By Victor Block

A boulder perched at the southern tip of a lake in New York state, which is known as Council Rock, once served as a meeting place for Iroquois Native Americans. The stone is one of a number of sites around Otsego Lake just outside the village of Cooperstown that bring to life pages from the area's past.

That woodland-encircled body of water also has other claims to fame. It shows up as Lake Glimmerglass in the "Leatherstocking Tales" of James Fenimore Cooper, providing a reference to its pristine condition. The crystal-clear water that fills the glacially formed basin is ranked among the most unpolluted lakes in the country. Cooperstown is best known as home to the National Baseball Hall of Fame, and I stopped by there and a number of other attractions during my recent stay in that hamlet. But some of my most rewarding and relaxing moments were spent rocking in a chair on the broad, porticoed porch of The Otesaga, one of the most magnificent resort hotels at which I've been lucky enough to stay.

That perch offered unencumbered views of the lovely woodland-encircled lake that fills the landscape. Because much of the surrounding forest is privately owned, it will remain in its unspoiled state. One of the few manmade intrusions, and it is a beautiful one, is the Kingfisher Tower, a Gothic Revival spire overlooking the water that is the focus of many a photograph.

While I took to the lake during a tour-boat ride, I spent much more time viewing it from the verandah of The Otesaga. The property, which opened in 1909, provides the perfect setting from which to enjoy the wide vista. The hotel's gracious decor transports guests back over a century while also providing modern-day amenities. After visiting the many inviting sights and sounds of Cooperstown, I welcomed the opportunity to add to its appeal each day by taking in the breathtaking lakescape.

Peering at and venturing out onto this unspoiled body of water offered an introduction to lakes around the country that offer visitors a variety of rewards. There are only five oceans on Earth, but there are millions of lakes. While soaking up the sun and diving into sea waves can be the focus of an enjoyable ocean beachfront vacation, smaller bodies of water offer a lengthy list of welcome alternatives. From swimming to fishing, boating to water-skiing, relaxing to delving into the history of the location, the something-for everyone choices are varied and inviting.

Lake Caddo, which straddles the Louisiana-Texas border, offers an idyllic setting that would fit well into a romantic movie. Stately bald cypress trees blanketed by Spanish moss overlook the water, and more than 50 miles of paddling trails lead through bayous, sloughs and ponds.

Lake Tahoe, perched 6,225 feet above sea level in the snowy Sierra Nevada mountains of California and Nevada, wins accolades for its clear blue water that reflects images of the surrounding bright-green peaks. It's the largest alpine lake in North America and the second deepest in the United States.

Lake Superior is so vast that the indigenous Ojibwe people called it gichi-gami (great sea). It touches Minnesota, Michigan and Wisconsin and spills into Ontario. Superior claims the title of largest freshwater lake in the world. A self-guided 1,300-mile driving tour leads around the massive body of water, and divers can check out some of the hundreds of shipwrecks that lie below the surface.

It's biking trails that visitors to Lake Champlain might follow, choosing from more than 1,600 miles of pedaling routes that wind through Vermont and New York and into Quebec. Paths branch out from the 363-mile-long loop around the water and meander along quiet back roads through magnificent mountain and countryside scenery.

Another circular route through a spectacular setting is the Rim Road around Crater Lake in Oregon, which was formed by the collapse of a volcanic mountain. It offers more than 30 scenic overlooks that provide views of the clear, deep blue water for which the aptly named site is famous.

Some lakes attract visitors in part because of what lies, or lives, around them. Lady Bird Lake, which is named for former First Lady Claudia (Lady Bird) Johnson, actually is a reservoir in Austin, Texas. It was created in 1960 as a cooling pond for a power plant. The water serves as a favorite hangout for herons, egrets, hawks and the Austin bats. A colony of an estimated 1.5 million Mexican bats, the only mammals that can fly, emerges from their daytime hangout under a bridge to blanket the sky as they head out in search of dinner.

WHEN YOU GO

otesaga.com

lakecaddo.com

visitlaketahoe.com

michigan.org

lakechamplainregion.com

nps.gov

austintexas.gov

The rocking chairs on the porch at the Otesaga Resort Hotel in Cooperstown, New York, provide an excellent spot from which to view Otsego Lake. Photo courtesy of The Otesaga Resort Hotel.

Divers in Lake Superior have the opportunity to explore hundreds of shipwrecks. Photo courtesy of Ethan Daniels/Dreamstime.com.

The 60-foot-tall Kingfisher Tower on Otsego Lake in Cooperstown, New York, was added by a wealthy resident who wanted to beautify the lake. Photo courtesy of The Otesaga Resort Hotel.

Victor Block is a freelance writer. To read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.

The rocking chairs on the porch at the Otesaga Resort Hotel in Cooperstown, New York, provide an excellent spot from which to view Otsego Lake. Photo courtesy of The Otesaga Resort Hotel.