Fish Creek.
Fish Creek winds through the working forestlands west of Tupper Lake — a slow, tannic corridor that drains toward the Raquette River system and feels more remote than the mileage suggests. It's a paddling creek, not a hiking destination: the kind of water where you'll see more great blue herons than hikers, and where the put-in is more likely gravel and mud than granite. The canoe/kayak crowd knows it as a quiet alternative to the Raquette's main channels — fewer motorboats, more beaver lodges, and long stretches where the only sound is your paddle against still water. Access details vary by season and water level; check with local outfitters in Tupper Lake before you load the boat.
Fish Creek has public access.
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.
- 01Echo Pond Water Access ParkingTrailhead0.8 miunpavedDirections →
- 02Follensby Clear (South) Water Access Parking1.0 miunpavedDirections →
- 03Black Pond Water Access Parking1.1 miunpavedDirections →
- 04Follensby Clear (North) Fishing Access Parking1.5 miunpavedDirections →
- 05Horseshoe Pond Trail Parking1.8 miunpavedDirections →
- 06Middle Pond Parking1.9 miunpavedDirections →
- 07Polliwog Pond Water Access Parking1.9 miunpavedDirections →
- 08Little Square Pond Trail Parking2.2 miunpavedDirections →
+4 more on the map above
Getting in, staying over.
Camping.
What the lake is doing today.
What rings this water.
The waters.
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- Hohmeyer's Adirondack Alps Restaurant7.2 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.
- ADK Food Hub7.4 mi
A year-round market and casual eatery on Park Street in Tupper Lake, with a deli case, pantry staples, and a summer buffet built around the on-site Whitten Family Farm. Sunday farmhouse breakfast in July and August.
- PorkBusters BBQ7.8 mi
PorkBusters BBQ is a Tupper Lake restaurant serving barbecue dishes seven days a week from 11 AM to 9 PM. They offer a menu for dine-in or takeout, plus catering for parties and events.
- Guido's Pizzeria8.0 mi
Guido's Pizzeria in Tupper Lake has been serving hand-thrown pizzas, subs, calzones, dinners, and wings since 1988. They offer free delivery within the Town of Tupper Lake on any size order and make fresh dough daily.
Sip.
4- Blue Moon11.6 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 Coffee11.6 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 Market11.7 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 Juice15.2 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- Skyline Ice Cream8.0 mi
A roadside soft-serve stand on Route 30 in Tupper Lake since 1985 — vanilla and black-raspberry twists, gelato, Dole Whip, and Michigans, now with an expanded burger-and-fries menu.
- Mark Twain Maple Works10.3 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 Custard11.7 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 Cream13.7 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.
Drink.
4- The 1892 Bar & Grille7.5 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.
- Raquette River Brewing8.4 mi
A family- and dog-friendly taproom pouring year-round craft beer alongside four permanent food trucks, from wood-fired pizza to Carolina barbecue.
- Lakeview Lanes & The Foul Line Sports Bar8.8 mi
Lakeview Lanes & The Foul Line Sports Bar in Tupper Lake offers 8 lanes of bowling, an arcade, a sports bar, and outdoor seating with food and drinks for family fun.
- Bitters & Bones11.5 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- Fish Creek Pond Campground0.8 mi
This expansive campground offers 355 sites with direct water access to Fish Creek and Square Ponds, providing ample opportunities for boating, fishing, and swimming from May to October.
- The Point1.9 mi
An all-inclusive Great Camp on Upper Saranac Lake, built by William Avery Rockefeller II a century ago. The first Relais & Chateaux property in North America and the only Forbes Five Star property in Upstate New York. Adults-only, communal dining.
- Northwood Cabins6.0 mi
Straightforward cabins with TVs & porches on a wooded property offering fire pits.
- Saranac Lake Islands Campground - Campsite #776.0 mi
Explore the Lower Saranac Lake Islands, offering extensive boater recreation and access to four other lakes via locks. Camp on designated island sites for a primitive, boat-access-only experience.
See.
4- The Adirondack Sky Center & Observatory6.6 mi
Free 2-Day Space Camp at the Adirondack Sky Center Calling all future space explorers— get ready for an out-of-this-world adventure! Join us to explore some of the most fascinating topics in outer space! We’ll cover black holes, space tra…
- The Wild Center7.5 mi
Live animals, hands-on exhibits & forest trails connect guests with the Adirondacks.
- Adirondack Railroad7.5 mi
Adirondack Railroad offers scenic train experiences through the beautiful outdoor scenery of New York, departing from stations in Utica, Thendara, and Tupper Lake. They provide various themed rides, including special events and multi-hour…
- Topridge7.8 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.
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 Fish Creek located?Fish Creek is a river in the Tupper Lake region of the Adirondack Park in northern New York State.
- Is Fish Creek open to the public?Yes, Fish Creek 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 Fish Creek?Within roughly seven miles of Fish Creek: 347 designated campsites, 11 lean-tos or shelters, 5 listed campgrounds. Permit and primitive-camping rules vary; check NYSDEC before you go.