Three Ponds.
Three Ponds sits in the Great Sacandaga Lake watershed — a 5-acre pocket water that shows up on the USGS quad but not in many fishing reports or trail guides. The name suggests a cluster or a seasonal split, though whether you'll find one pond or three depends on water levels and how you count the connecting shallows. No fish stocking records and no nearby peaks to anchor a day hike — this is lowland Adirondack water, the kind that exists for local knowledge and bushwhacking curiosity more than for trailhead planning. If you're on the Sacandaga and looking for stillwater off the main lake, you'll need a local map and a willingness to explore without much beta.
Three Ponds has public access. Summits nearby include Three Ponds Mountain and Sugarloaf Mountain.
The water, surveyed.
Seasonal pattern for this lake · live closures appear above
8 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.
- 01Trail ParkingTrailhead3.4 miunpavedDirections →
- 02Benson Road Parking Area4.7 miunpavedDirections →
- 03Northville Placid Trail & Woods Lake Trail Parking4.8 miunpavedDirections →
- 04Blackbridge Road Parking Area4.9 miunpavedDirections →
- 05Trail Parking5.9 miunpavedDirections →
- 06Trail Parking6.0 miunpavedDirections →
- 07Chase Lake Parking6.3 miunpavedDirections →
- 08DEC parking 189176.9 mi
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 Grille6.7 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.
- Oxbow Inn11.0 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.
- Klippel's Kozy Korner Cafe11.2 mi
India’s largest Food Delivery, Dining and Restaurant Discovery Service. Better food for more people.
- The Local11.5 mi
Fine-dining restaurant in the Great Sacandaga Lake region.
Sip.
3- Uncle Carl's Coffee9.0 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 Blend11.5 mi
Northville smoothie & açaí-bowl spot in the Great Sacandaga Lake corridor.
- The PERKS of Speculator13.9 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 Scoop11.4 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 Freeze13.7 mi
A summer soft-serve stand near Northville on the Great Sacandaga Lake shore, with twists and specialty sundaes.
- Speculator Creamery13.8 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 Cream14.2 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- Sport Island Pub11.2 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 & Steakhouse11.2 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 Hotel12.2 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.
- Lemon Tree Brewery13.8 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 Bears Den Vacation Rental Resort7.9 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 & Cafe8.0 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 Lodge10.5 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.
- Inn At the Bridge11.0 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- Speculator Historical Museum14.0 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 Golf14.3 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.
- Historic Copeland Covered Bridge14.8 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…
- Ampersand Christine Falls15.3 mi
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- Where is Three Ponds located?Three Ponds is a pond in the Great Sacandaga Lake region of the Adirondack Park in northern New York State.
- How big is Three Ponds?Three Ponds has a surface area of approximately 5 acres, a small pond.
- Is Three Ponds open to the public?Yes, Three Ponds 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 Three Ponds?Within roughly seven miles of Three Ponds: 34 designated campsites, 5 lean-tos or shelters. Permit and primitive-camping rules vary; check NYSDEC before you go.