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.
Ragged Lake is a remote body of water in the Five Ponds Wilderness Area, reachable only by multi-mile paddle or bushwhack. No maintained trail access — this is backcountry navigation territory for experienced paddlers and anglers seeking solitude.
Rainbow Lake spans 856 acres in the northern Adirondacks near the hamlet of the same name. Public boat launch on Route 30; known for northern pike and largemouth bass, with motorboats allowed and seasonal camps along the wooded shore.
Raquette Lake covers 5,274 acres with depths to 96 feet — one of the largest lakes in the park, ringed by Great Camp-era boathouses. Lake trout hold in deep basins, smallmouth bass work rocky points, and northern pike patrol weedy bays; public access but open water demands respect in wind.
Raquette Lake — the largest natural water in the Adirondack Park — sprawls across 3,179 acres and defines the geography of the central Adirondacks, a hub from which the Raquette River drains north and the Fulton Chain system drains southwest. The lake unfolds in a jagged, multi-armed shape: South Inlet, North Bay, Sucker Brook Bay, and a handful of others break the shoreline into coves and narrows that give the water its character. Historically a steamboat crossroads and the heart of Great Camp country, Raquette Lake still carries that legacy in its boating culture — this is a motor lake, busy in summer, with marinas, lodges, and a year-round hamlet on the north shore. No fish data on file, but locals run walleye, smallmouth, and northern pike lines; launch at the state ramp off NY-28.
Raven Lake is a remote body of water in the Five Ponds Wilderness Area, reachable by unmarked bushwhack or canoe carry from the Oswegatchie River. Solitude is the draw — no maintained trail, no development, just open water and shoreline spruce.
Redlouse Lake is a 20-acre water tucked into the Speculator backcountry — remote enough that access details stay local and the pond sees more moose than paddlers in a typical season. No formal fish stocking records, which usually means native brook trout or nothing at all, and the kind of shallow, tea-colored water that holds heat in summer and freezes early. The name alone (a logging-era relic, like Blackfly Pond or Bug Lake) tells you what to expect in June. If you're headed in, bring a headnet and a topo map — this isn't trail-sign country.
Rice Lake is a remote 45-acre pond in the Five Ponds Wilderness, reached by a 4.5-mile hike from the Cranberry Lake trailhead. Brook trout and lean-to camping make it a solid overnight destination; the water stays quiet even in summer.
Rich Lake is a 293-acre lake in the Saranac Lakes Wild Forest, accessible by a 2.5-mile carry trail from NY-3. Known for brook trout and quiet water; motorboats permitted but the access limits traffic.
Rock Lake is a remote backcountry lake in the Five Ponds Wilderness, accessible only by trail or bushwhack. Brook trout hold in cold water; no development, no motorized access — pure stillness.
Rock Lake is a remote body of water in the western High Peaks, accessible by bushwhack or winter ice approach. No marked trails lead to the shore — experienced navigators only.
Rock Lake is a 12-acre pond in the Great Sacandaga Lake region — small enough to stay off most paddlers' radars, tucked into the lower-elevation southern Adirondacks where the terrain flattens out and the lakes trend warm and weedy. No fish species data on record, which typically means either understocked or catch-and-release curiosity fishing at best. The Sacandaga corridor is more about houseboat weekends and reservoir access than backcountry solitude, so Rock Lake likely serves as a local spot rather than a destination. Worth a look if you're already in the area with a canoe on the roof and low expectations.
Rock Lake sits in the Old Forge township — a 55-acre water that holds its name close and its details closer. No fish species on DEC record, no trail register to check, no lean-to coordinates to pass around — the kind of lake that exists in tax maps and old surveys but hasn't crossed into the recreational conversation. It may be locked behind private land, or it may be sitting in a drainage too tangled to warrant a trailhead; either way, it's not on the accessible-water circuit. If you know how to reach it, you already know why most people don't.
Rock Lake is a 23-acre water tucked into the Old Forge working forest — one of the smaller named lakes in a region where "lake" often means 500+ acres and a marina. No fish stocking records on file, no marked DEC access, no lean-to — which means it's either private, gated by club or timber company, or reached by a woods road that doesn't show up on the standard trail maps. In Old Forge terms, that usually translates to snowmobile-season access or a float-in from a connected water if one exists. If you're looking for public paddling in the area, start with the Fulton Chain or the ponds off the Moose River Plains — Rock Lake is a name on the map until you know otherwise.
Rock Lake sits just west of Speculator village — a 31-acre pond tucked in second-growth forest between NY-30 and the Kunjamuk River drainage. The lake is accessible but underdeveloped; no formal DEC campsites, no boat launch infrastructure, and no stocking records in the state's fish survey database. It's the kind of water that locals know and visitors don't ask about — small enough to paddle in an hour, quiet enough that you're more likely to see a heron than another boat. If you're based in Speculator and want still water without a crowd, this is your Plan B when Lake Pleasant feels too busy.
Ross Lake is a three-acre pond in the Great Sacandaga Lake region — small enough that it likely doesn't register on most paddlers' radar, and public access details (if they exist) aren't documented in the usual channels. No fish species data on record, which either means it hasn't been surveyed or stocked in recent memory, or it's too small and shallow to hold trout year-round. Waters this size in the southern Adirondacks are often tucked into private inholdings or otherwise off the recreational grid. If you're hunting for it, start with the county tax maps and a DEC representative — this one doesn't advertise itself.
Round Lake is a remote body of water in the Adirondack interior — access typically requires a multi-mile bushwhack or canoe carry depending on approach. No maintained trails lead directly to it; visitorship is sparse and conditions are pure backcountry.
Round Lake is a 437-acre body of water in the northern Saranac region with both motorboat access and a state-maintained launch off Route 3. The lake holds smallmouth bass and northern pike; several primitive campsites ring the shoreline for paddlers seeking an overnight.
Round Lake spans 670 acres just off Tupper Lake — connected water, calmer conditions. Smallmouth bass, northern pike, and yellow perch; public access suits paddle-fishing without the boat traffic of the main lake.
Round Lake stretches across 744 acres just south of the hamlet of Long Lake — one of the largest bodies of water in this part of the central Adirondacks that still reads as backcountry rather than resort corridor. The lake sits in mixed hardwood and conifer forest, accessible from the Long Lake shoreline to the north, and historically tied to the logging and guiding economy that built the town in the late 1800s. No fish species data on file with DEC, which usually means either limited stocking history or spotty angler reporting — local bait shops are the better source. It's the kind of water that gets traffic from paddlers staging out of Long Lake but rarely makes the must-do lists, which means midweek solitude even in July.
Round Lake sits in the Great Sacandaga Lake watershed — a 61-acre water that holds its own shape and shoreline despite the reservoir's influence on the region. No fish survey data on file, which likely means it's either too shallow for consistent stocking or simply hasn't drawn DEC attention in recent years. Access and launch details are sparse in the public record, so confirm conditions locally before hauling a boat. The lake's modest size makes it a decent paddle if you're already in the area and looking to explore the quieter margins of the Sacandaga basin.
Round Lake is a remote backcountry water accessible by trail or paddle — no road puts you on the shore. The lake holds native brook trout and offers primitive camping; most visitors reach it via the Saranac Lakes chain or bushwhack routes from nearby trailheads.
