Tom Kettle Lake.
Tom Kettle Lake is a 14-acre pond in the Old Forge area — small enough that it registers as local knowledge rather than destination water, and remote enough that it doesn't show up on the standard paddling circuit. No fish species data on record, which likely means it's either unstocked or holds wild brookies that haven't made it into DEC surveys — common for ponds this size in the western foothills. Access details are sparse, but waters of this scale in the Old Forge region typically require either a bushwhack or a seasonal logging road; if you're headed in, confirm access and ownership locally before you launch.
Tom Kettle Lake has public access.
The water, surveyed.
- Peak foliage from the water — the best seats in the Park are in a canoe this month.
Seasonal pattern for this lake · live closures appear above
2 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.
- 01Vista Trail Parking LotTrailhead3.5 miunpavedDirections →
- 02Billy Hamlin Road Parking Area5.5 miunpavedDirections →
Getting in, staying over.
Camping.
What the lake is doing today.
What rings this water.
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.
3- Oxbow Inn24.6 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.
- The SteakHouse24.7 mi
The Steak House is a family-owned and operated restaurant since 1971, offering a classic Adirondack dining experience with handcrafted steaks, quality meats, seafood, homemade dishes, and a cocktail lounge.
- Frankie's Taste of Italy24.8 mi
Frankie's Taste of Italy is Old Forge's original Italian restaurant — 24 years on Route 28, fresh pasta brought in from Boston's North End, a serious menu of pasta, chicken, veal, and seafood, and one of New York State's largest selections of rare premium Kentucky bourbons. Homemade gelato and bread pudding.
— 24.6 mi to the nearest table out here; plan the drive to dinner.
Stay.
4- The Inn on Piseco Lake23.2 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.
- The Bears Den Vacation Rental Resort23.4 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 & Cafe23.4 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 Lodge24.6 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.
— 23.2 mi to the nearest bed on the register; book before you go.
See.
1— 24.6 mi to the nearest sight on file; fold it into the drive.
Add to the record.
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Suggest an edit →Frequently asked.
- Where is Tom Kettle Lake located?Tom Kettle Lake is a lake in the Old Forge region of the Adirondack Park in northern New York State.
- How big is Tom Kettle Lake?Tom Kettle Lake has a surface area of approximately 14 acres, a smaller backcountry water.
- Is Tom Kettle Lake open to the public?Yes, Tom Kettle 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 Tom Kettle Lake?Within roughly seven miles of Tom Kettle Lake: 1 designated campsite. Permit and primitive-camping rules vary; check NYSDEC before you go.