Gourd Lake is a five-acre pocket water in the Old Forge township — small enough that it doesn't show up on most recreational lake lists, but mapped and named, which means it's been on the books long enough to matter to someone. No fish stocking records on file, and no established public access or trail references in the DEC inventory — this is either private, landlocked by private parcels, or tucked into a wetland complex where a defined shoreline never quite materializes. In Old Forge's sprawl of ponds, bogs, and connector streams between the Fulton Chain and the Moose River Plains, plenty of named waters exist more as cartographic artifacts than destinations. If you're hunting it down, start with the town tax maps and a topo — and expect bushwhacking or a conversation with a landowner.
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.
+15 more on the map above
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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Write a field note →Wrong elevation, outdated access notes, a coordinate that's drifted.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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Cabins, camps, and lakefront rentals appear here as the directory grows. Check back soon.
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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.
