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.
Little Silver Dawn Lake is a ten-acre pocket tucked into the Old Forge backcountry — small enough that most paddlers pass it by in favor of the bigger, better-known chains. No fish data on record, which likely means it's either never been formally surveyed or it's been surveyed and found fishless; either way, it's not the reason you'd go. Access details are scarce in the public record, suggesting either private holdings around the shoreline or a bushwhack-only approach from one of the larger Fulton Chain corridors. If you know where it is, you probably already know why you're headed there.
Little Woodhull Lake sits in the western Old Forge backcountry — 72 acres of remote water in a region better known for bigger names like Woodhull and Sand Lake. Access typically means a longer walk from nearby forest roads, which keeps the pressure light and the shoreline quiet. No species data on file, but these western watershed lakes tend to hold brook trout or splake if they've been managed at all. Worth knowing: this is working forest country, so trail conditions and access can shift with logging operations — check current routes before you go.
Long Lake — not to be confused with the much larger Long Lake in the central Adirondacks — is a 12-acre pocket water in the Old Forge area, tucked into the working landscape of the western park. No fish stocking records and no formal trail listings, which suggests either private holdings or unmaintained local access; worth a call to the Town of Webb office or a conversation at the Old Forge Hardware before you plan a trip. The name shows up on older USGS quads but not in the DEC's stocked-waters database — a reminder that not every named water in the park comes with a parking lot and a put-in. If you do find access, expect a quiet afternoon and bring a thermometer; small forest ponds in this drainage can push 75°F by mid-July.
Long Lake — the 35-acre version in the Old Forge region, not the 14-mile monster up north — sits in the working forest west of Fourth Lake, tucked into a drainage that sees more snowmobile traffic in winter than paddlers in summer. No formal launch, no trail register, no lean-tos on record — this is a put-in-where-you-can water that rewards locals and anyone willing to study a topo and bushwhack or paddle upstream from a tributary connection. The Old Forge corridor has dozens of these small named lakes scattered through the private timber tracts and state easement parcels; Long Lake is one more in the mix, quiet by virtue of obscurity rather than designation. If you're launching here, you already know how you got the access.
Long Lake — the 23-acre one in the Old Forge corridor, not the town or the 14-mile reservoir up north — sits in working forestland south of the Moose River Plains, accessible by seasonal dirt roads that turn from firm to rough depending on spring runoff and logging activity. No formal DEC access or designated campsites, and the fisheries data suggests it's been off the stocking rotation long enough that whatever swims here now is incidental. It's the kind of water that shows up on the topo but not in the guidebooks — worth a visit if you're already back there with a canoe strapped to the roof rack, but not a destination lake on its own. Confirm road conditions and landowner status before planning a trip.
Mad Tom Lake is a two-acre pocket water in the Old Forge township — small enough that it might be more accurately called a pond, though the name stuck. The size suggests private shoreline or limited public access, typical of the smaller named waters scattered through the working forest and seasonal camps west of the Fulton Chain. No fish species on record, which either means it hasn't been surveyed or it doesn't hold a sustainable population — common for waters this size in the central Adirondacks. If you're tracking it down, confirm access and ownership before you bushwhack.
Maple Lake is an 18-acre pond in the Old Forge township — small enough to canoe in an hour, large enough to feel private once you're on the water. No public fish stocking records on file, which usually means wild brookies or nothing at all; local anglers would know. The lake sits in the working forest west of the main Old Forge corridor, part of the patchwork of private timberland, club property, and state easements that defines this stretch of the southwestern Park — access and use rights vary by parcel, so confirm before launching.
Mill Creek Lake is a 51-acre water tucked into the Old Forge area — a region dense with small lakes and ponds that tend to get overshadowed by the bigger destinations like the Fulton Chain. No fish survey data on record, which usually means either light stocking pressure or none at all, though small Adirondack lakes in this zone often hold resident brookies or perch populations that don't show up in DEC records. Access and launch details are elusive — check with local marinas or the Town of Webb office for current conditions. This is classic Old Forge territory: forested shoreline, likely private camps mixed with undeveloped stretches, and the kind of quiet water that pays off if you're willing to do the legwork.
Mink Lake is a 13-acre pond tucked into the Old Forge backcountry — small enough that you won't find it on most touring maps, but named and mapped by DEC, which means there's legal public water here if you know where to look. No recorded fishery data, which typically signals either marginal habitat or a pond that doesn't get stocked and doesn't get surveyed — sometimes both. Old Forge has a lattice of old logging roads, snowmobile trails, and unmarked footpaths that connect dozens of these smaller ponds; Mink is likely accessed via one of those routes rather than a marked trailhead. Worth a look if you're already working a loop in the area and have a topo map that shows the surrounding wetlands.
Monument Lake is a small 15-acre water in the Old Forge corridor — quiet, tucked away from the heavier summer traffic on the Fulton Chain, and the kind of pond that gets fished by locals who know where the access is and don't advertise it. No stocking records and no species data on file, which typically means wild brookies if anything, or it's been written off by DEC. The name suggests some marker or boundary stone from the old surveying days, but the history isn't documented in accessible records. If you're poking around Old Forge backcountry and find the put-in, it's worth a paddle — but don't expect a trailhead sign or a boat launch.
Mountain Lake is a 14-acre water tucked into the Old Forge area — small enough to hold intimacy, big enough to paddle without feeling boxed in. No fish species data on file, which likely means it's either unstocked and wild (brookies possible in the inlet/outlet if there are any), lightly fished, or simply off the DEC stocking rotation. Old Forge waters tend to break into two camps: the heavily trafficked Fulton Chain corridor and the back-pocket ponds that require local knowledge or a willingness to bushwhack. Worth a call to the Old Forge Visitor Center or a local fly shop for current intel on access and what's actually in there.
Mud Lake sits in the Old Forge chain-of-lakes district — a 27-acre backwater that lives up to its name. No public fish stocking records on file, and no maintained trail system on the maps, which tells you most of what you need to know: this is the kind of shallow, weedy pond that paddlers pass on their way to deeper water. The Old Forge area is thick with better-known destinations — Fourth Lake, the Fulton Chain, the Moose River — so Mud Lake stays quiet by default. If you're looking for solitude and don't mind a soft bottom, you'll find it here.
North Branch Lake is an 11-acre water tucked into the Old Forge corridor — small enough that it rarely appears on recreational fishery surveys or paddling guides, which usually means private shoreline or limited public access. The name suggests a feeder relationship to a larger system, likely branching off the Moose River or one of its tributaries that thread through this part of the western Adirondacks. Without stocking records or angler reports, it's effectively off the recreational radar — the kind of water that shows up on a topo map but not in a trip plan. If you're poking around Old Forge-area back roads and spot the name on a street sign, assume it's spoken for.
Otter Lake sits in the Old Forge township — a 25-acre water tucked into the working forest south of the main Fulton Chain corridor. No fish species on record, which usually signals either private ownership, limited public access, or a pond that doesn't draw stocking attention from DEC. The name shows up on USGS quads but not in the standard paddling guides, and without a clear trailhead or boat launch in the public record, this one stays off most trip lists. If you know the logging roads or own adjacent land, you know the lake; otherwise it's a dot on the map.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Silver Dawn Lake is a seven-acre pocket in the Old Forge township — small enough that it doesn't show up in most fishing or paddling guides, quiet enough that it stays off the day-tripper circuit. No species data on file with DEC, which usually means limited stocking history and limited access, though private inholdings and camp leases dot much of the Old Forge lake country and complicate the picture. The lake sits in the working forest landscape south and west of the main hamlet, where dirt roads and logging corridors outnumber marked trailheads. If you're heading out, confirm access and ownership before you launch.
Silver Lake sits just off NY-28 south of Old Forge — a 60-acre oval tucked between the highway and the outlet flow toward the Moose River. It's small-lake Old Forge: quiet shoreline, a handful of seasonal camps, a put-in for kayaks and canoes, and the kind of water that gets overlooked when paddlers default to the Fulton Chain or Fourth Lake. No fish species on record in the DEC database, which suggests it's either under-surveyed or marginal habitat — worth a cast if you're exploring, but not a destination for serious anglers. Access is roadside; expect company on summer weekends but open water by midweek.
Sis Lake is a 24-acre pocket in the Old Forge township — small enough to stay off most regional itineraries but large enough to hold interest if you're working through the back roads west of the Fulton Chain. No fish data on record with DEC, which typically means light stocking history and light fishing pressure, though that's conjecture until you wet a line. The lake sits in mixed private and association land; access details aren't widely published, so assume gated or posted unless you're staying at a neighboring camp. Worth a knock on a door if you're local — these quiet Old Forge waters sometimes fish better than their reputation suggests.
Snyder Lake is an 18-acre water tucked into the Old Forge township — small enough to feel remote, close enough to the Fulton Chain corridor to stay accessible. No fish stocking records on file, which typically means native brookies or nothing, and no formal trail register to suggest heavy foot traffic. The lake sits in that middle zone of the western Adirondacks where the High Peaks drama gives way to working forest and private inholdings — less alpine theater, more quiet paddle or bushwhack. If you're sorting Old Forge options by solitude rather than amenities, Snyder Lake earns a second look.
Snyder Lake is a 16-acre pocket water in the Old Forge area — small enough that it doesn't draw crowds, but large enough to hold your attention for an afternoon of paddling or bank fishing. No fish species on record, which in Old Forge terms usually means it's stocked periodically or holds whatever survives the winter kill cycle in shallow Adirondack ponds. The lake sits in a region dense with similar-sized waters, where access is often private or via informal local routes rather than marked state trails. Worth a stop if you're already in the neighborhood and looking for quiet water, but confirm access before you go.
South Creek Lake sits in the Old Forge township — 54 acres, no public access data on file, no fish stocking records in the DEC database. It's one of dozens of small waters in the Fulton Chain corridor that exist in a middle ground: named, mapped, but not promoted, not trailhead-signed, not part of the canoe-route marketing. If you're holding a deed or a topo map with a put-in marked, you know what you have. For the rest of us, it stays on the list as a name and an acreage until someone sends coordinates.
Spectacle Lake is a seven-acre pocket water in the Old Forge area — small enough that it reads more like a wide spot in a stream than a destination lake, but large enough to hold its own name on the DEC inventory. No fish species data on file, which typically means it's either too shallow to hold trout through summer or it's been off the stocking rotation long enough that whatever was there has since faded from the record. The name suggests a historical quirk — twin lobes, a figure-eight shape, or maybe just a surveyor with a sense of humor. Worth confirming access and ownership before planning a visit; plenty of small waters in this region sit on private land or require permission.
Stink Lake sits in the Old Forge town cluster — a 15-acre pond with a name that either warns you off or makes you curious, depending on your tolerance for Adirondack straight talk. No fish stocking records on file, no formal trail system, and no nearby peaks to anchor it in the hiking network, which means it's likely private or tucked into working forestland where access isn't advertised. The name itself is old settler vocabulary — "stink" often referred to stagnant water, beaver work, or sulfur seeps, not necessarily a permanent condition. If you're poking around Old Forge's back roads and see the name on a map, expect low water, shallow margins, and a pond that serves the local ecosystem more than it serves paddlers.
Stone Dam Lake is a 16-acre pond tucked into the Old Forge lake district — small enough to miss on the standard touring maps, quiet enough to feel like a find when you get there. The name suggests timber-era infrastructure, though the dam itself is long gone or submerged; what remains is a shallow, marshy-edged basin that warms early in the season and holds its own as a paddling detour for anyone working the Fulton Chain or the Moose River system. No fish data on file, which likely means it's not stocked and not managed — worth a cast if you're already there, but not a destination for anglers. Access details are sparse; ask locally in Old Forge or check the DEC launch registry if you're planning a visit.
Stony Lake sits in the Old Forge corridor — a 67-acre water in the working Fulton Chain landscape where motorized access and private shoreline define the character. No fish species data on file with DEC, which typically means either unstocked, under-surveyed, or historically maintained by private clubs rather than public management. The lake is named for its rocky bottom and shoreline composition — common glacial till substrate in this part of the western Adirondacks. Check local access points and launch permissions; much of the Old Forge lake country operates on a patchwork of private holdings and informal easements.
Streeter Lake sits northeast of Old Forge in the working forest west of the High Peaks — 69 acres of open water in a region better known for its linked chain lakes and snowmobile trails than its backcountry ponds. Access details are scarce in the standard guidebooks, which suggests either private inholdings or informal routes through timber company land; worth confirming current access status before planning a trip. No fish species data on file with DEC, though most waters in this drainage hold brookies or holdover stocked trout from upstream releases. The lake is large enough to paddle but far enough off the main tourism corridor that you're unlikely to share it with more than a few anglers or hunters working the shoreline in season.
Sunday Lake is a 21-acre water in the Old Forge chain-of-lakes region — small enough to miss on a map, tucked among the network of ponds and flowages that define the western Adirondacks. No fish species data on record, which usually signals either an unmaintained stocking program or a pond that never held trout to begin with; locals would know. Access and shoreline character aren't documented in state records, so this one falls into the category of waters best confirmed with boots on the ground or a call to the Old Forge visitor center. If it connects to the Fulton Chain or any of the nearby paddling routes, it's worth a detour — otherwise, it's a name on the map waiting for field notes.
Swan Lake sits just off NY-28 in the Old Forge corridor — a 31-acre pond in the flat-water zone where the Moose River Plains transition into the Fulton Chain basin. The lake holds no documented fish survey data in the DEC records, which usually means either marginal habitat or spotty stocking history; local anglers fish it opportunistically but don't rely on it. Access is roadside, and the shallow basin warms early in the season — better suited to a quiet paddle than a fishing mission. On summer weekends it's a spillover option when the Fulton Chain ramps are jammed.
Third Lake sits in the Fulton Chain near Old Forge — smaller and quieter than the more trafficked First and Second Lakes to the west, but still part of the same navigable waterway that threads through the central Adirondacks. At 46 acres it's large enough to feel open but compact enough to paddle in an hour, with wooded shoreline and the occasional private camp. The lake connects east to Fourth Lake (the largest in the chain) and sees a mix of kayakers, canoeists, and small motorboats moving through on longer trips. No fish species data on record, but the Fulton Chain historically holds smallmouth bass, northern pike, and panfish.
Tied Lake is a small, quiet eight-acre pond in the Old Forge town limits — one of those waters that lives just outside the usual recreation loops and doesn't pull crowds or press. No fish stocking records on file, no marked trails leading in from the main corridors, and no obvious boat launch or DEC signage pointing the way. It's the kind of spot that exists on the map more as a cartographic artifact than a destination — known mostly to locals who bushwhack in or stumble across it while hunting the ridges south of the Moose River plains. If you're looking for solitude and don't mind earning it, this is that water.
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.
Trout Lake sits in the Old Forge area — 36 acres, quiet, and largely out of the recreational spotlight that follows the Fulton Chain and nearby Fourth Lake. No fish data on record, which usually means either unstocked natural water or a pond that doesn't draw survey attention; local intel would clarify. The lake's name suggests historical brook trout presence, common across Old Forge's glacial basin before stocking programs and development shifted the fishery mix. Access details are scarce in the regional database — worth a stop at the Old Forge Visitor Center or a conversation with a local outfitter before you route a paddling plan around it.
West Lake sits just off NY-28 on the western edge of Old Forge — a 33-acre kettle pond shaped by glacial retreat and now ringed by seasonal camps and year-round homes. The lake is accessible by boat launch on the north shore (cartop or small trailer rigs; the ramp is maintained by the town), and the water stays relatively quiet mid-week even in high summer. No public fishing data on file, but the lake is stocked periodically and local anglers work the drop-offs for panfish and bass. On a clear morning you can see the smoke from the Old Forge bakery drifting across the water from the village a mile east.
White Lead Lake is a 4-acre pocket water in the Old Forge network — small enough that it rarely shows up on regional trail maps, tucked into the working forest southeast of the main tourism corridor. No fish stocking records on file, no formal trail maintenance, no lean-tos — this is the kind of water that shows up on a USGS quad and stays quiet because there's no infrastructure to funnel traffic in. If you're paddling the Fulton Chain or poking around the Moose River Plains, it's worth a look on a topo map, but don't expect developed access or a parking pullout with a kiosk.
Willys Lake sits in the Old Forge township — a 61-acre water in a region dense with named ponds and lakes, most of them private or semi-private holdovers from the old camp and hotel era. No public fish stocking records on file, which usually means either private ownership or irregular natural reproduction of whatever warmwater species moved in decades ago. The lake doesn't appear on the standard paddling or hiking loops, and without DEC signage or a formal access point it's likely gated or accessible only by local knowledge. If you're poking around Old Forge backcountry, confirm access and ownership before you carry a boat in.
Woods Lake sits just north of Old Forge in the Moose River Plains — a 63-acre water that sits in the recreational orbit of the Fulton Chain but doesn't pull the same summer traffic. The lake is largely residential around its shoreline, with private camps dating back to the early logging-and-railroad era when this stretch of woods opened up to seasonal camps and sportsmen's clubs. Access for the public is limited; there's no official DEC launch or shoreline access point, which keeps Woods Lake in the "if you know someone with a camp" category. For open-water paddling or fishing in the Old Forge area, Fourth Lake or the Fulton Chain proper are the more accessible bets.
