North Branch Lake.
North Branch Lake is a small, 24-acre water tucked in the Speculator area — the kind of backcountry lake that stays off most radar because it requires local knowledge or a topographic map to find. No public access trail is documented, and no fish species records are on file, which suggests limited management history and likely private shoreline or rough bushwhack approach. Waters like this tend to be either overlooked brook trout habitat or catch basins for whatever runs downstream from beaver activity in the watershed. If you're looking at North Branch Lake, you're either already there or working from a very specific set of directions.
North Branch Lake reaches a maximum depth of 26 feet, with a mean depth of 10 feet. North Branch Lake has public access. Summits nearby include Mosquito Hill.
The water, surveyed.
Seasonal pattern for this lake · live closures appear above
1 parking area
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.
- 01Billy Hamlin Road Parking AreaTrailhead4.6 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.
1— 17.3 mi to the nearest table out here; plan the drive to dinner.
Sweet.
1— 24.9 mi to the nearest scoop; save it for the ride home.
Drink.
2- Nick Stoner Inn Seafood & Steakhouse18.8 mi
Caroga Lake restaurant at 1810 NY-10 doing hand-cut, in-house steaks, fresh seafood, and a tight made-to-order menu. 19 craft beers on tap, NY Finger Lakes wines. Open Thursday through Sunday; Sunday 11–5.
- Vrooman's Hotel19.4 mi
On the shore of West Caroga Lake, this family-owned hotel and tavern has been a beloved community fixture for generations, serving exceptional dishes and warm hospitality daily.
— 18.8 mi to the nearest pint; appoint a driver.
Stay.
4- The Bears Den Vacation Rental Resort14.5 mi
Booked as an exclusive buyout. Sleeps up to 20 across the main log lodge in Caroga Lake. Full kitchen and bar, three fireplaces, hot tub, sand volleyball court, wood-fired pizza oven, and a private sand beach on the West Branch Sacandaga River.
- The Balsam Inn & Cafe14.6 mi
Historic inn at 140 NY-10 in Caroga Lake, with newly renovated boutique rooms on the second floor and the Forever Wild Tavern downstairs. A minute from the West Branch of the Sacandaga and adjacent to state park land.
- Pine Lake Lodge16.0 mi
Pine Lake Lodge is a spacious eight-bedroom vacation rental near Great Sacandaga Lake, offering ample space and amenities for large groups, family reunions, and celebrations.
- The Inn on Piseco Lake16.3 mi
Established in 1892 as the Irondequoit Inn, the historic Inn on Piseco Lake is a 600-acre lakefront retreat in the Hamilton County hamlet of Piseco — nine guest rooms, two-bedroom cabins that sleep six, beachfront and wooded campsites, and a restaurant open to the public. The Northville-Placid Trail crosses nearby. A rare survivor of the late-19th-century Adirondack hotel era.
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Suggest an edit →Frequently asked.
- Where is North Branch Lake located?North Branch Lake is a lake in the Speculator region of the Adirondack Park in northern New York State.
- How big is North Branch Lake?North Branch Lake has a surface area of approximately 24 acres, a smaller backcountry water.
- How deep is North Branch Lake?North Branch Lake has a maximum depth of 26 feet, with a mean depth of 9.8 feet.
- Is North Branch Lake open to the public?Yes, North Branch 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 North Branch Lake?Within roughly seven miles of North Branch Lake: 11 designated campsites. Permit and primitive-camping rules vary; check NYSDEC before you go.