Rural Beekmantown has outdoor recreation in the Champlain Valley
Beekmantown, a rural community in the Champlain Valley, is 6 miles from Plattsburgh, New York, and bordered by Lake Champlain. Residents enjoy Beekman’s outdoor recreation and scenic landscape. “People were buying up here because, when COVID hit, they were trying to get out of the city, which helped our market as well, and prices increased,” says Kathy Bennett, an Associate Broker with RE/MAX North Country. Bennett has worked in the industry for 42 years and lives in the Champlain Valley. “They love the Adirondacks, the mountains and the four seasons, and Lake Champlain is such a big plus as well.”
Historical parks and outdoor recreation
Beekmantown saw many skirmishes between British and American soldiers during the Revolutionary War. The Culver Hill Historical Park has a monument and a marker honoring soldiers who died during the Battle of Culver Hill. Point au Roche State Park is on Lake Champlain and houses the 1858 Point au Roche Lighthouse, Beekmantown’s oldest monument. The lighthouse is now privately owned, but park-goers can see it standing tall from Point Au Roche Road. The state park has fishing, kayaking and a beach for swimming. There’s a boat launch and Mooney Bar Marina, which has a playground nearby. Trails snake through the park for hiking, horseback riding and cross-country skiing. Beartown Ski Area is a ski lodge with tubing and ski trails for varying skill levels. The ski area also offers skiing and snowboarding lessons. Beekmantown borders Adirondack Park, a National Historic Landmark with forest preserves and areas for skiing, hunting, fishing, hiking and biking.
Homes in contemporary and simple styles
Homes sit along winding roadways and are surrounded by patchworks of farmland. Many coastal homes have private docks and beach access. Residences generally have private septic tanks and wells. “A lot of people are doing Airbnb. Some people buy to live here; they love the area, their jobs, or their family brings them here. It’s a little bit of everything,” says Bennett. “We also have investors and second homes.” Postmodern, Minimal Traditional and ranch-style homes are common. They range in price from $150,000 to $510,000. Residences near waterways may experience flooding during inclement weather.
Routes and interstates lead to major cities
With its rural surroundings, Beekmantown is almost entirely residential, so residents here have to travel for commercial needs. However, they don’t have to travel too far. “Everything is in Plattsburgh; any type of shopping or restaurants would be there, either in the city or the town of Plattsburgh,” says Bennett, who adds that there aren’t many commuters because most residents work remotely. State Route 22 leads 6 miles to Plattsburgh, and Champlain is 17 miles away via Interstate 87. The interstate also leads 58 miles to Montreal, Canada. The Cumberland Head Ferry, 10 miles from Beekmantown, departs every 40 minutes and travels to Grand Isle, Vermont, where commuters can access U.S. Route 2 to Burlington. The University of Vermont Health Champlain Valley Physicians Hospital is 6 miles away, and the Plattsburgh International Airport is 11 miles away. Turnpike Wesleyan Church is on the Military Turnpike.
Community and park events
Point au Roche State Park holds events throughout the year, such as a craft day, bird watching and a Halloween haunted house at the nature center. The Beekmantown Youth Commission hosts activities like ice skating at the town hall rink during the colder months and a family ski night at Beartown Ski Area. The Whiteface Mountain Ski Resort, 45 minutes away, has an Oktoberfest at the end of September with live Bavarian music, dancing, traditional brews and food. Lake Placid, 54 miles from Beekmantown, has year-round boating, swimming, fishing and hiking.
Beekmantown Central schools get Cs and Bs
The Beekmantown Central School District, which gets a B-minus from Niche, serves the area. Beekmantown Elementary receives a C, Beekmantown Middle gets a C-plus, and Beekmantown High gets a B-minus. High school students may participate in dual enrollment with Clinton Community College, Paul Smith’s College and Syracuse University.
Shopping and dining in Beekmantown and Plattsburgh
Udder Delight Dairy Shop is a seasonal ice cream parlor along state Route 22. During the spring and summer, the shop only takes cash for cones, floats, sundaes and other chilly treats. The Town & Country Antique Shop is up the road, selling everything from taxidermied bears to beach towels. Along the same route is a Dollar General. Closer to Plattsburgh, Overstuffed is a flea market with various appliances and home décor. In Plattsburgh, the Champlain Centre is a shopping mall with a Target and a Hobby Lobby. Across the street is a Hannaford for groceries.
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Written By
Isabella Pontecorvo
