Murphy Lake.
Murphy Lake sits in the Great Sacandaga corridor — a 34-acre water in the broader network of ponds and lakes shaped by the reservoir's creation in the 1930s. The lake holds a quiet, working-landscape character typical of the southern Adirondacks: less dramatic relief than the High Peaks, more old camp roads and seasonal camps tucked into the shoreline. No fish survey data on file, which usually means either marginal habitat or limited public pressure to document it. Worth a look if you're mapping the area's quieter backcountry — but bring a topo and modest expectations.
Murphy Lake reaches a maximum depth of 37 feet, with a mean depth of 18 feet. Murphy Lake has public access. Summits nearby include Huckleberry Mountain and Freds Mountain.
The water, surveyed.
Seasonal pattern for this lake · live closures appear above
10 parking areas· 1 accessible
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.
- 01Tenant Creek Falls Parking AreaTrailhead1.5 miunpavedDirections →
- 02Wilcox-Willis Trail Parking Area2.5 miunpavedDirections →
- 03Pumpkin Hollow Rd Parking Lot2.6 miunpavedDirections →
- 04Trail Parking2.6 miunpavedDirections →
- 05Creek Road Parking Lot2.8 miunpavedDirections →
- 06DEC parking 189174.6 mi
- 07Dorr Rd Parking Area5.0 miunpavedDirections →
- 08Blackbridge Road Parking Area5.7 miunpavedDirections →
+2 more on the map above
What’s in the water.
NYSDEC has stocked this water across 11 recent seasons — the ledger below is the public record.
The stocking record.
Launch & supply.
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- Alpine Grille2.3 mi
A long-running roadside steak-and-seafood house on the Sacandaga, between Northville and Wells. Generous portions, a lively bar, and the kind of dining room where the staff knows the regulars by name. Reservations recommended on weekends.
- Klippel's Kozy Korner Cafe8.2 mi
India’s largest Food Delivery, Dining and Restaurant Discovery Service. Better food for more people.
- The Local8.4 mi
Fine-dining restaurant in the Great Sacandaga Lake region.
- Lanzi's on the Lake13.2 mi
An Italian restaurant and wedding venue on Route 30 in Mayfield on the Great Sacandaga shore, with floor-to-ceiling windows, a large deck, and event capacity up to 200.
Sip.
3- Uncle Carl's Coffee5.8 mi
Uncle Carl's Coffee serves expertly crafted coffees, artisan teas, pastries, and light savory bites. They also offer daily quiche and bagels, along with homemade soups, frozen meals, local meats, and cheeses.
- ADK Blend8.4 mi
Northville smoothie & açaí-bowl spot in the Great Sacandaga Lake corridor.
- The PERKS of Speculator13.1 mi
Speculator coffee shop and bakery at 2855 NY-30. Specialty coffee, espresso, fresh-baked bagels and pastries, plus breakfast and lunch sandwiches. Gluten-free options across the bakery case.
Sweet.
4- The Village Scoop8.4 mi
A walk-up ice cream shop on Northville's Main Street at the north tip of Great Sacandaga Lake — hard ice cream and soft serve with a wide flavor selection.
- Cree-Mee Freeze10.0 mi
A summer soft-serve stand near Northville on the Great Sacandaga Lake shore, with twists and specialty sundaes.
- Speculator Creamery13.2 mi
A family-run village creamery anchoring Speculator's tiny downtown near Lake Pleasant — a genuine community summer hub. Wide-ranging soft-serve flavors, the 16oz Nor'Easter blend, and hand-dipped hard ice cream. Roughly May through September.
- Zippy's Ice Cream16.3 mi
A roadside soft-serve stand on Route 30 in Mayfield near the Park's southern gateway and Great Sacandaga Lake, known for dense, cold soft serve with weekly flavors like maple and coffee.
Drink.
4- Sport Island Pub8.7 mi
Sport Island Pub offers great food, refreshing drinks, and friendly entertainment on the Great Sacandaga Lake. This family-run restaurant, with three generations of service, invites you to enjoy exquisite dishes for dine-in or take-out.
- South Shore Dive11.7 mi
South Shore Dive: Casual dining on Great Sacandaga Lake. Made-to-order meals, craft cocktails, lake views. Book now in upstate NY!
- Lemon Tree Brewery13.1 mi
Lemon Tree Brewery is a brewery and taproom located in Speculator, NY, steps from Lake Pleasant. It offers house brews like SASQUATCH HAZY IPA and Blueberry Wheat, along with other local NY State micro-brewed beers and wines in a relaxed s…
- Acorn Pub & Eatery at Oak Mountain14.0 mi
Acorn Pub & Eatery is a dining option at Oak Mountain, offering a place to eat and drink.
Stay.
4- Inn At the Bridge8.1 mi
A historic six-room inn on the shore of the Great Sacandaga Lake in Northville, with its own marina, full-property rentals, and a setup built for small weddings.
- The Lodge at Harrisburg Lake8.6 mi
A 12-bedroom group lodge in Stony Creek sleeping up to 42 across 20 beds and 11 full baths, with Alpine-style architecture, lakefront, pool, multiple sport courts, and a historic tavern.
- The Great Sacandaga Motel8.7 mi
This classic roadside motel offers comfortable, practical rooms for year-round stays in Northville, just steps from the Great Sacandaga Lake.
- The Orendaga8.8 mi
A quaint guesthouse with suites & cabins, with a private lakeside beach & an art gallery on-site.
See.
4- Historic Copeland Covered Bridge10.1 mi
The Historic Copeland Covered Bridge is a 35-foot Queenpost truss bridge built in 1879 by Arad Copeland in Edinburg, Saratoga County. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, it is the only covered bridge remaining in Saratoga C…
- Ampersand Christine Falls12.8 mi
Ampersand Energy LLC.
- Speculator Historical Museum13.4 mi
A small local-history museum on Route 8 in Speculator inside the original Lake Pleasant Town Hall and Library. Open weekends Memorial Day through August, plus weekday hours in summer.
- Grandview Mini Golf16.4 mi
An 18-hole lakeside mini golf course on Great Sacandaga Lake in Mayfield, with an arcade, ice cream novelties, snacks, and party hosting — reachable by boat or car. Open seven days, noon to 8pm; $8 unlimited all-day play.
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 Murphy Lake located?Murphy Lake is a lake in the Great Sacandaga Lake region of the Adirondack Park in northern New York State.
- How big is Murphy Lake?Murphy Lake has a surface area of approximately 34 acres, a smaller backcountry water.
- How deep is Murphy Lake?Murphy Lake has a maximum depth of 37 feet, with a mean depth of 18 feet.
- Is Murphy Lake open to the public?Yes, Murphy Lake 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 Murphy Lake?Within roughly seven miles of Murphy Lake: 27 designated campsites, 4 lean-tos or shelters. Permit and primitive-camping rules vary; check NYSDEC before you go.