Elbow Ponds.
Elbow Ponds — plural, though the second is small enough that some maps treat it as a cove — sits in the middle ground between Saranac Lake village and the Upper Saranac watershed, far enough off the main corridors that most traffic is local or intentional. The ponds take their name from the sharp bend in the shoreline where the two bodies meet, a glacial quirk that creates a protected pocket on the eastern shore. No fish stocking records on file, which usually means the ponds are either too shallow for winter survival or simply off the DEC's priority list. Access details are sparse — worth checking with the Saranac Lake Wild Forest map or asking at a local outfitter before committing to the bushwhack.
Elbow Ponds has public access. Summits nearby include Sporting Hill and Catamount.
The water, surveyed.
Seasonal pattern for this lake · live closures appear above
5 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.
- 01Goldsmith Road Parking AreaTrailhead4.2 miunpavedDirections →
- 02White Fathers Lake Parking5.9 miunpavedDirections →
- 03Debar Pond Fas Paking Lot6.6 miunpavedDirections →
- 04Buck Pond Boat Launch Parking6.7 mipavedDirections →
- 05Parking Area7.1 mipavedDirections →
Getting in, staying over.
Camping.
What the lake is doing today.
What rings this water.
The peaks.
The waters.
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- Hohmeyer's Adirondack Alps Restaurant18.2 mi
A family-owned restaurant in the Adirondacks offering seasonal, 100-mile-focused fusion cuisine, a 1920s Speakeasy, and a hidden Beer and Wine Cellar.
- Our Plates19.1 mi
Our Plates offers Caribbean and Southern-inspired cuisine for pickup at 7 Broadway. Enjoy dishes like Empanadas Locas, Dominican Chimi Burgers, Bistec Encebollado, and Tres Leches cake.
- China Jade19.2 mi
A long-running Chinese restaurant on Saranac Lake's Main Street, doing classic American-Chinese standards for dine-in and takeout, Tuesday through Saturday.
- Owl's Nest Pizza Parlor19.2 mi
Owl's Nest Pizzeria is a local favorite in Saranac Lake, New York, offering New York Style pizza, wings, subs, and other munchies. Available for dine-in, take-out, and delivery, it's a convenient spot to grab a slice.
— 18.2 mi to the nearest table out here; plan the drive to dinner.
Sip.
4- Saranac Juice14.3 mi
Cold-pressed juices, cleanses, protein elixirs, and nut mylks from Saranac River Ranch in Bloomingdale, made from organic produce grown on the farm or sourced from local Adirondack growers.
- Nori's Village Market19.0 mi
Nori's Village Market and Riverside Cafe offers a market with organic and local produce, bulk foods, coffee, and teas, alongside a cafe serving natural, vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, and local meat options.
- Origin Coffee19.1 mi
Origin Coffee Co is a specialty coffee shop with locations in Lake Placid and Saranac Lake serving a chef-driven breakfast and lunch menu.
- Blue Moon19.2 mi
Blue Moon Café in Saranac Lake offers dine-in, pick-up, and curbside delivery services. Guests can enjoy weekly specials, restaurant menus, baked goods, coffee, grocery items, and adult beverages.
Sweet.
4- Whitebrook Dairy Bar18.8 mi
A classic roadside drive-in on Route 86 in Wilmington, five minutes from Whiteface — creamy soft serve (try the peanut-butter dip) plus footlongs and the Wilmington burger. Opening day is a local rite of spring.
- Mark Twain Maple Works19.8 mi
Mark Twain Maple Works produces New York State maple syrup on the shore of Saranac Lake in the Adirondack Park. They have been making syrup since 2013, expanding their operation and offering various grades.
- Mountain Mist Custard20.1 mi
A summer fixture on the shore of Lake Flower in Saranac Lake, with picnic tables and a dock you can tie a boat to. Frozen custard and soft serve with weekly-rotating flavors, shakes, and sundaes.
- Donnelly's Soft Ice Cream20.8 mi
A fourth-generation Saranac Lake institution on a former dairy farm, serving exactly one rotating soft-serve flavor each day — twisted with vanilla on the same 1953 machine. Cash only; check the daily flavor. Memorial Day to Labor Day.
— 18.8 mi to the nearest scoop; save it for the ride home.
Drink.
4- Hex and Hop Brewing13.3 mi
Hex and Hop Brewing is a craft brewery and meadery in Bloomingdale, New York, making full-flavored, locally sourced beer and mead. They prioritize community and craft, using fresh, local ingredients.
- The 1892 Bar & Grille18.0 mi
The 1892 Bar & Grille is a locally owned rustic bar and restaurant in Lake Clear, NY, offering homemade food. Recently under new ownership, it brings fresh energy and an updated menu to its patrons.
- RiverTrail Beerworks19.0 mi
RiverTrail Beerworks is Saranac Lake’s only riverfront brewpub, located on the Saranac Lake River Walk and Rail Trail. It features a heated patio, firepits, two golf simulators, and serves lunch and dinner daily with house-brewed beers and…
- Bitters & Bones19.0 mi
Saranac Lake's only downtown brewery, restaurant, and bar, Bitters & Bones offers craft beer brewed upstairs, fresh local cuisine for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and craft cocktails. It features rooftop decks and unique private event spa…
Stay.
4- The St. Regis Suites12.9 mi
Five well-appointed suites of various sizes, between Saranac Lake and Paul Smith's College in Gabriels, NY. Renovated by Cedar Circle LLC with green building techniques. Stays from three days to three months.
- Hohmeyer's Lake Clear Lodge & Resort18.2 mi
Wooded lakefront resort featuring homey rooms & cabins, local dining, a pub & outdoor recreation.
- Hotel Saranac18.9 mi
Hotel Saranac — 100 Main Street, Saranac Lake. 1927-era National Register property reimagined as a modern boutique within the Hilton Curio Collection.
- Prescott House ADK19.0 mi
Welcome to Prescott House ADK, a cozy guesthouse in Saranac Lake that accommodates hikers, skiers, and history enthusiasts. The property features rooms with private or shared baths, a common kitchen, eating area, and a recreation room with…
See.
4- White Pine Camp12.5 mi
The 1907 Great Camp on Osgood Pond that served as Calvin Coolidge's Summer White House in the summer of 1926. Seasonal guided tours, and several cottages rent by the week.
- THE GREAT ADIRONDACK CORN MAZE13.4 mi
The Great Adirondack Corn Maze at Tucker Farms in Gabriels offers a new maze design each year, providing a fun experience of getting lost in the cornfield.
- Topridge16.8 mi
The sprawling Gilded Age estate Marjorie Merriweather Post built on Upper St. Regis Lake — later New York State's, now privately held. Best seen from the St. Regis lakes.
- Summit Weather Observatory18.3 mi
The Summit Weather Observatory, part of the University at Albany's Atmospheric Sciences Research Center (ASRC), provides real-time weather conditions and data from its observatory at the summit of Whiteface Mountain and a field station at…
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- Where is Elbow Ponds located?Elbow Ponds is a pond in the Saranac Lake region of the Adirondack Park in northern New York State.
- How big is Elbow Ponds?Elbow Ponds has a surface area of approximately 15 acres, a smaller backcountry water.
- Is Elbow Ponds open to the public?Yes, Elbow Ponds 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 Elbow Ponds?Within roughly seven miles of Elbow Ponds: 11 designated campsites. Permit and primitive-camping rules vary; check NYSDEC before you go.