The northern portion of the Hudson River valley in Upstate New York

Upstate New York

Upstate New York is the region of the U.S. state of New York that is located north of the core of the New York metropolitan area.-Definition:There is no clear or official boundary between Upstate New York and Downstate New York...

, generally that region extending from the first town below the headwaters of the Hudson River

Hudson River

The Hudson is a river that flows from north to south through eastern New York. The highest official source is at Lake Tear of the Clouds, on the slopes of Mount Marcy in the Adirondack Mountains. The river itself officially begins in Henderson Lake in Newcomb, New York...

 at North River

North River, New York

North River is a hamlet in the Town of Johnsburg, in Upstate New York, within the Adirondack Mountains. It is located on the upper Hudson River five miles north of the hamlet of North Creek in Warren County, on the northern border with Hamilton County....

 to the last substantive waterfall preventing the passage of vessels at Fort Edward

Fort Edward (town), New York

Fort Edward is a town in and the county seat of Washington County, New York, United States. It is part of the Glens Falls Metropolitan Statistical Area. The town population was 5,892 at the 2000 census....

. Downstream from Fort Edward, northbound boat traffic exits the Hudson River onto the Champlain Canal

Champlain Canal

The Champlain Canal is a canal that connects the south end of Lake Champlain to the Hudson River in New York. It was simultaneously constructed with the Erie Canal and is now part of the New York State Canal System and the Lakes to Locks Passage....

.

The largest population center in the Upper Hudson River Valley is that of Glens Falls

Glens Falls, New York

Glens Falls is a city in Warren County, New York, United States. Glens Falls Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 14,700 at the 2010 census...

. Other towns include North Creek

North Creek, New York

North Creek is a hamlet in the Adirondack Park, in the town of Johnsburg, in Warren County, New York, United States. It is an area known for skiing , hiking and other outdoor recreational activities. It is located at ....

, Hadley

Hadley, New York

Hadley is a town in Saratoga County, New York, United States. The population was 1,971 at the 2000 census. The town was named after Hadley, Massachusetts.The Town of Hadley is in the northern part of the county and is west of Glens Falls....

, Lake Luzerne

Lake Luzerne-Hadley, New York

Lake Luzerne-Hadley is a census-designated place in Saratoga and Warren counties in the U.S. state of New York. The population was 2,240 at the 2000 census...

, Corinth

Corinth (town), New York

Corinth is a town in Saratoga County, New York, USA. The population was 5,985 at the 2000 census. The town contains a village also named Corinth. The town is on the northeast border of the county, north of Saratoga Springs. It regards itself as the "snowshoe capital of the world." The town is named...

, and Hudson Falls

Hudson Falls, New York

Hudson Falls is a village located in Washington County, New York, USA. The village is in the southwest part of the town of Kingsbury, on US Route 4. Hudson Falls is part of the Glens Falls Metropolitan Statistical Area. As of the 2000 census, the village had a population of 6,927...

. The region is characterized by a series of small glens and valleys surrounded by the Adirondack Mountains on all sides. At Corinth the river deepens and widens as it approaches the "big bend" where Interstate 87 crosses near Glens Falls.