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.
Pack Forest Lake sits on 2,800 acres of SUNY ESF research and teaching forest west of Warrensburg — working land, not wilderness, with active forestry demonstrations and a trail network that changes with timber management cycles. The 69-acre lake anchors the property and sees light recreational use: the college allows public access for hiking and paddling, but this isn't a DEC campground — no facilities, no designated sites, and gates close seasonally depending on academic calendar and logging operations. The fish population is undocumented in state records, which usually means limited natural reproduction and no active stocking program. Check SUNY ESF's Pack Forest website for current access hours before driving out.
Palmer Lake sits in the Great Sacandaga Lake basin — a small, 10-acre water that occupies the quiet space between the reservoir's reach and the southern Adirondack foothills. No fish data on file, no DEC access protocol, no trailhead signage — this is the category of named water that exists more on the map than in the regional conversation. The lake likely holds warmwater species (bass, pickerel, panfish) if it holds anything, but without public infrastructure or even anecdotal pressure, it remains functionally private or access-uncertain. If you're researching Palmer, start with the town clerk in Mayfield or Northville — deed research and shoreline ownership will clarify more than the DEC atlas.
Panther Lake is a 45-acre water tucked into the western edge of the Old Forge township — far enough from the main Fulton Chain corridor to stay off most visitors' radar, but close enough to be worth the detour if you're working your way through the region's backwater ponds. No formal fish stocking records on file, which typically means natural brook trout populations or nothing at all; local anglers will know which. Access details are sparse in the DEC database, so expect either a short bushwhack or a seasonal logging road depending on the shoreline you approach from. Worth a call to the Old Forge Visitor Center before you commit the afternoon.
Paradox Lake is a 840-acre lake in the Schroon Lake region, named for its unusual drainage pattern that reverses with seasonal water levels. State boat launch on the north shore; known for smallmouth bass and northern pike, with several Adirondack lean-tos along the eastern shoreline.
Park Lake sits just south of the hamlet of Long Lake — a 36-acre pond tucked into the low-relief country where the central Adirondacks flatten out toward the west. No formal trail data on record, no fish stocking reports in the DEC files, and no designated campsites indexed in the current lean-to database — which typically means either private shoreline or informal local access that doesn't show up in the guidebooks. If you're paddling the Raquette River or driving NY-30 through Long Lake proper, this one stays quiet in the back pocket until you talk to someone at the general store.
Partlow Lake is a small body of water in the northern Adirondacks, accessible by bushwhack from the Floodwood Road area. No maintained trail reaches it — navigational skills required, minimal fishing pressure.
Payne Lake is a 20-acre pond in the Old Forge area — small enough to stay off most paddling itineraries, which likely keeps it quiet through the summer season. No fish species data on file with DEC, so assume it's either not stocked or fished lightly enough that catch records don't make it into the system. The lake sits in the working forest west of the main Old Forge corridor, where access typically means either private roads, hunting club boundaries, or unmarked logging trails — worth confirming land status and easements before planning a trip.
Perch Pond is a small backcountry water in the High Peaks Wilderness, reached via a 3.2-mile hike from the Adirondak Loj. The pond sits quiet beneath Algonquin Peak — a worthwhile side trip for anglers and those seeking solitude off the main summit routes.
Pharaoh Lake is a 444-acre wilderness lake that reaches 70 feet deep, accessible only by trail in the Pharaoh Lake Wilderness. Lake trout and smallmouth bass hold in water few anglers reach — the hike keeps pressure light and the fish less wary.
Pico Lake sits in the Old Forge region — a 34-acre water in the working heart of the western Adirondacks, surrounded by the patchwork of state land, private timber tracts, and seasonal camps that define this part of the Park. No fish species on record, which usually means either limited access or limited interest, though small bodies of water in this area often hold surprise populations of brook trout or perch that nobody's bothered to survey formally. The lake shares a name with a handful of other Adirondack waters — a reminder that many pond and lake names in the Park were recycled from camp to camp, often tied to family dogs, childhood nicknames, or inside jokes that outlasted the people who coined them. Access details are sparse; if you're heading in, confirm the route with local outfitters or the Old Forge Visitor Center before you commit to the hike.
Pigeon Lake is a 44-acre water tucked into the Raquette Lake township — small enough to stay off the radar of most paddlers working the bigger chains, but still part of the sprawling Raquette Lake watershed that defines this corner of the central Adirondacks. No public boat launch or roadside access keeps traffic minimal; reaching it typically means either a carry from private roads (with permission) or a longer paddle-and-portage approach from connected waters in the system. The lake holds brook trout by reputation, though no recent species data is on file with DEC. Worth noting if you're mapping multi-day routes through the Raquette drainage — but confirm access before you load the boat.
Pine Lake is a 137-acre body of water in the St. Regis Canoe Area, accessible only by paddling from Little Clear Pond or Fish Pond. No motors, primitive campsites on the shore — good for brook trout and quiet overnights.
Pine Lake sits in the rolling wooded hills west of Brant Lake village — a 69-acre water in the gentler, less-visited terrain between the southeastern High Peaks and Lake George. The lake is part of the scattered lake country that defines this corner of Warren County: modest-sized waters, private shoreline mixed with state land, and a landscape that feels more like the southern Adirondacks than the glacial drama to the north. No fish species data on file with DEC, which often signals limited stocking history or catch-and-release pressure that doesn't generate angler reports. Access and launch details require local knowledge — check with the town of Horicon or nearby marinas for current conditions.
Pine Lake is a 198-acre lake in the St. Regis Canoe Area, accessible only by paddling from other connected waters — no road access. The lake holds brook trout and offers primitive campsites on its shores; motorboats are prohibited throughout the canoe area.
Pine Lake is a 104-acre lake in the town of Harford, accessible by a short carry from Pico Mountain Road. Known for quiet paddling and brook trout; no motorboats allowed, making it a low-traffic option for canoes and kayaks.
Piseco Lake spans 2,919 acres in the southern Adirondacks, open to motorboats and ringed by public access points and a state campground. Brook trout, lake trout, and landlocked salmon hold in deeper water; launch from the village of Piseco for easy access to the full shoreline.
Pleasant Lake sits northwest of the hamlet of Tupper Lake — a 43-acre body of water in the Tupper Lake Wild Forest, small enough to paddle in an afternoon and quiet enough that most through-traffic on NY-3 never notices it. No fish species data on file with DEC, which usually signals light stocking history or irregular survey work; local knowledge (bait shop intel, town clerk) will tell you more than the state database. The lake's position in the broader Tupper Lake recreation corridor makes it a logical stop for paddlers working the string of ponds and carries between Tupper and Saranac Lake, though it sees less pressure than the marquee waters to the east. Check the DEC Wild Forest unit map for current access points and parking.
Pleasant Lake is a 16-acre water tucked into the Old Forge township — small enough to feel private, large enough to paddle without circling endlessly. The lake sits in the working landscape west of the central Fulton Chain, where year-round camps and seasonal cabins share the shoreline with undeveloped stretches of mixed hardwood and hemlock. No formal fish surveys on record, but small Adirondack lakes in this zone typically hold warmwater species — bass, perch, panfish — rather than trout. Access and launch details vary by season and ownership; check locally before hauling a boat.
Pleasant Lake occupies 259 acres in the Great Sacandaga basin — a mid-sized warmwater lake in a region defined more by reservoir shoreline and private development than by High Peaks wilderness. No public fish stocking records on file, which often signals a mix of private ownership and limited DEC access, though warmwater species (bass, perch, pickerel) typically establish themselves in lakes of this size and depth profile. The name appears on USGS quads but not in the standard DEC trailhead or campsite directories — a tell that access here is likely private or via seasonal camp roads rather than marked public trails. If you're researching a stay, start with local marinas or the town of Lake Pleasant for current access and launch details.
Poor Lake is a 16-acre pocket tucked into the Old Forge working forest — small, quiet, and named with the kind of frontier practicality that suggests it didn't offer much to early loggers or trappers passing through. No formal access or fish stocking records in the DEC system, which typically means private shoreline or minimal public infrastructure; if you're heading there, confirm access locally or via recent trip reports. The Old Forge region holds dozens of these small, lightly-documented waters between the bigger resort lakes and the deeper backcountry — some worth the effort, some living up to their names. A topo map and a conversation at an outfitter will tell you which category this one falls into.
Portaferry Lake holds 74 acres in the Tupper Lake region — a mid-sized water without the usual markers of heavy use or well-documented access. The name suggests old settlement or transportation history, but the specifics have faded from common record. No fish species data on file, which typically means either minimal stocking history or simply minimal angler traffic and reporting. If you're hunting this one down, expect to do your own reconnaissance — USGS quads and property lines before you bushwhack.
Prairie Lake is a six-acre pond in the Great Sacandaga Lake region — small enough that it sits below the threshold where most recreational paddlers start to notice a body of water, and far enough from the High Peaks or Wild Forest trail networks that it operates in relative anonymity. No fish species data on file with DEC, which usually means either intermittent stocking that didn't take or a pond that's been off the recreational radar long enough that no one's filed a survey. The name suggests old farmland or meadow flooding — common in the southern Adirondacks where settlement patterns pushed deeper before the Park boundaries were drawn. Worth checking local access before planning a trip; many small ponds in this region are bounded by private land or legacy camps.
Pyramid Lake is a 103-acre backcountry lake in the High Peaks Wilderness, accessed via a 2.2-mile trail from Route 3. The lake holds brook trout and offers primitive camping on its shores — quiet water, minimal traffic, reliable solitude.
