Every named pond in the Adirondack Park — quiet waters, lean-to destinations, swimming holes. Browse by region or jump to a name.
Eagle Pond — 41 acres northwest of Saranac Lake village — is one of those mid-sized waters that doesn't announce itself from the road and doesn't appear on most paddling itineraries, which keeps it quiet even in July. The shoreline is mostly wooded and undeveloped, with private parcels mixed in; access details vary depending on which end of the pond you approach from. No fish species data on file with DEC, which usually means either unstocked and unsampled or locals who know aren't talking. If you're already in the area and looking for a calm-water paddle away from Lower Saranac's weekend traffic, it's worth the detour.
Elbow Ponds — plural, though the second is small enough that some maps treat it as a cove — sits in the middle ground between Saranac Lake village and the Upper Saranac watershed, far enough off the main corridors that most traffic is local or intentional. The ponds take their name from the sharp bend in the shoreline where the two bodies meet, a glacial quirk that creates a protected pocket on the eastern shore. No fish stocking records on file, which usually means the ponds are either too shallow for winter survival or simply off the DEC's priority list. Access details are sparse — worth checking with the Saranac Lake Wild Forest map or asking at a local outfitter before committing to the bushwhack.
Elm Pond is a six-acre pocket water in the Saranac Lake region — small enough that it doesn't pull casual traffic, but large enough to hold a canoe or kayak if you can get one in. No fish species data on record, which usually means it's either unstocked and acidic or simply hasn't been surveyed in recent memory. The pond sits in working forest land where access and ownership can shift — worth checking current DEC maps or asking locally before heading in. If you're already in the area with a boat on the roof, Franklin Falls Flow or Oseetah Lake are safer bets for a guaranteed put-in.
