South Colton Reservoir.
South Colton Reservoir is a 226-acre impoundment in the northwest Adirondacks — working water infrastructure, not a natural pond, and it reads that way from the shoreline. The reservoir sits in the Raquette River drainage between Tupper Lake and the St. Lawrence lowlands, an area defined more by working forests and scattered hamlets than by marked trails or state campgrounds. Access details are sparse; this is not a destination water for paddlers or anglers passing through the region, and no fish species data has been recorded in recent surveys. If you're in South Colton, you already know why you're there.
South Colton Reservoir has public access.
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.
- 01Clear Pond Parking AreaTrailhead5.2 miunpavedDirections →
South Colton Reservoir.
From the people who’ve been here, plus what Google has on file.
Getting in, staying over.
Camping.
What the lake is doing today.
What rings this water.
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.
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Suggest an edit →Frequently asked.
- Where is South Colton Reservoir located?South Colton Reservoir is a reservoir in the Tupper Lake region of the Adirondack Park in northern New York State.
- How big is South Colton Reservoir?South Colton Reservoir has a surface area of approximately 226 acres, a mid-sized water.
- Is South Colton Reservoir open to the public?Yes, South Colton Reservoir 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 South Colton Reservoir?Within roughly seven miles of South Colton Reservoir: 6 designated campsites. Permit and primitive-camping rules vary; check NYSDEC before you go.