Bear Lake.
Bear Lake is a 27-acre pond in the Old Forge township — one of dozens of small, named waters scattered across the working forest south and west of the main village corridor. No fish stocking records on file, which typically means either wild brookies or nothing at all; local anglers would know. The lake sits in private timberland checkerboarded with state easement parcels, so access depends on current land status and whatever woods roads or snowmobile trails pass nearest. If you're poking around this area, confirm access and ownership before you launch — this is not the marked-trail High Peaks.
Bear Lake reaches a maximum depth of 20 feet, with a mean depth of 5 feet. Bear Lake has public access. Summits nearby include Panther Mountain.
The water, surveyed.
Seasonal pattern for this lake · live closures appear above
7 parking areas· 1 accessible
Closest parking lots within range, ranked by walking distance. Accessibility flags come from Google verified-data and NYSDEC records; surface and capacity from NYSDEC and OpenStreetMap. Confirm hours and seasonal closures before you go.
- 01Dobbs Road Parking AreaTrailhead1.9 miunpavedDirections →
- 02South Creek Lake Parking Area3.8 miunpavedDirections →
- 03Little River Road Parking Area5.3 miunpavedDirections →
- 04Parking Area6.1 mi
- 05Tamarack Creek Road Parking Area6.6 miunpavedDirections →
- 06Youngs Road6.7 miunpavedDirections →
- 07Boundary Line Trail Parking Area6.9 miunpavedDirections →
Getting in, staying over.
Camping.
What the lake is doing today.
What rings this water.
The waters.
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Closest editorial picks for a meal, a scoop, a pint, a bed, and a sight worth your time.
Stay.
2- Norridgewock Lodge21.6 mi
NORRIDGEWOCK LODGE, an oasis in the Adirondack Mountains. Our lakeside resort is the perfect remote vacation in the wilderness of the Beaver River. Book online!
- The Lodge at Seveys24.7 mi
The Lodge @ Seveys is a spacious and recently remodeled facility that serves as the perfect family getaway in the heart of the Adirondacks. With seven bedrooms accommodating up to fourteen people, the lodge features a fully equipped…
— 21.6 mi to the nearest bed on the register; book before you go.
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- Where is Bear Lake located?Bear Lake is a lake in the Old Forge region of the Adirondack Park in northern New York State.
- How big is Bear Lake?Bear Lake has a surface area of approximately 27 acres, a smaller backcountry water.
- How deep is Bear Lake?Bear Lake has a maximum depth of 20 feet, with a mean depth of 4.9 feet.
- Is Bear Lake open to the public?Yes, Bear Lake has public access. See the listing page for current trailhead, parking, and boat-launch details, and check active DEC advisories before visiting.
- Can you camp at Bear Lake?Within roughly seven miles of Bear Lake: 15 designated campsites, 2 lean-tos or shelters. Permit and primitive-camping rules vary; check NYSDEC before you go.