Fort Ticonderoga

The fort, King's Garden, Carillon Battlefield trail, Welcome Center and Mount Defiance are separate stops. Check the day's itinerary when you arrive: tours and musket or cannon demonstrations happen at set times, and planning around one can make the visit much more vivid. If time is short, choose the fort and one other stop instead of rushing through everything.

Construction of the French Fort Carillon began in 1755, where the water route between Lakes Champlain and George made this a strategic crossing. Its rectangular plan and diamond-shaped bastions let defenders cover one wall from another. The ramparts and rooms make that design easier to grasp than a diagram can.

French forces defeated a much larger British army at the Battle of Carillon in 1758. British troops captured the fort the next year and renamed it Ticonderoga; in 1775, Ethan Allen and Benedict Arnold seized it. Cannons from here were later taken to help break the Siege of Boston. The site is interesting because the same fortification figured in successive imperial and Revolutionary campaigns, not just one battle.

King's Garden is a formal walled garden alongside the military site. Make time for the paths and Pell Summerhouse; the blooms are seasonal, but the garden adds a quiet change of pace between exhibits and demonstrations.

The road to Mount Defiance leads to a separate stop, but its viewpoint is the best place to see why the fort was built here: the view takes in the fort, Lake Champlain and Vermont's Green Mountains. Build in time to get there. It's also your strongest broad photo of the whole military landscape.

The Carillon is a seasonal 75-minute narrated cruise on Lake Champlain, with lake-level views back toward the fort. It makes a good change of pace after museum rooms and paths; reserve ahead when cruise tickets are available, since capacity is limited.