New York Independence Trail

See the battlefields, forts and buildings that were important to the French and Indian War and American Revolution

The Independence Trail is a collection of 42 historic sites running from New York City to Canada that highlight important sites of the French and Indian War and American Revolution. Nearly a third of them are near Lake George, making this a significant hub of revolutionary foment. It’s hard to imagine that these places, as serene as they are, were the scene of ferocious fighting that was critical to the birth of the United States. Some sites, such as Fort Ticonderoga, offer tours and exhibits; others are designated only with historic markers.

At a glance

The U.S. Navy was, arguably, founded in Whitehall – far from the nearest ocean but on Lake Champlain, where Benedict Arnold carried out naval operations.
Bloody Pond earned its name because its waters were said to have turned red from the blood of French troops
The Champlain region is where James Fenimore Cooper based his classic “Last of the Mohicans”