Middle Pond.
Middle Pond sits in the working-forest country south of Tupper Lake — 62 acres of water in a landscape defined more by logging roads and private timber holdings than by marked trail systems or state campgrounds. Access details here are fluid: what's open-gate this season may be gated next, and the DEC doesn't maintain formal put-ins or camping infrastructure the way it does on more heavily visited waters. The pond itself holds water, holds fish (though no species surveys are on record), and sits far enough off the main tourism corridors that it rewards locals and canoeists willing to do their own navigation homework. Call the regional DEC office in Ray Brook before planning a trip — access here is a conversation, not a trailhead sign.
Middle Pond reaches a maximum depth of 11 feet, with a mean depth of 5 feet. Middle Pond has public access. Summits nearby include Long Pond 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.
- 01Middle Pond ParkingTrailhead1,208 ftunpavedDirections →
- 02Horseshoe Pond Trail Parking0.5 miunpavedDirections →
- 03Little Square Pond Trail Parking0.5 miunpavedDirections →
- 04Floodwood Crossing Parking Lot1.3 miunpavedDirections →
- 05Polliwog Pond Water Access Parking1.4 miunpavedDirections →
- 06East Pine Pond Fishing Access Parking1.6 miunpavedDirections →
- 07Hoel Pond Water Access Parking1.8 miunpavedDirections →
- 08Floodwood Road, Gordon Pond Parking1.9 miunpavedDirections →
+4 more on the map above
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 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.
- PorkBusters BBQ8.5 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.
- ADK Food Hub8.6 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.
- Guido's Pizzeria9.0 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 Moon12.3 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 Coffee12.3 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 Market12.3 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 Juice15.4 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 Cream9.1 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 Works11.0 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 Custard12.5 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 Cream14.6 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 Brewing9.3 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 Bar10.0 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 & Bones12.2 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 Campground2.6 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 Point3.4 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.
- Hohmeyer's Lake Clear Lodge & Resort7.2 mi
Wooded lakefront resort featuring homey rooms & cabins, local dining, a pub & outdoor recreation.
- Northwood Cabins7.4 mi
Straightforward cabins with TVs & porches on a wooded property offering fire pits.
See.
4- Topridge6.7 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 Adirondack Sky Center & Observatory7.4 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…
- Adirondack Railroad8.4 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…
- The Wild Center8.8 mi
Live animals, hands-on exhibits & forest trails connect guests with the Adirondacks.
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- Where is Middle Pond located?Middle Pond is a pond in the Tupper Lake region of the Adirondack Park in northern New York State.
- How big is Middle Pond?Middle Pond has a surface area of approximately 62 acres, a smaller backcountry water.
- How deep is Middle Pond?Middle Pond has a maximum depth of 11 feet, with a mean depth of 4.9 feet.
- Is Middle Pond open to the public?Yes, Middle 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 Middle Pond?Within roughly seven miles of Middle Pond: 324 designated campsites, 8 lean-tos or shelters, 1 listed campground. Permit and primitive-camping rules vary; check NYSDEC before you go.