demolished, and what’s left is on heavily patrolled land. The state has invested a lot of money here, and they aren't keen on people poking around for "abandoned" content. Stick to the trails.
The Evolution of Adirondack Tourism
The story of Frontier Town is really the story of how we use the Adirondacks. In the 50s, we used them as a backdrop for our fantasies—cowboys, fairy tales, Santa’s Workshop. We wanted the mountains to be a stage.
Now, the trend has flipped.
We want the mountains to be... mountains. The new Frontier Town is about "passive recreation." Hiking, biking, horseback riding. We aren't trying to pretend we’re in the Old West anymore; we’re trying to appreciate that we’re in the New York wilderness. It’s a more sustainable way to do tourism, even if it’s a little less theatrical.
Actionable Steps for Your Visit
If you’re planning a trip to see what’s left of the Frontier Town Lake George legacy, here is how you do it right:
1. Book your site early.
The Frontier Town Campground is popular, especially the equestrian sites. If you’re eyeing a summer weekend, you need to be on the ReserveAmerica site the second the window opens.
2. Visit the Frontier Town Gateway.
This is where the soul of the old park lives. Talk to the staff. Many of them are locals who have stories about the original park or had family members who worked there. It’s the best way to get the "insider" history that isn't on a plaque.
3. Explore the Paradox Lake area.
Since you're already up there, head over to Paradox Lake. It's close, beautiful, and gives you a sense of why Arthur Bensen picked this specific spot in the first place. The scenery is unbeatable.
4. Check out the A-Frame.
The iconic A-frame building near the entrance is one of the few structural nods to the past. It’s a great photo op and a reminder of the "Space Age meets Wild West" architecture that was huge in the 60s.
The old Frontier Town isn't coming back. The bandits have retired, and the stagecoach has long since rotted away. But the spirit of the place—the idea that North Hudson is a destination worth the drive—is finally starting to return. Whether you're there for the nostalgia or just a quiet place to pitch a tent, you're walking on ground that defined the Adirondack vacation for generations.
Plan your route via the Northway (I-87), take Exit 29, and follow the signs. Just don't expect to see any shootouts at high noon. Instead, bring a pair of hiking boots and an appreciation for how much a piece of land can change over seventy years.