NY Route 56 North to Potsdam Via Colton

From Jct. NY 3 at Sevey Corners to Potsdam. Covering Colton and Hannawa Falls too

NY Route 56 is a good north south road that follows the Raquette River north to Massena in Saint Lawrence County. The southern part in the park, follows the Carry and Stark Falls Resevoir part of the Raquette River. It is very remote here, with no year round settlments. Basically the road is very straight and fast almost the whole way, except at the 15 mph hairpin in Colton, north of the park line. It is one lane with a stop light now, after the summer rains washed the road and bridge away. Colton is the first small town north you hit along the road, where it crosses the Raquette River a couple of times by the dams. Next town is Pierrepont, where you go through the long speed zones in Hannawa Falls, which is on the lake formed by one of the dams on the Raquette River. In warmer times, the Raquette River it's great for canoeing and kayaking.

Potsdam bills itself as the Cultural and Educational center of north country. With the colleges of SUNY Potsdam and Clarkson University, or Clarkson Tech, that's no idle boast. It is a cool little college village with a nice downtown. natch, there are a lot of artistic types there too. Here, you are well onto the Northern Plateau, with the characteristic rolling fields and plains. Use NY 11B East to get to Malone versus the busier US 11. NY 11B has no lights and only a couple of 40mph zones between Potsdam and Malone. You can set your cruise control on this road.

Links:
Clarkson University |  SUNY Potsdam, The State University of New York at Potsdam |  Potsdam Chamber of Commerce