Willis Pond.
Willis Pond is a 67-acre water in the Tupper Lake region — no record of public access trails or road pull-offs in the DEC inventory, and no fish stocking or survey data on file. It sits in that middle tier of Adirondack ponds: big enough to show up on the map, remote enough that most paddlers and anglers never see it. If you know how to reach it — private road, bushwhack, or neighbor permission — it's likely yours for the afternoon. Otherwise, it's a name on the quad sheet and a blue polygon you scroll past on the way to somewhere with a trailhead.
Willis Pond reaches a maximum depth of 14 feet, with a mean depth of 8 feet. Willis Pond has public access. Summits nearby include Iron Mountain and Floodwood Mountain.
The water, surveyed.
Seasonal pattern for this lake · live closures appear above
10 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.
- 01Floodwood Mountain Trail ParkingTrailhead2.7 miunpavedDirections →
- 02Floodwood Reservation Trail Parking2.7 miunpavedDirections →
- 03Long Pond Parking Lot3.8 miunpavedDirections →
- 04West Pine Pond Trail Parking3.8 miunpavedDirections →
- 05East Pine Pond Fishing Access Parking4.4 miunpavedDirections →
- 06Floodwood Crossing Parking Lot4.7 miunpavedDirections →
- 07Little Square Pond Trail Parking5.5 miunpavedDirections →
- 08Middle Pond Parking6.1 miunpavedDirections →
+2 more on the map above
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- PorkBusters BBQ7.5 mi
PorkBusters BBQ is a Tupper Lake restaurant serving barbecue dishes seven days a week from 11 AM to 9 PM. They offer a menu for dine-in or takeout, plus catering for parties and events.
- Amado9.0 mi
A small restaurant on Cliff Avenue in Tupper Lake serving Brazilian dishes (moqueca, feijoada) alongside lamb pot pie, fish fry, and a clearly marked vegan section. Homemade desserts.
- Guido's Pizzeria9.0 mi
Guido's Pizzeria in Tupper Lake has been serving hand-thrown pizzas, subs, calzones, dinners, and wings since 1988. They offer free delivery within the Town of Tupper Lake on any size order and make fresh dough daily.
- ADK Food Hub9.1 mi
A year-round market and casual eatery on Park Street in Tupper Lake, with a deli case, pantry staples, and a summer buffet built around the on-site Whitten Family Farm. Sunday farmhouse breakfast in July and August.
Sip.
4- Blue Moon18.2 mi
Blue Moon Café in Saranac Lake offers dine-in, pick-up, and curbside delivery services. Guests can enjoy weekly specials, restaurant menus, baked goods, coffee, grocery items, and adult beverages.
- Origin Coffee18.2 mi
Origin Coffee Co is a specialty coffee shop with locations in Lake Placid and Saranac Lake serving a chef-driven breakfast and lunch menu.
- Nori's Village Market18.3 mi
Nori's Village Market and Riverside Cafe offers a market with organic and local produce, bulk foods, coffee, and teas, alongside a cafe serving natural, vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, and local meat options.
- Saranac Juice21.0 mi
Cold-pressed juices, cleanses, protein elixirs, and nut mylks from Saranac River Ranch in Bloomingdale, made from organic produce grown on the farm or sourced from local Adirondack growers.
— 18.2 mi to the nearest pour to this spot; pack a thermos.
Sweet.
4- Skyline Ice Cream9.3 mi
A roadside soft-serve stand on Route 30 in Tupper Lake since 1985 — vanilla and black-raspberry twists, gelato, Dole Whip, and Michigans, now with an expanded burger-and-fries menu.
- Mark Twain Maple Works16.9 mi
Mark Twain Maple Works produces New York State maple syrup on the shore of Saranac Lake in the Adirondack Park. They have been making syrup since 2013, expanding their operation and offering various grades.
- Mountain Mist Custard18.4 mi
A summer fixture on the shore of Lake Flower in Saranac Lake, with picnic tables and a dock you can tie a boat to. Frozen custard and soft serve with weekly-rotating flavors, shakes, and sundaes.
- Donnelly's Soft Ice Cream20.5 mi
A fourth-generation Saranac Lake institution on a former dairy farm, serving exactly one rotating soft-serve flavor each day — twisted with vanilla on the same 1953 machine. Cash only; check the daily flavor. Memorial Day to Labor Day.
Drink.
4- Raquette River Brewing8.9 mi
A family- and dog-friendly taproom pouring year-round craft beer alongside four permanent food trucks, from wood-fired pizza to Carolina barbecue.
- Lakeview Lanes & The Foul Line Sports Bar10.0 mi
Lakeview Lanes & The Foul Line Sports Bar in Tupper Lake offers 8 lanes of bowling, an arcade, a sports bar, and outdoor seating with food and drinks for family fun.
- The 1892 Bar & Grille13.2 mi
The 1892 Bar & Grille is a locally owned rustic bar and restaurant in Lake Clear, NY, offering homemade food. Recently under new ownership, it brings fresh energy and an updated menu to its patrons.
- Bitters & Bones18.1 mi
Saranac Lake's only downtown brewery, restaurant, and bar, Bitters & Bones offers craft beer brewed upstairs, fresh local cuisine for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and craft cocktails. It features rooftop decks and unique private event spa…
Stay.
4- Fish Creek Pond Campground7.6 mi
This expansive campground offers 355 sites with direct water access to Fish Creek and Square Ponds, providing ample opportunities for boating, fishing, and swimming from May to October.
- The Point8.9 mi
An all-inclusive Great Camp on Upper Saranac Lake, built by William Avery Rockefeller II a century ago. The first Relais & Chateaux property in North America and the only Forbes Five Star property in Upstate New York. Adults-only, communal dining.
- Trailhead Hotel in Tupper Lake, NY9.1 mi
A motel on Park Street in Tupper Lake with an outdoor pool, basketball court, putting green, mini-golf, free breakfast, and voice-controlled smart-room features. ADA-accessible rooms available.
- Park Motel and Cabins9.1 mi
Woodsy rooms & cabins in a family-owned motel offering an outdoor pool & free continental breakfast.
See.
4- The Adirondack Sky Center & Observatory6.8 mi
Free 2-Day Space Camp at the Adirondack Sky Center Calling all future space explorers— get ready for an out-of-this-world adventure! Join us to explore some of the most fascinating topics in outer space! We’ll cover black holes, space tra…
- Adirondack Railroad7.7 mi
Adirondack Railroad offers scenic train experiences through the beautiful outdoor scenery of New York, departing from stations in Utica, Thendara, and Tupper Lake. They provide various themed rides, including special events and multi-hour…
- The Wild Center9.6 mi
Live animals, hands-on exhibits & forest trails connect guests with the Adirondacks.
- Topridge10.9 mi
The sprawling Gilded Age estate Marjorie Merriweather Post built on Upper St. Regis Lake — later New York State's, now privately held. Best seen from the St. Regis lakes.
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- Where is Willis Pond located?Willis Pond is a pond in the Tupper Lake region of the Adirondack Park in northern New York State.
- How big is Willis Pond?Willis Pond has a surface area of approximately 67 acres, a smaller backcountry water.
- How deep is Willis Pond?Willis Pond has a maximum depth of 14 feet, with a mean depth of 7.9 feet.
- Is Willis Pond open to the public?Yes, Willis Pond 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 Willis Pond?Within roughly seven miles of Willis Pond: 150 designated campsites, 2 lean-tos or shelters. Permit and primitive-camping rules vary; check NYSDEC before you go.