Every named pond in the Adirondack Park — quiet waters, lean-to destinations, swimming holes. Browse by region or jump to a name.
Saint Germain Pond is a 13-acre water tucked into the broader Saranac Lake township — small enough to stay off most touring maps, large enough to hold a canoe for an afternoon. No fish species on record, which in Adirondack terms usually means it's either too shallow, too acidic, or simply unstocked and unstudied. The name suggests French-Canadian settlement history, common to this corner of Franklin County, but the pond itself keeps a low profile — no marked trail infrastructure, no DEC campsite designation. If you're looking for it, you're likely coming from local knowledge or a topo map.
Second Pond is a 50-acre water in the Saranac Lake region — one of those mid-sized ponds that sits off the main recreational corridors and doesn't get the traffic of the better-known chains. No fish stocking data on file, which usually means it's either fishless, minimally managed, or host to a wild brook trout population that nobody's surveyed in decades. The name suggests it's part of a First/Second/Third sequence — a common DEC naming pattern for waters along the same drainage or access route — but without recorded nearby listings it's likely reached by unmaintained paths or private land. Worth confirming access and ownership before planning a visit.
Slang Pond is a 20-acre carry-route pond between Long Pond and Turtle Pond in the St. Regis Canoe Area — no road access, paddle-and-portage only. Native brook trout in undisturbed water; a stop on multi-day canoe trips through classic Adirondack wilderness.
Slush Pond is an 18-acre water in the Saranac Lake region — small enough to miss on most maps, quiet enough that it stays off most itineraries. The name suggests seasonal flooding or beaver influence, though whether it's active beaver water or just poorly drained lowland depends on the year and the dam integrity. No fish data on record, which often means either too shallow for consistent populations or just under-surveyed — worth a cast if you're passing through, but not a destination fishery. Access details are sparse; if you're looking for it, start with local knowledge at a Saranac Lake outfitter or the regional DEC office.
Spectacle Ponds — a pair of connected ponds totaling roughly 40 acres — sits in the working forest between the village of Saranac Lake and the Lower Saranac Lake shoreline, more often crossed by loggers and hunters than hikers looking for a destination. The ponds drain north toward the Saranac chain but remain tucked in second-growth timber without maintained trails or formal access points — this is private timberland interspersed with state easement parcels, not the kind of water you paddle to from a highway pull-off. No fish stocking records on file, and no particular reason to assume brook trout survived the logging era here. If you know the ponds, you either own land nearby or you've spent enough time in the Saranac Wild Forest to have earned the route in.
Spectacle Ponds — two connected bodies of water totaling 44 acres — lie in the working forest west of Saranac Lake, accessible via private timber company roads that shift status depending on season and ownership. The ponds sit in low-rolling country rather than dramatic terrain, which means they're more likely to draw local anglers and hunters than through-hikers, though fish species records are sparse or outdated. The name suggests the twin-pond configuration when viewed from above — a cartographic feature more than a visual one from shore level. Access details and current road permissions are worth confirming locally before heading in.
Spring Pond is a 4-acre water in the Saranac Lake region — small enough that it likely sits off-trail or tucked into private land, with no public access information on record and no fish stocking history in the DEC files. Ponds this size in the Saranac Lake area often serve as neighborhood waters or old club holdings rather than public destinations, which explains the thin data footprint. Without confirmed access or fish species, this is one to note on the map but not to plan a trip around. If you're local and know different, the absence of official records doesn't mean the pond isn't worth knowing.
Spring Pond is a small, nine-acre water in the Saranac Lake region — one of dozens of modest ponds that hold quiet water in the northern Adirondacks without pulling much attention from the trailhead crowd. No fish records on file, which typically means either unstocked native brook trout water or a pond that doesn't hold fish through winter — local knowledge beats the database on these smaller waters. The name suggests a feeder spring, which would explain cold water and potentially decent early-season clarity. Worth a look if you're exploring the back roads around Saranac Lake with a canoe strapped on; expect to work for access and solitude in return.
Spring Pond is a five-acre backcountry water in the Saranac Lake Wild Forest — small enough that it doesn't anchor a trailhead or show up on most paddling itineraries, but real enough to warrant a name on the USGS quad. No fish stocking records and no maintained campsites, which means it's either a bushwhack destination or a quiet stop on a longer route between better-known waters. The size suggests it warms quickly in summer — more frog chorus than trout habitat. If you're looking for it, start with the DEC unit map and a compass bearing; this one doesn't advertise itself.
Square Pond is a 46-acre water in the Saranac Lake region with no formal fish stocking or survey data on record — which usually means it's either marginal habitat or simply off the radar for DEC management priorities. The name suggests a relatively geometric shoreline, typical of ponds formed in flat glacial till or bounded by low ridges, but without documented access points or nearby trail infrastructure, it likely sits on private land or requires local knowledge to reach. These mid-size ponds without public access often serve as neighborhood swimming holes or remain entirely undeveloped depending on ownership patterns. If you're curious about paddling or fishing here, start with the Saranac Lake town clerk or local DEC office for current access status.
The largest pond in the St. Regis Canoe Area. Motor-free, ringed with primitive campsites, reachable via a single half-mile carry from Little Clear Pond — the canonical first canoe-camping trip in the Park.
Star Mountain Pond is a five-acre water tucked into the rolling forest northwest of Saranac Lake — small enough that it won't appear on most recreational lake lists, but present enough to have earned a name and a spot on the USGS quad. No fish stocking records on file, no developed access, no trail register at a trailhead — this is the kind of pond that shows up when you're bushwhacking between better-known destinations or chasing a drainage on an old topo map. If you're looking for solitude and you know how to navigate off-trail, Star Mountain Pond delivers exactly that: water, woods, and the absence of other people.
Stony Creek Ponds cover 165 acres of interconnected backcountry water near Saranac Lake, accessible only by paddle. Native brook trout hold in these remote pools — light fishing pressure and distance from roads keep the system intact.
