Big Creek.
Big Creek drains south through the Old Forge corridor, one of several outlet streams threading through the Fulton Chain watershed — more utility than destination, more working watercourse than named feature on a paddler's map. The creek moves quietly through mixed forest and wetland, accessible in fragments where it crosses roads or abuts private land, but without the kind of put-in or trail access that would make it a deliberate trip. Brook trout move through these systems seasonally, but fishing pressure tends to follow the lakes and ponds where access is clearer. If you're driving NY-28 between Old Forge and Inlet and you cross a culvert marked Big Creek, that's the water — not a stop, just a place name.
Big Creek has public access.
The water, surveyed.
Seasonal pattern for this lake · live closures appear above
2 parking areas
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 AreaTrailhead5.3 miunpavedDirections →
- 02South Creek Lake Parking Area5.8 miunpavedDirections →
What’s in the water.
NYSDEC has stocked this water across 9 recent seasons — the ledger below is the public record.
The stocking record.
Launch & supply.
Getting in, staying over.
Camping.
What the lake is doing today.
What rings this water.
The waters.
The trails.
Read before you launch.
Add to the record.
Free, takes thirty seconds. Yours forever.
Every page on this site gets better when readers contribute. Mark a peak you’ve climbed, drop a photo, file a field note, or flag a correction — every addition makes the next visitor’s page better.
Add a shot.
Sunrise on the dock, a cairn at the summit, a bend on the trail. Your camera roll, our archive.
Add a photo →File a report.
Trail conditions, water level, bug pressure, blowdown. The kind of detail that helps the next person plan.
Write a field note →Spot something off?
Wrong elevation, outdated access notes, a coordinate that's drifted. We'd rather hear it than miss it.
Suggest an edit →Frequently asked.
- Where is Big Creek located?Big Creek is a stream in the Old Forge region of the Adirondack Park in northern New York State.
- Is Big Creek open to the public?Yes, Big Creek 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 Big Creek?Within roughly seven miles of Big Creek: 1 designated campsite. Permit and primitive-camping rules vary; check NYSDEC before you go.