Gourdshell Ponds.
Gourdshell Ponds — a 16-acre water in the Saranac Lake region — is one of those mid-sized ponds that exists in the zone between local knowledge and the well-documented trail network. No fish species data on file, no marked camping, no trailhead sign on the highway — which puts it squarely in the category of ponds you find by talking to someone at a tackle shop or studying the DEC unit management plan maps. The name suggests either an old surveyor's notation or a physical feature worth seeing in person. If you're working through the lesser-known waters around Saranac Lake, this is the kind of blank spot on the stocking list that either means truly fishless or just unstocked and overlooked.
Gourdshell Ponds has public access. Summits nearby include Orebed Mountain and Furnace Mountain.
The water, surveyed.
Seasonal pattern for this lake · live closures appear above
7 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.
- 01Deer River Flow Parking LotTrailhead1.3 miunpavedDirections →
- 02Twin Ponds Parking Area2.9 miunpavedDirections →
- 03Debar Pond Fas Paking Lot4.3 miunpavedDirections →
- 04Clear Pond Parking Lot4.6 miunpavedDirections →
- 05Debar Mtn. Parking Lot4.8 miunpavedDirections →
- 06East Branch Parking Lot5.8 miunpavedDirections →
- 07Meacham Lake Outlet6.9 miunpavedDirections →
Getting in, staying over.
Camping.
What the lake is doing today.
What rings this water.
The peaks.
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 Restaurant20.0 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 Plates23.6 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 Jade23.7 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 Parlor23.7 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.
— 20.0 mi to the nearest table out here; plan the drive to dinner.
Sip.
4- Saranac Juice20.5 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 Market23.6 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 Coffee23.7 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 Moon23.7 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.
— 20.5 mi to the nearest pour to this spot; pack a thermos.
Sweet.
2- Mark Twain Maple Works23.7 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 Custard24.6 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.
— 23.7 mi to the nearest scoop; save it for the ride home.
Drink.
4- Hex and Hop Brewing19.4 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 & Grille19.9 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.
- Bitters & Bones23.5 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…
- RiverTrail Beerworks23.5 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…
— 19.4 mi to the nearest pint; appoint a driver.
Stay.
4- The St. Regis Suites15.4 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 & Resort20.0 mi
Wooded lakefront resort featuring homey rooms & cabins, local dining, a pub & outdoor recreation.
- Ampersand Bay Resort23.4 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.
- Hotel Saranac23.5 mi
Hotel Saranac — 100 Main Street, Saranac Lake. 1927-era National Register property reimagined as a modern boutique within the Hilton Curio Collection.
— 15.4 mi to the nearest bed on the register; book before you go.
See.
4- White Pine Camp13.7 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.
- Topridge16.2 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.
- THE GREAT ADIRONDACK CORN MAZE16.9 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.
- Adirondack Carousel23.4 mi
A community-built carousel on Depot Street in Saranac Lake, with hand-carved Adirondack animals (bear, loon, deer, otter) instead of horses. Year-round, indoors, and the best rainy-day move in town for kids under 8.
Add to the record.
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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 Gourdshell Ponds located?Gourdshell Ponds is a pond in the Saranac Lake region of the Adirondack Park in northern New York State.
- How big is Gourdshell Ponds?Gourdshell Ponds has a surface area of approximately 16 acres, a smaller backcountry water.
- Is Gourdshell Ponds open to the public?Yes, Gourdshell 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 Gourdshell Ponds?Within roughly seven miles of Gourdshell Ponds: 6 designated campsites, 2 lean-tos or shelters. Permit and primitive-camping rules vary; check NYSDEC before you go.