Sand Lake.
Sand Lake is a small, 24-acre water in the Speculator region — one of those mid-sized ponds that sit between the mapped trail networks and the deeper backcountry. No fish records on file, which usually means light pressure or catch-and-release ethics among the few who fish it. Without curated nearby trails or lean-tos in the database, this is a local's pond — the kind of place you hear about at the hardware store or find by studying the quads. Access details matter here; check with the town or DEC before you go.
Sand Lake has public access. Summits nearby include Dunham Mountain and Reservoir Mountain.
The water, surveyed.
Seasonal pattern for this lake · live closures appear above
12 parking areas· 4 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.
- 01Gilman LakeTrailhead3.2 miunpavedDirections →
- 02Town Parking3.3 mi
- 03Dot Row3.4 miunpavedDirections →
- 04Dot Row3.8 mi
- 05Fawn Lake Parking4.3 miunpavedDirections →
- 06DEC parking 189315.5 mi
- 07DEC parking 189295.6 mi
- 08Trail Parking6.1 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.
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- Firetower Pizza3.7 mi
Hand-tossed pizzeria in Speculator with specialty pies named after Adirondack peaks (Mt Marcy, Snowy Mountain, Whiteface). Wings, baked ziti, white clam pie. Cozy waiting area with retro jukebox and arcade.
- Charlie Johns Store3.7 mi
Opened in 1939, Charlie Johns Store is Speculator's anchor general store — 12,000 square feet of full grocery selection, produce, fresh meats, a full deli, bakery, and hardware. Purchased from Charlie Johns in 1971 by Dean Lane, the Lane family has owned and operated it since.
- Oxbow Inn6.1 mi
Oxbow Inn is a welcoming restaurant and bar in Lake Pleasant offering great pizza, local beef burgers, and a wide selection of 16 draft beers. Enjoy casual dining, live music, and an outdoor deck with fire pits and lake views.
- Alpine Grille8.8 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.
Sip.
3- The PERKS of Speculator3.4 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.
- Uncle Carl's Coffee5.2 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 Blend18.6 mi
Northville smoothie & açaí-bowl spot in the Great Sacandaga Lake corridor.
Sweet.
4- Speculator Creamery3.3 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.
- The Village Scoop18.6 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 Freeze20.5 mi
A summer soft-serve stand near Northville on the Great Sacandaga Lake shore, with twists and specialty sundaes.
- Zippy's Ice Cream24.2 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- Lemon Tree Brewery3.4 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 Mountain4.5 mi
Acorn Pub & Eatery is a dining option at Oak Mountain, offering a place to eat and drink.
- Sport Island Pub18.7 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.
- Nick Stoner Inn Seafood & Steakhouse21.0 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.
Stay.
4- Red Pines Bed & Breakfast1.9 mi
Red Pines Bed & Breakfast is a year-round getaway on Lake Pleasant in Speculator, NY, offering a relaxed and friendly setting with private beach access and beautiful lake views.
- Bearhurst Lakeside Cottages2.2 mi
Five renovated outbuildings from a turn-of-the-century Adirondack Great Camp on Lake Pleasant in Speculator, run as lakefront rental cottages by the Armstrong family. Boathouse, Icehouse, Cubhurst, and two Cherry duplex halves.
- WatersEdge Cottages2.3 mi
WatersEdge Cottages provides weekly rentals in fully renovated lakeside cabins and efficiency units on Lake Pleasant in the Central Adirondacks. Guests enjoy 180 feet of private waterfront, a sandy beach, boat docks, and a recreation room.
- Inn At Speculator3.1 mi
The Inn at Speculator offers a full-service dining experience featuring classic dishes and local flavors, along with comfortable lodging options including private and shared bath rooms. Breakfast is included for guests.
See.
4- Speculator Historical Museum3.5 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.
- Ampersand Christine Falls5.4 mi
Ampersand Energy LLC.
- Historic Copeland Covered Bridge20.8 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…
- Grandview Mini Golf24.3 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.
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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.
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 Sand Lake located?Sand Lake is a lake in the Speculator region of the Adirondack Park in northern New York State.
- How big is Sand Lake?Sand Lake has a surface area of approximately 24 acres, a smaller backcountry water.
- Is Sand Lake open to the public?Yes, Sand 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 Sand Lake?Within roughly seven miles of Sand Lake: 38 designated campsites, 2 lean-tos or shelters, 2 listed campgrounds. Permit and primitive-camping rules vary; check NYSDEC before you go.