Buck Pond is an 8-acre pocket water in the Old Forge area — small enough to paddle in an hour, large enough to feel private if you catch it on a weekday. No fish stocking records on file, which typically means wild brookies or nothing at all; bring a rod but keep expectations modest. The pond sits in the working forest west of town, part of the patchwork of private timberland, state easements, and small public parcels that defines this corner of the park — access and launch conditions vary depending on which parcel you're on. Worth confirming current public access status with the DEC Ray Brook office before making the drive.
Closest parking lots within range, ranked by walking distance. Accessibility flags come from Google verified-data; surface and capacity from OpenStreetMap. Confirm hours and seasonal closures before you go.
+12 more on the map above
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.
Sunrise on the dock, a cairn at the summit, a bend on the trail. Your camera roll, our archive.
Add a photo →Trail conditions, water level, bug pressure, blowdown. The kind of detail that helps the next person plan.
Write a field note →Wrong elevation, outdated access notes, a coordinate that's drifted. We'd rather hear it than miss it.
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What to do, where to stay, and what's reopening across the Park as the snow melts and the calendar fills.
A complete planning guide: difficulty by peak, common combo days, seasonal realities, and a sortable, filterable table of every summit.
Overnight, day, and trip camps in the Park — the camp belt, choosing the right fit, costs and financial aid, ACA accreditation, and the questions every parent should ask before they commit.
