Every named lake, pond, river, and stream worth fishing in the Adirondack Park — with the species you'll find, the access you can count on, and the regions they sit in.
Hadlock Pond sits in the Pharaoh Lake Wilderness, accessible via a 2.4-mile trail from the Putnam Pond Campground trailhead. The pond holds brook trout and offers primitive camping on its wooded shoreline — a quieter alternative to nearby Pharaoh Lake.
Halfmoon Lake is a 16-acre water in the Old Forge area — small enough that it doesn't pull the Fourth Lake crowds, but accessible enough that it's not a backcountry commitment. The name likely comes from the crescent shape visible from the shoreline, a common naming pattern in the central Adirondacks where glacial scouring left dozens of curved, kidney-shaped ponds. No fish stocking records on file, which usually means it's either a marginal fishery or simply under-sampled by DEC surveys. Worth checking local access status before planning a visit — many smaller Old Forge waters sit in mixed public-private ownership zones where shoreline access can be limited.
Hall Lake is a nine-acre pond in the Tupper Lake region — small enough that it doesn't pull the public access and boat traffic of the larger named waters nearby, but large enough to hold interest if you're already in the area. No fish species on record, which typically means it's either too shallow to winter-stock or simply hasn't been surveyed in decades; either way, it's not a fishing destination. The lake sits in working forest country where access details shift with timber company land-use agreements — if you're targeting Hall specifically, confirm current access with the local DEC office before driving out. Worth a look if you're already threading through this part of the park, but not a standalone trip from outside the region.
Hamilton Lake is a 214-acre lake in the southern Adirondacks, accessible by a 2.2-mile trail from Route 10. The water holds smallmouth bass and yellow perch; primitive campsites line the northern shore under Forest Preserve rules.
Hardscrabble Lake is a six-acre pond tucked somewhere in the Old Forge township — small enough that it doesn't show up on most recreation maps and remote enough that access details are scarce in the public record. The name suggests either surveyor's humor or legitimate difficulty reaching it, and the lack of fish stocking data means it's either too shallow, too acidic, or simply off the DEC's radar for management. Waters this size in the Old Forge area are often holdovers from logging-era operations or fire-suppression ponds that reverted to the forest — functional, anonymous, and occasionally worth the bushwhack if you know where to look. If you've fished it or camped near it, you're in a small club.
Harkness Lake sits off Cascade Road south of Lake Placid village — a small, undeveloped water that sees far less foot traffic than the headline destinations in the immediate area. No official fish stocking records on file, though the lake holds a quiet reputation among locals who know where the access cuts through. At 24 acres it's big enough to feel like a destination but small enough that most paddlers skip it entirely in favor of the larger loops and ponds closer to the village core. Worth a look if you're already in the Cascade Road corridor and want water to yourself.
Harris Lake is a 683-acre reservoir in the central Adirondacks, part of the Hudson River watershed. Motorized boats allowed; shoreline camping available at designated NYSDEC sites along the northern and western shores.
Harrisburg Lake is a 122-acre body of water in the northwestern Adirondacks, accessible via NY-3 near Cranberry Lake. The shoreline holds a mix of private camps and undeveloped stretches; paddlers find quiet water and a put-in off Tooley Pond Road.
Hart Vly Lake is a 14-acre pocket water in the Speculator region — small enough that it likely sees more moose than motorboats, tucked into the kind of mixed hardwood and softwood country that defines the southern Adirondacks. No fish data on record, which usually means either it's unstocked and unfished or it winters out — shallow basins this size can be coin flips for trout survival. The name suggests old settlement or logging-era geography; "vly" is Dutch-derived shorthand for *valley* or *wetland*, common in place names across the southern and central Park. Worth a look if you're poking around the Speculator backcountry with a canoe and low expectations.
Heart Lake is a 60-acre paddle-only water at the Adirondack Loj, stocked with brook trout, lake trout, and yellow perch. Motor-free and beginner-friendly, it offers quiet access and reaches 60 feet deep.
Heavens Lake is a 25-acre water in the Tupper Lake region — small enough to feel secluded, large enough to paddle without running out of shoreline in twenty minutes. No fish species data on record, which either means it's never been surveyed or it's been surveyed and came up empty; either way, don't count on a trout dinner. The name suggests old logging-era optimism or a surveyor with a poetic streak, and the lack of nearby peaks or major trailheads means this one stays off the weekend circuit. Worth checking local access routes if you're based in Tupper and looking for flat water without the boat launch crowd.
Hedges Lake is a 112-acre water in the southeastern Adirondacks, set in the lower-elevation terrain between Lake George and the Vermont line — quieter country than the big lake corridors to the west. The shoreline is largely private, which keeps it off the casual paddler's radar, and there's no public launch or DEC campsite to anchor a visit. No fish species data on file with the state, which usually means limited stocking history and light angling pressure, if any. If you're poking around this corner of Warren County, Hedges is a name on the map — not a destination, but part of the patchwork of small lakes that define the region's working landscape.
Henderson Lake is a 1.4-mile-long remote lake in the High Peaks Wilderness, reachable by a 7-mile trail from Upper Works. The water sits at 1,825 feet in a glacial valley — stillwater paddling, wild brook trout, and a designated campsite for overnight trips.
Hidden Lake sits tucked into the Lake George Wild Forest — a 20-acre pocket of quiet water in a region better known for its big lake traffic and resort shorelines. The name is functional: this is one of the less-traveled waters in the southeastern Adirondacks, away from the boat launches and trailhead crowds that define most of the Lake George corridor. No fish species data on record, which typically means light angling pressure and no formal stocking history. Access details are sparse — worth confirming current trailhead status and ownership boundaries with the local DEC ranger before planning a visit.
Highlands Forge Lake is a small, undeveloped water body in the southeastern Adirondacks. Access details are limited — check with the local ranger district before planning a visit.
Hitchcock Lake is a 36-acre water in the Old Forge area — small enough to feel contained, large enough to hold a day on the water. No fish species on record with DEC, which generally means either limited stocking history or a pond that's been surveyed but didn't produce returns worth documenting; local intel and a spinning rod will settle the question faster than the database. The lake sits in the working landscape west of the Fulton Chain — less High Peaks drama, more private shoreline and seasonal camps, the kind of water that shows up on a topo but not in a guidebook. Worth a look if you're already in Old Forge with a canoe and time to kill.
Holmes Lake is a 16-acre water in the Great Sacandaga Lake region — small enough to slip past most paddlers headed for the reservoir itself, quiet enough to matter if you're looking for something off the main corridor. No fish species data on record, which likely means it's either not stocked or not surveyed, and in either case it's fishing at your own optimism. The lake sits in a landscape shaped more by the Sacandaga's flooding history than by High Peaks drama — flatter terrain, second-growth hardwoods, the grid of old Route 30 access roads that predated the reservoir. Worth a look if you're already in the area and want water to yourself.
Honnedaga Lake is a 1,700-acre remote water in the southwestern Adirondacks, accessed by a 5-mile paddle and portage from the Moose River Plains. Brook trout and lake trout; limited primitive camping; no motors above 10 horsepower.
Horn Lake is a 43-acre water in the Old Forge town limits — quiet, lightly visited, and mostly known to year-round residents rather than the Route 28 corridor crowd. No formal boat launch or marked trailhead keeps foot traffic low; access is typically by bushwhack or private road depending on which shoreline you approach. The lake sits in second-growth mixed forest without dramatic relief — this is working Adirondack woodland, not High Peaks drama — and the fishing pressure reflects it. No species data on file with DEC, which usually means unstocked, unmanaged, and either holding wild brookies or panfish … or nothing at all.
Horseshoe Lake is a 117-acre body of water in the St. Regis Canoe Area, accessible only by paddle. The lake's horseshoe shape shelters lean-tos on both arms — a quiet overnight for canoeists willing to portage in.
Huckleberry Lake sits in the Old Forge area at 31 acres — small enough to feel contained but large enough to hold a quiet morning paddle without bumping into the shoreline every five minutes. No fish species data on record, which could mean it's unstocked, under-surveyed, or managed for something other than angling pressure. The lake name suggests old-growth berry patches along the ridges — common in mid-elevation Adirondack hardwood zones where fire or blowdown opened the canopy decades back. Worth checking local access details before heading in; some smaller Old Forge waters sit on club land or require a longer carry than the topo suggests.
Huckleberry Lake is a 79-acre water in the Tupper Lake region — moderate size, remote enough to filter out day-trippers, but not a backcountry epic to reach. No fish species data on file, which typically means limited stocking history and a quiet, low-pressure fishery if brookies are present at all. The lake sits in working forest country where access and conditions can shift with timber management and seasonal road status — worth confirming current trailhead details with local outfitters or the DEC regional office before committing to the drive. In this corner of the park, solitude is the reliable amenity.
Hunt Lake sits in the Great Sacandaga basin — 135 acres with no formal access documentation and no fish species on DEC record, which usually means private shoreline or restricted entry. Waters in this region tend to be warm-water fisheries (bass, panfish, occasional pickerel) but without public confirmation, it's a name-on-the-map lake rather than a reliably accessible one. If you're researching Hunt Lake for a paddle or a fish, call the DEC Region 5 office in Ray Brook or check the most recent Sacandaga Lake Association records — lakefront ownership and right-of-way in this basin change quietly and often. No nearby peaks, no marked trailheads — this one lives off the public radar.
