Big Creek.
Big Creek drains the low wooded hills northwest of Lake George, running east through Bolton before emptying into the Northwest Bay — a quiet feeder stream in a region better known for cliffs and motorboats. The creek sees little angler pressure and no formal access infrastructure; most locals who know it treat it as a put-in or take-out footnote rather than a destination. In spring it moves fast enough to carry snowmelt and tannin stain down from the ridgelines; by August it's ankle-deep and overgrown. If you're camping on Northwest Bay or hiking the ridge trails above Bolton, you'll cross it without ceremony.
Big Creek has public access.
The water, surveyed.
Seasonal pattern for this lake · live closures appear above
What the lake is doing today.
What rings this water.
The trails.
Read before you launch.
Make a weekend of it.
Closest editorial picks for a meal, a scoop, a pint, a bed, and a sight worth your time.
Eat.
4- Bistro LeRoux10.0 mi
Local, French-accented cuisine with multiple rooms displaying artwork & views of the open kitchen.
- Antonio's Bayside Bistro11.5 mi
Discover a unique dining experience at Antonio's Bayside Bistro, where tradition meets innovation on the serene shores of Lake George. Enjoy exquisite Italian cuisine, breathtaking views, and warm hospitality.
- The Log Jam Restaurant12.4 mi
The Log Jam Restaurant is an authentic log cabin restaurant in Lake George, NY, offering comfortable, casual Adirondack-style dining. It features stone fireplaces and serves American fare, including steaks and a large salad bar.
- Lighthouse Grill13.9 mi
The Lighthouse Grill is a renovated waterfront restaurant in Lake George, offering American, seafood, and plant-based cuisine with artisan drinks and freshest ingredients. It serves breakfast at the marina and is open Friday, Saturday, and…
Sweet.
4- Martha's Dandee Creme12.1 mi
The definitive gateway ice cream stand into the Adirondacks, marked by its towering rooster sign on Route 9 in Queensbury. Towering swirls of soft serve in dozens of handmade flavors plus a grill menu, spring through early fall.
- Scoop's Ice Cream Parlor14.0 mi
Scoop's Ice Cream Parlor in Lake George offers ice cream and frozen yogurt at inexpensive prices. Located at 327 Canada St, it provides take-out service and accepts credit cards.
- Lake George Baking Company14.0 mi
A bakery with two locations in Queensbury and Lake George, offering custom cakes, breads, rolls, and the original Fudge Fancy. Off-season hours are Wednesday through Sunday, 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.
- Cate's Creamery16.8 mi
The main ice cream spot in the heart of Bolton Landing village on Lake George's quieter west shore — soft serve, hand-dipped hard ice cream, and slushies, a short stroll from the lakefront.
Drink.
4- Springbrook Hollow Farm Distillery8.5 mi
Springbrook Hollow Farm Distillery, located in the Adirondack Mountains, crafts a variety of spirits including vodka, gin, moonshine, and whiskeys. Visitors can enjoy a beautiful tasting room offering specialty cocktails, local beer, wine,…
- Adirondack Bar and Grill9.0 mi
We pride ourselves on our seasonally inspired American classics and fresh ingredients in the meals we serve. Our food and drink options will have you coming back to troy something new each time!
- Ridge Terrace Restaurant-Cocktail Lounge10.5 mi
The Ridge Terrace is a chef-owned and operated restaurant in Lake George, NY, celebrating its 60th season. They offer a diverse menu, including a children's menu, and can accommodate special dietary requests.
- Adirondack Pub & Brewery13.8 mi
Comfortable brewpub offering craft beers & American comfort food amid rustic, lodge-style surrounds.
Stay.
4- Moose Hillock Camping Resort6.9 mi
A modern camping resort in Warren with Adirondack cabins, RV sites, and tent sites. Each RV site has full hookups; the Aloha Beach Tropic Pool is the largest heated pool in the Northeast.
- Moose Hillock Camping Resorts - NY6.9 mi
Moose Hillock Camping Resort in Fort Ann, NY, offers spacious, private campsites and Adirondack cabin rentals near Lake George. It features the Northeast's largest heated swimming pool and full hook-up RV sites with water, sewer, cable TV,…
- Bayside Resort Lake George11.5 mi
A family-run resort (formerly Dunham's Bay Resort) on Route 9L at Dunham's Bay, with rooms, cabins, and cottages renovated in 2023, an indoor pool, a private beach, 100 acres of private trails, and Antonio's Bayside Bistro on site.
- Baymont by Wyndham Queensbury Lake George12.0 mi
Warm quarters in a casual hotel offering an indoor pool & a gym, plus free breakfast & parking.
See.
4- Dunham Bay Marsh11.3 mi
Peat swamps, bog thickets & other unique areas for kayaking, canoeing & wildlife-watching.
- Schumann Preserve at Pilot Knob11.7 mi
Schumann Preserve at Pilot Knob offers a moderately steep, 0.7-mile hike to a gazebo with expansive views of Lake George and the Adirondacks. An additional blue trail leads to a seasonal waterfall.
- Lake George Expedition Park12.9 mi
Lake George Expedition Park is a place of adventure, discovery, and excitement for attendees of all ages. Located in Lake George, NY. Open Memorial Day - Labor Day.
- Lake George Battlefield Park13.5 mi
Visitors to the Lake George Battlefield can see the sites of the Battle of Lake George (1755), which was part of the siege of Fort William Henry (1757) and a major military camp throughout the French and Indian War (1754-1763).
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 Lake George 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.