Big Moose Lake.
Big Moose Lake covers 1,268 acres in the Old Forge region and reaches 70 feet deep — cold water that holds lake trout, smallmouth bass, and brook trout. It's quieter than the Fulton Chain, with public access and shoreline lodging for anglers who fish intermediate conditions.
Big Moose Lake reaches a maximum depth of 70 feet. Fish on record include Lake trout, Smallmouth bass, and Brook trout — always check current New York State DEC regulations before fishing. Big Moose Lake has public access. Summits nearby include Sugarloaf and Mount Tom.
The water, surveyed.
§ The water
Loading USGS terrain…
Big Moose Lake
3D terrain: USGS 3DEP relief with NAIP imagery — loads as this slot scrolls into view. The 2D map carries every pin from the classic lake page.
Seasonal pattern for this lake · live closures appear above
11 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.
- 01Windfall Pond ParkingTrailhead2.5 miunpavedDirections →
- 02Orvis Schoolhouse (Safford Pond Trail) Parking2.6 miunpavedDirections →
- 03Twitchell Lake Parking2.7 miunpavedDirections →
- 04Moss Lake Accessible Parking3.4 mi
- 05Moss Lake Parking3.5 miunpavedDirections →
- 06Cascade Lake Trail Parking4.0 miunpavedDirections →
- 07Bub & Sis Lakes Trail Parking5.0 mipavedDirections →
- 08Black Bear And Rocky Mtn Parking Area5.6 miunpavedDirections →
+3 more on the map above
Big Moose Lake.
From the people who’ve been here, plus what Google has on file.
What’s in the water.
NYSDEC has stocked this water across 14 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 peaks.
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- Big Moose Station Restaurant4.2 mi
Website under development
- The Tavern5.0 mi
Located at 5520 state route 28 in Eagle Bay, NY.
- Mountainside Smokehouse & Grill5.3 mi
Mountainside Smokehouse & Grill offers delicious smoked meats, homemade BBQ sauces and desserts, with smoking done on-premise using apple wood. They also provide catering and meeting space.
- The Lean-to at Great Pines5.7 mi
The Lean-To is our casual lakeside restaurant, open to guests and the public. It offers a full-service bar and a craft beer menu, along with a food menu inspired by local ingredients and regional influences.
Sip.
4- Tamarack Cafe6.4 mi
Tamarack Cafe in downtown Inlet serves a wide variety of breakfast and lunch options, from traditional favorites and specialty bowls to creative salads, sandwiches, and burgers. The cafe also features an 18-hole mini-golf course.
- Blue Line Coffee House6.4 mi
Blue Line Coffee House offers Adirondack-inspired apparel, handcrafted mugs, and mountain-themed gifts, along with pre-packaged coffee and coffee accessories. Products are available for nationwide shipping, and local customers can order dr…
- Blue Line Coffee House11.0 mi
A coffee shop on Route 28 in Old Forge selling drinks, Adirondack-themed apparel, handcrafted mugs, and shipped coffee subscriptions. Order drinks for pickup or shop the gift line online.
- Schoolhouse Grounds Coffee Shop20.4 mi
Seasonal coffee shop inside the 1895 schoolhouse that houses Blue Mountain Designs. Espresso, locally roasted coffee, loose-leaf tea, baked goods, avocado toast, sandwiches, and soups. May through October.
Sweet.
4- Northern Lights Creamery Inc.7.0 mi
An Inlet institution for 40-plus years, a short walk from Arrowhead Park on Fourth Lake — soft serve, homemade gelato, floats, flurries, and specialty sundaes.
- Benny’s Ice Cream11.0 mi
A family-run, locally loved scoop shop on Old Forge's Main Street — hand-scooped hard flavors and soft serve.
- Pied Piper11.0 mi
A circa-1950s soft-serve and frozen-custard stand locals treat as a permanent fixture — the walk-up window after a day on the Fulton Chain or at the water park. Three daily soft-serve flavors plus around 20 hard flavors.
- Custard’s Last Stand22.8 mi
Custard's Last Stand is a historic ice cream shop in Long Lake, established in 1958, serving a variety of soft frozen custard & hard ice cream, sundaes, specialty shakes, floats, and ice cream sodas. They also offer merchandise and gift cards.
Drink.
4- Daiker's6.5 mi
Daikers is an Adirondack pitstop in Old Forge, NY, offering seasonal and local dining with a deck overlooking Fourth Lake. Their caring and committed staff ensure a fantastic experience for guests.
- Slickers Adirondack Tavern10.9 mi
Slickers Adirondack Tavern, established in 1984, offers a classic tavern experience with a focus on quality ingredients. They are well-known for their signature French Dip Sandwich.
- Old Forge Brewing Company11.1 mi
Old Forge Brewing Company, established in 2008, is a brewpub committed to crafting quality beer and food while prioritizing local ingredients and community support. They offer a diverse menu, a range of craft beers, and host regular events.
- Hex and Hop Tasting Room - Blue Mountain Lake20.4 mi
Hex and Hop is a craft brewery and meadery located in Bloomingdale, New York. They offer full-flavored, high-quality craft beer and mead, made with fresh, locally sourced ingredients, emphasizing community and craft.
Stay.
4- The Waldheim1.2 mi
A rustic resort with log-cottages featuring porches with lake views, plus 3 included meals a day.
- Covewood Lodge1.6 mi
A Great Camp-style lodge on Big Moose Lake in Eagle Bay, with 19 housekeeping cottages and Main Lodge apartments and rooms. Open May through October, with kids' programming and weekly campfires from late June to Labor Day.
- Eagle Bay Village5.1 mi
A cluster of lakeside cottages and vacation units at Eagle Bay on Fourth Lake in the Old Forge / Fulton Chain region — a base for boating and summer lake life.
- Palmer Point Boats & Cottages5.2 mi
Palmer Point offers pontoon boat rentals and charming cottages in Old Forge, NY, perfect for enjoying Fourth Lake in the Adirondacks.
See.
4- Raquette Lake Navigation Cruise9.3 mi
Raquette Lake Navigation Company offers dining, sightseeing, and special event cruises on Raquette Lake in New York. This family-owned and operated business has been providing scenic experiences aboard the W.W. Durant since 1991.
- Camp Pine Knot10.7 mi
William West Durant's 1877 compound on Raquette Lake — the camp that invented the Adirondack Great Camp style. Now SUNY Cortland's Huntington Memorial Camp, an outdoor-education center with occasional public programs.
- Calypso's Cove10.7 mi
Calypso's Cove is a family fun park in Old Forge, NY, located next to Enchanted Forest Water Safari. It features attractions like go-karts, mini-golf, arcade games, and a ropes course with a zipline, offering afternoon and evening entertai…
- Enchanted Forest Water Safari10.8 mi
Located in Old Forge, Enchanted Forest Water Safari offers a blend of water park experiences and traditional theme park attractions. Visitors can access various slides, pools, and dry rides.
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 Moose Lake located?Big Moose Lake is a lake in the Old Forge region of the Adirondack Park in northern New York State.
- How big is Big Moose Lake?Big Moose Lake has a surface area of approximately 1,268 acres, a large lake by Adirondack standards.
- How deep is Big Moose Lake?Big Moose Lake has a maximum depth of 70 feet.
- What fish are in Big Moose Lake?Big Moose Lake supports populations of Lake trout, Smallmouth bass, and Brook trout. Always check current New York State Department of Environmental Conservation fishing regulations before casting.
- Is Big Moose Lake open to the public?Yes, Big Moose 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 Big Moose Lake?Within roughly seven miles of Big Moose Lake: 37 designated campsites, 8 lean-tos or shelters, 1 listed campground. Permit and primitive-camping rules vary; check NYSDEC before you go.