Every named pond in the Adirondack Park — quiet waters, lean-to destinations, swimming holes. Browse by region or jump to a name.
Oregon Pond is a 21-acre water in the Saranac Lake region — small enough to slip past most fishing pressure, large enough to hold interest if you're looking for a paddle away from the village traffic. No fish data on record, which could mean unstocked, could mean under-surveyed, or could mean locals aren't talking. The pond sits outside the High Peaks corridor, part of the broader Saranac Lakes working landscape where state land intermingles with private holdings and access details tend to stay local. Worth a call to the regional DEC office or a stop at a Saranac Lake outfitter for current access intel.
Osgood Pond sprawls across 516 acres just west of the village of Saranac Lake — large enough to feel open-water but sheltered enough to paddle on days when the bigger lakes blow out. The pond is largely ringed by private development, especially along the southern shore, but it's a working recreational lake: small-craft access, some seasonal camps, enough buffer from Route 3 to feel separate. No fisheries data on file, though ponds of this size in the region typically hold warmwater species — bass, pike, panfish. The state boat launch is off Ampersand Bay Road on the pond's northwest corner.
Osgood Pond spans 525 acres near Paul Smiths, with a Route 86 boat launch and the historic White Pine Camp on its western shore. Smallmouth bass and pike draw anglers; a canoe carry links the pond to Jones and Church for multi-day trips.
Oval Pond is a 2-acre pocket water in the Saranac Lake region — small enough that it likely sees more moose than paddlers, and the kind of place that only gets attention from locals who know the access or hunters working the surrounding timber. No fish data on record, which usually means it's either too shallow to winter-kill brook trout or nobody's bothered to sample it in decades. The name tells you the shape; the acreage tells you it's a detour, not a destination. Worth knowing about if you're already in the area and looking for solitude, but this isn't the pond you drive two hours to find.
Owl Pond is a 15-acre pond in the Saranac Lake region — small enough to stay off most radar, large enough to hold a canoe for an hour or two. No fish species data on record, which usually means brook trout if anything, or it means a shallow bowl that winters out and holds only frogs and dragonflies by July. The name suggests it once mattered to someone — a trapper's landmark, a surveyor's notation — but today it's the kind of water you find by studying the topo and bushwhacking in on a Tuesday. Access and ownership status unclear; assume private until proven otherwise.
Pine Pond is a 46-acre water in the Saranac Lake region — large enough to feel like a destination, small enough that public access and fishery details haven't made it into the DEC's standard reporting. The lack of species data usually means either limited stocking history or a pond that sits far enough off the trail network that survey crews skip it in favor of higher-use waters. Worth checking local outfitters or the Ray Brook fisheries office for current intel on access points and whether anyone's pulling anything out of it. If you're working from a gazetteer and a hunch, bring a backup plan.
Pitcher Pond is a 2-acre pocket water in the Saranac Lake region — small enough that it won't appear on most road atlases, and likely tucked into private or semi-private land given the lack of public record on access or fish stocking. Ponds this size in the Saranac Lake area often sit along old logging roads or between camps, sometimes fishable by local knowledge but rarely promoted for public use. Without documented access or species data, this one lives in that gray zone between named water and local secret. If you're asking about Pitcher Pond, you probably already know how to get there.
Plumadore Pond sits northwest of Saranac Lake village — a 107-acre water that holds its place in the quieter network of ponds and wetlands between Lower Saranac Lake and the St. Regis Canoe Area. The pond doesn't show up on the short lists of paddling destinations or trout waters, which is part of its appeal: local anglers who know it keep it that way. Access details are sparse in the usual channels, so confirm road ends and put-ins before you load the boat. If you're after solitude over scenery points, Plumadore rewards the effort to find it.
Polliwog Pond covers 90 acres within the Fish Creek Ponds campground complex — drive-to access with a swimming beach and boat launch. Bass fishing and flat-water paddling in a family-friendly setting; open May through Columbus Day.
Porkbarrel Pond is a two-acre pocket water in the Saranac Lake region — small enough that it rarely shows up on recreational radar, and likely named in the old Adirondack tradition of wry geographic humor. No fish stocking records on file, which typically means either intermittent winter oxygen levels or simply a pond too small and shallow to hold a fishery worth managing. Without established trails or nearby peaks, this is the kind of water you'd stumble onto while bushwhacking between bigger destinations, or find referenced in a surveyor's log. Worth a look if you're already in the area with a map and a compass — otherwise, it's more footnote than feature.
Quebec Pond is a 60-acre water in the Saranac Lake region — quieter and less trafficked than the named ponds along the tourist corridors, but still accessible enough for a late-afternoon paddle or shoreline fish. No species data on file, which usually means it's either managed for brookies or left alone entirely; local knowledge will tell you which. The pond sits outside the High Peaks bustle, making it a workable fallback when the popular day-use waters are crowded. Worth confirming access and current regulations with the local DEC office before heading in.
Rat Pond is a 31-acre water in the Saranac Lake region — the kind of small, name-on-a-map pond that doesn't show up in guidebooks but holds local knowledge about access and use. No fish stocking records on file, which usually means either wild brookies or nothing at all; the DEC doesn't survey every small water in the Park. Without maintained trails or nearby trailheads in the database, access is likely bushwhack or private-land permission — worth a stop at a local outfitter or the regional DEC office before making the trip. These off-grid ponds are where you earn your solitude.
Roiley Pond is a 15-acre pocket of water in the Saranac Lake region — small enough to disappear from most recreational radar, no fish data on the DEC books, no trailhead signs pointing you in. The name suggests old surveyor's shorthand or a long-gone camp owner, but the pond itself sits quietly in second-growth woods, likely accessible by bushwhack or private road rather than maintained trail. These are the waters that show up on the USGS quad and nowhere else — known to the neighbor with a canoe in the shed, unknown to the hiker with the guidebook. If you're looking for it, you already know why.
Rollins Pond is a 460-acre paddle-access pond within the Fish Creek Ponds campground complex. A state campground on the shore serves as a launch point into the wider St. Regis Canoe Area route network — multi-day trips possible; day paddles common.
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.
Tamarack Pond is a 14-acre water in the Saranac Lake region — small enough to hold a sense of enclosure, large enough to paddle without circling back every ten minutes. The name suggests the bog-edge conifers common to ponds this size in the northwest quarter of the Park, though without documented access or fish stocking records, it reads more as a named feature on the map than a recreational destination. If you know where it is, you probably already know how to get there — and whether it's worth the effort.
The Flow is a 35-acre pond in the Saranac Lake region — a small, low-profile water that sits off the main recreation corridors and outside the High Peaks bustle. No fish species on record, no trailhead parking lots, no lean-tos in the DEC inventory — which tells you most of what you need to know about its character. This is backwater Adirondack: quiet, unmanaged, the kind of pond that shows up on a topo map but not in a guidebook. If you're looking for it, you already know why.
The Springs is a 2-acre pond in the Saranac Lake region — small enough that it lives in the gap between local knowledge and the hiking guides, which usually means private land, old easements, or a put-in that requires asking around. No fish species on record, no nearby peaks, no formal trail system in the database — this is either a working pond with a quiet reputation or a name that predates the DEC lean-to era and never made it onto the recreation maps. If you're looking for it, start with the town clerk's office or the older USGS quads; sometimes these small waters only show up in the survey lines.
Turtle Pond is a seven-acre pocket water in the Saranac Lake region — small enough that it doesn't show up on most driving routes, quiet enough that it holds its character even in high summer. No fish species on record, which typically means either it winters out or it's been passed over by DEC surveys; either way, it's more of a paddle or a stillwater look than a fishing destination. Access details are sparse in the state records, so if you're planning a visit, stop by a local outfitter or the DEC ranger station in Ray Brook for current conditions and directions. Worth confirming before you commit the afternoon.
Turtle Pond is a 40-acre brook trout pond in the St. Regis Canoe Area, reached by carry from Long or Slang Pond. A lean-to sits on the shore — quiet water, paddle-only, part of the inner-loop circuit.
Twin Ponds sits in the quiet western corner of the Saranac Lake region — 36 acres split into two connected basins that read as a single water from most shoreline angles. No formal fish stocking records and no maintained trail system means this one stays off the weekend circuit, attracting the occasional paddler willing to scout access and the few who know it from older maps. The ponds drain north toward the Saranac Lakes chain but sit far enough from the main water routes to hold their distance from the paddling crowds. Bring a compass and expect to share the shoreline with beaver workings and the kind of silence that comes from being two turns off the last marked road.
Twin Ponds is a 116-acre pond in the Saranac Lake region — substantial enough to anchor a day on the water, quiet enough that it doesn't show up on most touring routes. No fish species data on record, which usually means limited public access or private shoreline; worth confirming access before launching. The acreage suggests a legitimate paddle, not a roadside pull-off, and the "Twin" designation implies a connecting body or close neighbor — typical of the glacial pond clusters northwest of the village. If you're looking at it on a map, call the local ranger station or DEC Region 5 office to verify put-in options and ownership boundaries.
Ward Pond is a four-acre pocket water in the Saranac Lake region — small enough that it reads more like a beaver meadow than a named destination, and obscure enough that it doesn't show up in the standard paddling guides or fishing reports. No fish stocking data on file, no maintained trail infrastructure, no lean-to within shouting distance. This is the kind of water that exists on the map because it holds water year-round and someone gave it a name a century ago, not because anyone's planning a weekend around it. If you know how to get there, you already know what you're walking into.
White Lily Pond is a 13-acre water in the Saranac Lake region — small enough to stay off most radar, large enough to hold a canoe trip worth making. The name suggests wild lily pads by midsummer, the kind of shoreline that stays soft and weedy rather than granite-edged. No fish data on record, no nearby peaks pulling traffic toward trailheads — this is the category of Adirondack pond you find by local suggestion or by studying the DeLorme closely. Access details remain quiet; if you know, you know.
Wolf Pond is a 15-acre water in the Saranac Lake region — small enough to hold no state stocking records and quiet enough to stay off most paddling circuits. The pond sits in working forest country rather than wilderness designation, which typically means old logging roads for access and a shoreline that shifts between second-growth hardwoods and low wetland. No fish data on file suggests either private ownership with restricted access or simply a pond that doesn't hold trout through summer — common in shallow Adirondack waters that warm past ideal temperatures by July. Check local access status before heading in.
Wolf Pond is a 22-acre pocket water in the Saranac Lake region — small enough to stay off most paddling itineraries, which is exactly its appeal. No fish stocking records and no maintained campsites mean it draws locals more than through-traffic, the kind of place you hear about from a neighbor or stumble onto while exploring old logging roads. The pond sits in mixed hardwood and conifer cover typical of the mid-elevation transition zone around Saranac — quiet, undeveloped shoreline, decent for a solo paddle or a dog swim on a mid-week afternoon. Bring a topo map; access isn't signed from any main road.
Wolf Pond sits northwest of Saranac Lake village — a 56-acre body of water in the working landscape between the village core and the St. Regis Canoe Area. The pond doesn't appear on the classic paddling or hiking circuits, and the surrounding land mix (private holdings, low-traffic state forest, seasonal camps) keeps it off the radar for most visitors. No fish species data on file with DEC, which usually means either limited angling pressure or limited angling success. If you're poking around the back roads near Bloomingdale or exploring the northwest edge of the Saranac Lake Wild Forest, Wolf Pond is a name on the map — not a destination, but a reference point in the mesh of small waters that define this corner of the park.
