First Pond.
First Pond — 51 acres, Saranac Lake region — sits in that mid-size category where a pond is big enough to paddle but small enough that most boats never bother. The name tells the story: it's almost certainly the first in a chain or cluster, though the state records don't clarify what comes second. No fish species data on file, which usually means either it winters out hard or no one's bothered to net it in recent surveys. If you're sorting through Saranac-area ponds by map, this is one to confirm access and ownership before you commit to the drive.
First Pond reaches a maximum depth of 20 feet, with a mean depth of 5 feet. First Pond has public access. Summits nearby include Dewey Mountain and Shingle Bay Mountain.
The water, surveyed.
Seasonal pattern for this lake · live closures appear above
12 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.
- 01Second Pond Boat Launch ParkingTrailhead0.3 mipavedDirections →
- 02Lonesmoe Bay Water Access Parking1.7 miunpavedDirections →
- 03Halfway Brook Trail Parking2.2 mipavedDirections →
- 04Forest Home Rd #1 Trail Parking2.7 miunpavedDirections →
- 05Ampersand Bay Boat Launch Parking3.0 miunpavedDirections →
- 06Forest Home Rd # 2 Trail Parking3.0 miunpavedDirections →
- 07Route 30 @ Middle Saranac Lake Parking Lot3.7 mipavedDirections →
- 08Lake Flower Boat Launch Parking3.9 mipavedDirections →
+4 more on the map above
Getting in, staying over.
Camping.
On the water.
What the lake is doing today.
What rings this water.
The peaks.
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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- Red Fox2.6 mi
The Red Fox Restaurant is a longtime Saranac Lake landmark known for its Steak, Seafood, and Italian dishes, offered in a spacious Adirondack-style setting.
- Owl's Nest Pizza Parlor3.7 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.
- China Jade3.8 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.
- Our Plates3.8 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.
Sip.
4- Blue Moon3.7 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.
- Origin Coffee3.8 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.
- Nori's Village Market3.9 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.
- Saranac Juice9.0 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.
Sweet.
4- Mark Twain Maple Works2.6 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 Custard3.3 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 Cream4.9 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.
- Emma's Lake Placid Creamery10.2 mi
A 1950s-themed creamery in the heart of walkable Lake Placid, famous for its Maple Creme soft serve alongside 16 hard flavors, gelato, sorbet, and old-fashioned malts. The reliable apres-hike treat.
Drink.
4- Bitters & Bones3.8 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…
- RiverTrail Beerworks4.0 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…
- Ray Brook Brewhouse5.6 mi
Ray Brook Brewhouse is a unique brewery in Ray Brook, NY, offering wild and traditional brews paired with adventurous dishes made from local and exotic ingredients.
- The 1892 Bar & Grille5.6 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.
Stay.
4- Kiwassa Lake Adirondack Bed & Breakfast1.5 mi
A lakeside B&B on Lake Kiwassa Road in Saranac Lake, with vintage knotty-pine cabins and boathouse-style lodge suites on 20 wooded acres, three miles from village.
- Ampersand Bay Resort3.0 mi
A small lakefront resort on Lower Saranac Lake with townhomes, cabins, lakeview suites, a private beach, a marina, and an on-site restaurant and wine bar. Five minutes from downtown Saranac Lake.
- Branch Farm Bed and Breakfast3.1 mi
Branch Farm Bed and Breakfast offers three private accommodations on the shores of Lake Flower, complete with home-cooked breakfasts and direct access to outdoor pursuits.
- Gauthiers Saranac Lake Inn3.8 mi
This family-owned inn, established in **1923**, offers renovated, eco-conscious waterfront lodging with direct access to Saranac Lake's extensive waterways.
See.
4- Sail Adirondacks: Saranac Lake-Lake Placid2.0 mi
A crewed sailboat charter operation with bases in Saranac Lake and Port Henry on Lake Champlain, running learn-to-sail lessons and skippered cruises on a fleet of classic sailboats.
- Adirondack Birding Center3.8 mi
The Adirondack Center for Loon Conservation protects common loons in the Adirondack Park through research, conservation, and education. They focus on understanding and mitigating human impacts to ensure loons thrive as environmental sentin…
- Adirondack Center for Loon Conservation3.8 mi
The Adirondack Center for Loon Conservation works to protect common loons in the Adirondack Park and educates communities about the importance of these iconic birds and their lake ecosystems.
- Ice Palace at the Saranac Lake Winter Carnival3.9 mi
The Ice Palace is a prominent feature of the Saranac Lake Winter Carnival, a historic annual celebration in New York State established in 1897.
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- Where is First Pond located?First Pond is a pond in the Saranac Lake region of the Adirondack Park in northern New York State.
- How big is First Pond?First Pond has a surface area of approximately 51 acres, a smaller backcountry water.
- How deep is First Pond?First Pond has a maximum depth of 20 feet, with a mean depth of 5.2 feet.
- Is First Pond open to the public?Yes, First Pond 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 First Pond?Within roughly seven miles of First Pond: 55 designated campsites, 9 lean-tos or shelters, 5 listed campgrounds. Permit and primitive-camping rules vary; check NYSDEC before you go.