The lake is situated along the historical natural (Amerindian) path between the valleys of the Hudson and St. Lawrence Rivers, and so lies on the direct land route between Albany, New York and Montreal, Quebec, Canada. The lake extends about 32.2 mi (51.8 km) on a north-south axis, is 187 ft (57 m) deep [3], and varies from one to three miles (1.6 to 4.8 km) in width, presenting a significant barrier to east-west travel. Although the year-round population of the Lake George region is relatively small, the summertime population can swell to over 50,000 residents, many in the village of Lake George region at the southern end of the lake.[not verified in body]