Every named pond in the Adirondack Park — quiet waters, lean-to destinations, swimming holes. Browse by region or jump to a name.
Palmer Pond holds 32 acres in the Paradox Lake region — a working landscape where private shoreline and limited public access keep most paddlers moving toward the bigger named waters nearby. No fish species on DEC record, which usually means either intermittent stocking that didn't take or a pond that's simply off the management rotation. The Paradox Lake corridor runs quiet compared to the Lake George or Schroon zones to the south, and ponds like Palmer tend to stay that way: local knowledge, not signposted recreation. If you're poking around this area, confirm access before you launch — much of the shoreline here is private, and respect for posted land keeps these roads open.
Parch Pond is a 16-acre water in the Paradox Lake region — quieter country than the High Peaks corridor, with less trail traffic and fewer marked access points. The name suggests seasonal shallows or beaver influence, common in smaller Adirondack ponds where water levels shift with spring melt and summer draw-down. No fish stocking records on file, which often means limited depth, heavy vegetation, or both — though local anglers sometimes work small ponds like this for opportunistic brookies or pickerel. Check DEC road access maps or ask at the Crown Point State Historic Site visitor center for current conditions and whether there's a viable put-in for a canoe or kayak.
Peaked Hill Pond is a 14-acre water in the Paradox Lake region — small enough that it likely sits off-trail or requires local knowledge to reach, and remote enough that DEC fish surveys haven't logged species data. The name suggests ridge or summit terrain nearby, though no major named peaks anchor the immediate area. Waters like this one typically hold wild brook trout if they hold fish at all, but without stocking records or angler reports, it's a prospect pond — the kind of place you hike to with a ultralight rod and no expectations. Check the DEC Unit Management Plan for the region if you're planning to bushwhack in.
Penfield Pond is a 145-acre water in the Paradox Lake region — remote enough that access and fishing data remain thin, typical of the ponds tucked into the eastern Adirondack valleys where state land is parceled and trailheads aren't always marked on the standard maps. The name suggests old settlement or survey history, but the current character is likely defined by whatever access exists through private land or unmaintained routes. Without stocked fish or a DEC campsite drawing traffic, ponds like this stay quiet by default — worth the search if you're mapping the lesser-known waters between Schroon Lake and Lake Champlain, but expect to do your own reconnaissance.
Pine Pond is a 37-acre water in the Paradox Lake region — the kind of mid-sized pond that shows up on the quad map but doesn't announce itself from the road. No public access data on file, no fish stocking records, no trailhead signs pointing you there — which means it's either tucked onto private land or sitting in a quiet pocket of state forest that hasn't made it onto the short list of maintained destinations. Worth a look on the DEC's interactive mapper if you're hunting unmapped put-ins or scouting brook trout habitat in the Paradox drainage, but expect to do your own homework on access and current conditions.
Proctor Pond is a two-acre pocket water in the Paradox Lake region — small enough that it likely sits off-trail or accessed by local knowledge rather than marked DEC routes. No fish species on record, which often means minimal stocking history and either shallow water that winters out or a pond that's simply too remote to warrant regular survey. Waters this size in the eastern Adirondacks tend to be tucked into mixed hardwood slopes or old farmland reverting to forest — worth a look if you're already in the area and curious, but not a destination pond on its own merits.
Putnam Pond is the centerpiece of a sprawling 968-acre DEC campground on the eastern edge of the Park — 72 campsites, boat launch, beach, lean-tos, and a network of trails that connect to Rock Pond, Grizzle Ocean, and the Pharaoh Lake Wilderness to the south. At 188 acres it's large enough to feel like a proper lake, canoe-worthy, with enough shoreline to escape the campground traffic if you paddle south or east. The campground draws family weekenders in July and August; the shoulder seasons and weekdays are quieter. Launch is electric-motor-only, so it stays paddle-friendly even on busy weekends.
