Most Excellent Wrong Turn

First, I just finished watching Wayne's World with the boys so I just changed my title from "Fortuitous Wrong Turn" to "Most Excellent Wrong Turn" in honor of the gentlemen from Aurora. Anyway, like many other days this summer, I had a heaping of chores to do but the weatherman insisted I throw those ideas out the window and get to a swimming hole. Those who know ADK weather, know that a whole sunny day in the 80's is not to be ignored. I had heard about "the rocks" in Jay, near the "old covered bridge". When people pass on this knowledge, I usually try to casually ask for more details in hopes of getting actual street directions (vs. just go to the center of town and you'll find it). but invariably I end up nodding vigorously and start driving around randomly...exactly like today. So, we found a swimming hole but quickly learned it wasn't "the rocks" (more on that later). However, we have found our swimming hole. It is on the Ausable River, about 100 feet across, with huge, flat white stones across, shallow and deep swimming areas and....drum roll please...a small flume for riding. I saw the flume, thought we should give it a try and decided I should go first to assess brain damage potential. I had clarke recite 911 before I did it (I'm irish). What a blast and for the next 5 hours the boys did this over and over and over. We also picniced on the rocks and walked up river to explore. And we were completely alone until late late in the day. Party On Wayne.


We then decided we should actually see "the rocks" and wrangled a local into explicit directions. OK, it is quite an impressive site, but the chutes were too scary to ride (city chickens, maybe next year), the boys found leeches, and it was crowded. I would go back but our new spot is the place- The Williams Rocks. Attempt at real directions to The Williams Rocks: coming from the intersection of 86 and 9N in the town of Jay, take a right on 9N and head toward Upper Jay. You will pass one designated parking area for the river on your left, at the 2nd parking area on your left, turn in and you are there. You should see lots of white flat rocks when you look down.