Sand Lake.
Sand Lake sits off the eastern shore of Great Sacandaga Lake — a 53-acre water in the southern Adirondacks that predates the reservoir's 1930 flooding but survived in its own pocket. The lake holds to the quieter, less-developed character of the pre-reservoir landscape: wooded shoreline, seasonal camps, no formal public beach or boat launch advertised on state maps. Access typically means knowing someone with property or launching a kayak from one of the Sacandaga's public sites and paddling in via the connecting channel. No fish species on record with DEC, which in this region usually means limited stocking history and whatever holdover populations adapted after the reservoir reshaped the drainage.
Sand Lake has public access. Summits nearby include Ohmer Mountain and Perry Mountain.
The water, surveyed.
Seasonal pattern for this lake · live closures appear above
5 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.
- 01Bakertown Parking AreaTrailhead5.0 miunpavedDirections →
- 02St. John Lake Parking Lot5.8 miunpavedDirections →
- 03Tenant Creek Falls Parking Area6.0 miunpavedDirections →
- 04Hadley Mountain Parking Lot6.4 miunpavedDirections →
- 05Creek Road Parking Lot7.1 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- Alpine Grille9.6 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 Cafe9.7 mi
India’s largest Food Delivery, Dining and Restaurant Discovery Service. Better food for more people.
- The Local9.7 mi
Fine-dining restaurant in the Great Sacandaga Lake region.
- Nettle Meadow at The Hitching Post13.9 mi
A tavern and dining spot tied to Nettle Meadow Farm, the noted goat-and-sheep creamery, serving farm-to-table fare in the Lake Luzerne area.
Sip.
4- ADK Blend9.7 mi
Northville smoothie & açaí-bowl spot in the Great Sacandaga Lake corridor.
- Uncle Carl's Coffee11.6 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.
- The PERKS of Speculator18.1 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.
- Caffe Vero18.8 mi
Breakfast, baked goods, sandwiches & house-roasted coffee in a comfy, earth-toned cafe.
Sweet.
4- Cree-Mee Freeze9.7 mi
A summer soft-serve stand near Northville on the Great Sacandaga Lake shore, with twists and specialty sundaes.
- The Village Scoop9.9 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.
- Speculator Creamery18.3 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.
- Lake George Baking Company18.8 mi
A bakery with two locations in Queensbury and Lake George, offering custom cakes, breads, rolls, and the original Fudge Fancy. Off-season hours are Wednesday through Sunday, 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Drink.
4- South Shore Dive10.0 mi
South Shore Dive: Casual dining on Great Sacandaga Lake. Made-to-order meals, craft cocktails, lake views. Book now in upstate NY!
- Sport Island Pub10.4 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.
- The Long Horn Restaurant & Pub14.3 mi
The Long Horn Restaurant Pub Lake Luzerne, The Long Horn Restaurant Pub Lake Luzerne Online ordering, online order accepting credit card, The Long Horn Restaurant Pub Fast, Relaxed, Healthy and stylish dining experience., Catering and Gi…
- Lemon Tree Brewery18.1 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…
Stay.
4- The Lodge at Harrisburg Lake4.3 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.
- Ponderosa Pines Campgrounds and Bar5.4 mi
Ponderosa Pines Campgrounds offers waterfront cabin rentals and RV site lots on Great Sacandaga Lake. Amenities include a private beach, dock rentals, on-site bar, and various recreational activities.
- Great Sacandaga Pines8.1 mi
Great Sacandaga Pines offers nine knotty pine cabins spread across a 13-acre wooded site with 565 feet of private sandy beach on Great Sacandaga Lake.
- Inn At the Bridge9.8 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.
See.
4- Historic Copeland Covered Bridge8.6 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…
- Tubby Tubes River Co.13.9 mi
An outfitter for lazy-river tubing on the Lower Hudson in Lake Luzerne, with guided trips, tubes, life jackets, and shuttle included. Ages 2 and up. Memorial Day Weekend through Labor Day.
- The Promise Gardens Estate of the Adirondacks15.0 mi
The Promise Gardens is the perfect wedding venue with gorgeous gardens, rustic barns and mountain views near Lake George and the Adirondacks.
- Revolution Rail Co. Thurman15.7 mi
A pedal-powered rail biking operation in Warrensburg on Route 418, with family-friendly tours rolling on disused railroad tracks through Adirondack forest and river corridors. Suitable for all ages and ability levels.
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 Sand Lake located?Sand Lake is a lake in the Great Sacandaga Lake region of the Adirondack Park in northern New York State.
- How big is Sand Lake?Sand Lake has a surface area of approximately 53 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: 20 designated campsites, 3 lean-tos or shelters, 1 listed campground. Permit and primitive-camping rules vary; check NYSDEC before you go.