Every named pond in the Adirondack Park — quiet waters, lean-to destinations, swimming holes. Browse by region or jump to a name.
Ash Craft Pond is a 23-acre water tucked into the Keene Valley backcountry — small enough to stay off most hiking itineraries, large enough to hold its own quiet. No fish stocking records on file, which typically means wild brookies or nothing at all; local anglers know which. The pond sits in that middle distance where casual day-trippers thin out and the overnight crowd hasn't quite arrived — the kind of water that rewards anyone willing to work past the roadside destinations. Worth confirming access and current trail conditions with the DEC Ray Brook office before committing to the approach.
Babbe Pond is an 18-acre water in Keene — small enough to miss on most maps, quiet enough to stay that way. No fish stocking records on file, no formal trail system, no lean-tos — this is either private or effectively unmanaged, the kind of pond that shows up in property deeds and old survey maps but rarely in trip reports. If you're poking around the back roads between Keene Valley and the Ausable Club lands, you might catch a glimpse through the trees. For most paddlers and anglers, it's a name on a list and not much more.
Birch Pond is a seven-acre water tucked into the Keene township — small enough to stay off most hiking itineraries, quiet enough to hold that status. No fish stocking records on file, no marked trail system leading in, no lean-to or DEC campsite designation — the kind of pond that shows up on a topo map but rarely in trip reports. If you're looking for solitude and you know how to navigate off-trail in the northeastern Adirondacks, Birch Pond delivers exactly what its acreage suggests: a place to sit still for an hour and hear nothing but water and wind. Access details are local knowledge; ask in Keene Valley if you're serious about finding it.
Butternut Pond is a 159-acre water in the Keene Valley corridor — large enough to hold decent depth and structure, but off the main trail network and absent from most fishing reports. No documented stocking or species surveys in the DEC records, which usually means either legacy brookies that haven't been sampled in decades or a pond that doesn't winter well enough to hold trout year-round. Access likely requires bushwhacking or following old logging roads — the kind of water that shows up on the topo but not in the trail register. If you're looking for solitude and don't mind uncertain fishing, ponds like this are the reason people still carry a compass.
Chapel Pond pulls double duty: it's the most photographed swimming hole on NY-73 (pull-off parking on the south end, granite ledges, cold deep water by Memorial Day) and it's the base of the Chapel Pond Slab — one of the most popular rock climbing crags in the Adirondacks. The pond sits in a narrow pass between Giant Mountain to the north and the slab cliffs to the south, framed by the kind of view that turns a drive between Keene Valley and the Northway into a destination. No camping at the pond itself (roadside DEC corridor, no permits), but Round Pond is one mile south for a lean-to base, and the Giant / Rocky Peak Ridge / Noonmark trailheads are all within five minutes. Swimming, fishing for brook trout, and watching climbers work the slab from the road — that's the visit. Strong cell signal here too if you're routing a day.
Clark Pond is a six-acre pocket of water in the Keene town boundaries — small enough that it likely doesn't pull much attention from passing hikers, and remote enough that specifics on access and fish populations haven't made it into the standard inventories. Ponds of this size in the Keene area often sit on private land or in the transitional zone between state forest and working parcels, which can mean limited or unclear public access. Without species data on file, it's either unfished, unstocked, or simply under the radar — common for waters this small in a region dense with larger, more accessible alternatives. If you're chasing it down, confirm access and ownership before you bushwhack in.
Clark Pond is an 8-acre pocket water in Keene — small enough that it doesn't show up on most trailhead signs but local enough that you'll hear it named in passing if you spend time around town. No fish stocking records on file, no DEC-maintained access, and no trail system radiating from the shore — the kind of water that stays quiet because it asks more effort than most visitors are willing to give. If you're mapping unmapped corners or chasing property-line ponds for their own sake, Clark Pond is on the list. Otherwise, it's a dot on the quad and a name in the county water inventory.
Clear Pond is a 15-acre pond in the Keene township — small enough to miss on most maps, quiet enough that it stays that way. No official fish stocking records, no established campsite clusters, no trail register at a formal trailhead — this is backcountry in the older sense, where you walk in with a topo and walk out with a story but not necessarily a selfie. The water sits in mixed hardwood and softwood cover typical of the mid-elevation Keene Valley drainage, accessible to those who know where to look but unlikely to appear on a weekend itinerary. If you're here, you probably already know why.
Clements Pond is a four-acre water in Keene — small enough that it doesn't anchor a trail system or pull weekend traffic, which means it's either privately held or tucked into working forest where access isn't formalized. No fish stocking records on file, which tracks for ponds this size that sit outside the DEC's management rotation. If you're hunting small water in the Keene corridor, this one stays off the recreational radar — more likely a detail on a property deed than a paddling destination.
Coonrod Pond is a four-acre pocket of water in the town of Keene — small enough that it lives below the radar of most paddlers and anglers, and quiet enough that if you know where it is, you're probably keeping it that way. No fish stocking records, no formal access points advertised, no trail register to sign. These kinds of ponds tend to sit on private land or require bushwhacking through mixed hardwood and wetland edges, which means they stay off the weekend rotation and hold onto their solitude. If you're hunting stillwater that doesn't show up on every hiking app, start with the town tax maps.
Copper Pond is a five-acre pocket water in the Keene town limits — small enough that it doesn't appear on most recreational maps and remote enough that local knowledge is the primary access route. No fish species on record, which either means it hasn't been stocked or surveyed in recent decades, or that it's a shallow seasonal pond that doesn't hold trout through summer. The name suggests old mining activity in the watershed, though copper extraction in the eastern High Peaks was mostly exploratory and short-lived compared to the iron operations further south. Worth confirming access and condition with the town office or local outfitters before planning a trip.
Cranberry Pond is a 2-acre water in the Keene backcountry — small enough that most topo maps label it but most hikers walk past it en route to something taller. The name suggests the usual sphagnum-and-heath shoreline common to glacial kettle ponds in this part of the Park, and the acreage puts it in that category of ponds that exist more as waypoints than destinations. No fish data on record, which tracks for waters this size and this remote — if it holds brookies, they're small and the population is marginal. Worth a look if you're already in the area and curious what a 2-acre Adirondack pond looks like when no one's paying attention.
Dead Sea is a one-acre pond in the town of Keene — small enough that it likely stays off most hiking itineraries and obscure enough that even local trail networks don't route through it. The name suggests either dry-season shrinkage, high mineralization, or the kind of deadfall-choked shoreline that makes bushwhacking more trouble than the destination warrants. No fish species on record, no established access, no nearby peaks to justify the detour. This is the type of water that exists on the DEC inventory more as a cartographic formality than a recreational asset.
Dial Pond is a 2-acre pocket of water in the Keene area — small enough that it's easy to miss on a map, and without fish stocking records or developed access, it's the kind of water that stays off most itineraries. The name suggests some connection to the nearby Nippletop / Dial Mountain corridor, though whether it drains toward the Ausable or sits in a separate watershed isn't immediately obvious from the contours. Waters this size in the High Peaks region are often seasonal snowmelt collectors or beaver-maintained wetlands rather than permanent ponds — worth verifying current conditions before planning a visit. No formal trails or lean-tos are associated with it.
Dix Pond is a five-acre pocket water in the Keene township — small enough that it doesn't anchor a trail system or pull weekend traffic, but it carries the name of one of the range's signature peaks. The pond sits in working forest land where access and use patterns shift with ownership and season; it's the kind of water that shows up on the DEC's official list but rarely in trip reports. No fish stocking records on file, no lean-tos, no designated campsites — this is map-and-compass country, not trailhead-to-destination hiking. If you're looking for Dix Mountain, you want the Round Pond / Slide Brook Lean-to trailhead off Route 73; Dix Pond is a different story entirely.
Dundan Pond is a two-acre pocket water in the Keene town boundary — small enough that it rarely appears on recreational lists and remote enough that access details stay mostly word-of-mouth. No fish stocking records on file, which usually means either sterile water or native brookies that nobody bothers reporting. The pond sits in the mid-elevation forest belt typical of the Keene back country: mixed hardwoods, wet margins, and the kind of quiet that comes from being off the standard loop. If you know how to get there, you already know why you're going.
Fifth Pond is a two-acre pocket water in the Keene township — small enough that it likely doesn't register on most trail maps, and remote enough that it exists in the gap between the named routes and the DEC lean-to circuit. No fish species data on record, which in the Adirondacks usually means either too shallow for winter survival or too far off the stocking routes to justify the hike. The name suggests it's part of a numbered chain — First through Fifth, or Third through Seventh — but without a clear trailhead reference, this one lives in the category of bushwhack destinations and local knowledge. If you're headed in, bring a topo and a compass.
Frances Pond is a 14-acre pocket water in the Keene township — small, off-trail, and absent from most recreational databases. No fish surveys on record, no marked access, no adjacent trailheads pulling traffic from NY-73 or the Giant Wilderness corridor. It sits in that middle category of Adirondack waters: named, mapped, but functionally wild — the kind of place you bushwhack to with a topo and low expectations, or stumble onto while hunting the back ridges. If you're looking for solitude over infrastructure, Frances Pond delivers by default.
Giant's Washbowl is a five-acre cirque pond perched high on the southern flank of Giant Mountain — a tarn in the literal sense, scooped out by glacial action and fed by runoff from the summit ridge above. The hike in is steep and sustained, gaining roughly 1,500 vertical feet from the trailhead, and the pond itself sits in a dramatic alpine bowl with cliffs rising on three sides. No fish on record, and the water stays cold well into July. This is a destination hike, not a pass-through — most parties turn around at the Washbowl or continue the push to Giant's summit if they're already committed to the elevation.
Hadley Pond is a 34-acre water in Keene — small enough to feel tucked away, large enough to hold quiet in the afternoon when the wind picks up off the valley floor. No fish data on record, which in the Adirondacks usually means either unstocked or unmaintained, the kind of pond that stays off the angler circuit and on the local-knowledge map. The water sits in working forest and private land, so access isn't guaranteed — worth checking with the town or local outfitters before planning a visit. If you're poking around Keene's back roads and find a pull-off, you've likely found it.
Hawkins Pond is a one-acre pocket of water in the Keene valley — small enough that it likely exists as a seasonal high-water feature or a shallow basin tucked into private land or forested acreage without maintained public access. No fish species data on record, which tracks for waters this size: too small to support a stocked population, too shallow or transient to hold wild brookies year-round. If you're looking for fishable water in Keene proper, the East Branch of the Ausable runs through town with posted access points, and Johns Brook flows north from the High Peaks with trail access from the Garden trailhead.
Keenan Pond is a 25-acre pocket water in the Keene town limits — one of those ponds that exists on the DEC list and the USGS quad but doesn't show up in the standard hiking guides or fishing reports. No public access trail that anyone talks about, no lean-to, no stocking records — which usually means it's either landlocked by private parcels or sitting in a drainage where the beaver work changes faster than the maps get updated. If you're poking around Keene Valley's lower-elevation drainages and stumble onto it, you've earned it. Worth checking the town tax maps before bushwhacking in.
Lake Alice is a 67-acre pond in the town of Keene — tucked into the landscape between NY-73 and the Ausable River valley, though it keeps a lower profile than the roadside swimming holes and trailhead ponds that dominate the corridor. The shoreline is largely private, and public access here means working through local knowledge or asking permission rather than pulling off the highway with a map. No fish stocking records on file, no DEC campsite markers — this is one of the quieter waters in a town otherwise packed with climbers, hikers, and summer traffic. Worth knowing the name exists if you're assembling a full inventory of named Adirondack waters; less likely to be your next paddling destination.
Lake Eaton is an 18-acre pond in the Keene township — a small, low-profile water that doesn't appear on most hiking itineraries but sits quietly in the local rotation. No fish species on record, no major trailheads nearby, no camping infrastructure to speak of — this is the kind of pond that gets passed over in guidebooks but still holds appeal for paddlers looking to avoid the Route 73 corridor crowds. The name suggests some historical homestead or logging-era connection, but the details have faded into the backcountry record. Worth checking DEC or local sources for current access status before driving out.
Lawson Pond is a 28-acre water tucked into the Keene town boundaries — small enough to stay off most hikers' radar, large enough to hold its own character in a region dominated by High Peaks drainage. No fish stocking records on file, which usually means native brookies or nothing; worth a cast if you're already in the area, but not a destination for anglers. The pond sits in that middle-distance terrain between the tourist corridor and true backcountry — the kind of water that rewards local knowledge more than trail guidebooks. Access and shoreline conditions vary by season and private land boundaries; confirm before you go.
Ledge Pond is a 14-acre pocket water in the Keene township — small enough that it rarely appears on general recreation maps, which usually means either private holdings along the shore or limited public access that keeps it off the casual paddler's radar. The name suggests exposed bedrock somewhere along the perimeter, the kind of glacially scoured granite shelf common to ponds tucked into the valleys east of the High Peaks. No fish species data on file with DEC, which typically points to minimal stocking history and limited angling pressure. Worth a look if you're working through the deeper inventory of Keene's back-pocket waters, but confirm access before you load the boat.
Lillypad Pond is a 4-acre pocket water in the Keene backcountry — small enough that it likely lives up to its name by midsummer, when emergent vegetation claims the shallows and the open water shrinks to a center channel. No fish species on record, which in Adirondack terms usually means either the pond winters out (freezes to the bottom, killing fish) or it was never stocked and lacks inlet flow robust enough to support natural reproduction. Worth checking local trail registers or the DEC Region 5 office in Ray Brook for access details — ponds this size in the Keene area are often reached by unmarked footpaths or old logging roads rather than maintained trailheads.
Little Mud Pond is a ten-acre water in the Keene town corridor — small enough that it sits off most radar, with no formal recreation infrastructure and no fish stocking on record. The name tells you what to expect: shallow, soft-bottomed, more wetland transition than swimming hole, the kind of pond that holds wood ducks and spotted sandpipers but rarely sees a canoe. It's the sort of place you stumble on while bushwhacking between trail systems or scanning a topo map for solitude. No trails, no sites, no pressure — just a quiet pocket of low water doing what ponds do when nobody's watching.
Little Pond sits on 27 acres in the Keene area — a small, quiet water without the trailhead traffic or the named-peak proximity that defines most ponds in this corridor. No fish species data on record, which typically means limited stocking history and minimal angling pressure. The pond is one of those pass-through waters that shows up on a topo map but rarely makes it into a trip report — worth a visit if you're already in the neighborhood and curious, but not a destination in its own right. Check local access and parking conditions before heading out.
Lockart Pond is a six-acre pond in the town of Keene — small enough that it doesn't pull the foot traffic of the named-peak destinations nearby, but large enough to hold water through a dry August. No fish species on record, which usually means it's either too shallow for consistent overwinter survival or it's simply been passed over by DEC survey crews in favor of more productive waters. The pond sits in mixed hardwood forest typical of the Keene valley floor — private land surrounds most small ponds in this area, so assume limited or no public access unless you've confirmed a trailhead or easement. Worth a knock on a door if you're looking for a quiet float; otherwise, this one stays off the typical paddler's map.
Long Pond stretches across 297 acres in the Keene town line — a mid-sized water without the High Peaks fanfare but with the elbow room that comes from being off the main corridors. The name shows up on multiple Adirondack maps (there are at least eight Long Ponds in the Park), so confirm you're looking at the Keene location before you commit to a route. No fish species data on file, which usually means limited stocking history or access challenges that keep angling pressure low. Worth cross-referencing with local DEC records or the town clerk if you're planning a trip — this one doesn't advertise itself.
Lost Pond — three acres, Keene — is one of dozens of small named waters in the northern Adirondacks that exist more as cartographic notation than destination. No documented fishery, no established trail system, no camping infrastructure. These ponds typically sit in second-growth mixed forest between the highway corridors and the High Peaks proper, accessible by bushwhack or old logging trace if you're inclined to find them. Worth knowing the name exists if you're studying a topo map; not worth banking a day trip on unless you're the sort who enjoys the hunt more than the arrival.
Lost Pond is a 5-acre water in the Keene area — small enough that it sits off most trail maps and regional guides, and without recorded fish species data it's likely too shallow or too isolated to hold a fishable population. The name suggests it was once known, then forgotten — a pattern common to beaver ponds that shift in and out of existence, or to waters that served as landmarks for logging operations that have since grown over. If you know this pond, you likely found it by accident or by following a local's directions that started with "there's an old woods road..." Worth reporting back if you confirm access or find brookies.
Makomis Pond is a 7-acre pocket water in the Keene town boundaries — small enough that it rarely shows up on regional fishing reports or trail maps, and remote enough that most through-hikers in the area never register it. No DEC fish stocking data on file, which usually means either wild brookies in low density or a pond that doesn't hold fish through winter drawdown. The name itself — Makomis — carries Algonquian roots, though whether it references a historical figure or a landscape feature has been lost to local memory. If you're hunting it down, expect bushwhacking or an unmarked approach; this is old-map water, not trailhead water.
Marie Louise Pond is a one-acre tarn tucked somewhere in the Keene region — small enough that it likely doesn't appear on most trail maps, and remote enough that it holds a name but no formal access or species data in the state records. Ponds this size in the Keene corridor are typically old logging-era holdovers or high-elevation seeps reached by bushwhack or forgotten spur trails, the kind of water you find by accident or long memory. If you know where it is, you're probably not looking for directions online.
McGinnity Pond is a one-acre pocket of water in the Keene township — small enough that it likely sits on private land or tucked into forest where public access isn't formalized. No fish species data on record, which often means either seasonal warmth that won't hold trout or limited angler attention due to access constraints. Ponds this size in the Keene area typically function as drainage features or beaver-maintained wetlands rather than destination waters. If you know where it is, it's probably because you live within walking distance.
Military Pond is a 22-acre water in the Keene town limits — a name that suggests Civil War-era history or surveyor's nomenclature, but the record is thin and the pond keeps a low profile in the drainage between Hurricane Mountain and the Ausable valley. No fish stocking data on file, no marked trailhead in the DEC inventory, and no lean-to or designated campsite in the immediate shed. It's the kind of pond that shows up on the topo but not in the trip reports — either private-adjacent, bushwhack-access, or simply passed over in a region dense with bigger, better-documented options.
Mill Pond sits just off NY-73 south of Keene — a shallow, reedy 51-acre water that most people pass without noticing on the way to the higher-drama climbs and ponds farther up the valley. The pond has gone quiet in recent decades: no official fish survey data, no maintained access, no reason to stop unless you're curious about the kind of lowland wetland that once fed local mills and now feeds wood ducks and herons instead. It's the Adirondack water that doesn't ask for attention — a placeholder on the map between the trailheads people actually use. Worth a glance from the road if you're into wetland birding; otherwise, keep driving toward Chapel Pond or the Ausable Club lots.
Moss Ponds — plural, though often mapped as singular — sits in the Hurricane Mountain Wild Forest northeast of Keene, tucked into a low drainage basin that doesn't show up on most recreation maps. The ponds are wetland-adjacent, shallow, and beaver-active — more of a bushwhack destination for anglers testing the viability of native brook trout populations than a swimming or paddling draw. Access is informal, likely via old logging roads or unmarked trails from nearby Hurricane Mountain Road or Crow Clearing Road, though the precise put-in isn't well-documented. No fish records on file, which usually means either unstocked or unreported — but 19 acres of quiet water in the Keene drainage often holds brookies if the inlet stays cold.
Moss Ponds — a pair of small, shallow basins tucked into the woods northeast of Keene — sit well off the typical High Peaks circuit and see almost no traffic beyond locals who know the access. The water warms early in the season, which can mean decent early-June fishing if the ponds hold any population at all, though DEC records show no stocking and no recent surveys. The surrounding forest is second-growth mixed hardwood; the kind of wet, buggy terrain that keeps most hikers pointed toward higher ground. If you're looking for solitude within ten miles of Keene Valley, this is where you find it.
Mud Pond in Keene is a four-acre pocket water tucked into the wooded terrain east of the village — small enough that most hikers walk past it without a second look, which is precisely its appeal. No fish records on file, no nearby peaks to draw the summit crowd, no lean-tos or designated sites: it's the kind of pond that exists for the person who wants to sit on a log with a thermos and watch the water for an hour. The name tells you what to expect underfoot if you bushwhack to the shore — soft margins, alder thickets, and the quiet hum of a wetland doing its work. If you're in Keene and need an hour away from trail traffic, this is where you go.
Mud Pond is a 19-acre pond in the town of Keene — one of several Mud Ponds scattered across the Adirondacks, and typically the kind of water that stays off the summer crowds' radar by virtue of name alone. No fish species data on record, which usually means a shallow, weedy basin that winterkills or simply doesn't hold trout — the DEC stocks where there's habitat worth stocking. The pond sits in the Keene drainage, east of the High Peaks corridor, in territory that tends toward private land and working forests rather than marked trailheads and lean-tos. If you're heading to Keene for Giant, Hurricane, or the Johns Brook Valley, this one stays in the rearview.
Mud Pond in Keene is a five-acre wetland pocket — the kind of small water that appears on the topo but rarely makes it into trip reports or fishing logs. No fish species on record, no maintained trails leading in, no nearby peaks to anchor a day hike around it. These small ponds tend to be beaver-active, marshy-edged, and better suited to birding or bushwhacking practice than destination paddling. If you're in Keene and looking for a swimming hole or a trout pond, keep driving — this one's a map dot, not a feature.
Mud Pond in Keene is a five-acre water tucked into the backcountry—small enough that it rarely shows up on casual itineraries but accessible enough that locals know it as a midday detour or a quiet spot when the high-traffic waters are overrun. No fish data on file, which usually means either the pond winters out or nobody's bothered to sample it in years. The name is literal: expect soft margins, beaver work, and the kind of shoreline that demands waterproof boots if you plan to get close. Worth a look if you're already in the area and curious, but not a destination pond on its own.
Mud Pond in Keene occupies 27 acres in a town dense with trailheads and named peaks, but this one sits off the main corridor — no Fish & Wildlife stocking records, no DEC lean-to within shouting distance, no obvious trailhead signage pulling day-hikers off the road. The name tells the story: shallow, mucky bottom, likely ringed by alder and cattail, the kind of water that hosts frogs and red-winged blackbirds more reliably than anglers. Ponds like this are common in the Adirondacks — ecologically productive, scenically unremarkable, and easy to overlook unless you're hunting for solitude or studying wetland ecology. Check with the town clerk or local paddlers if you're curious about access; this one doesn't advertise itself.
Murrey Pond is a two-acre water in Keene — small enough to slip off most maps, which is usually the point. No fish data on file, no developed access, no nearby peak trailheads to anchor it in the usual High Peaks navigation grid. The name suggests old family land or a long-gone logging camp; the size suggests a spring-fed bowl worth finding if you're the type who measures success in ponds per season rather than summits per weekend.
Nesbit Pond is a three-acre puddle in the Keene town limits — small enough that it likely doesn't hold much beyond the occasional brook trout, if that, and obscure enough that it doesn't show up on most hiking itineraries or DEC stocking records. The name suggests old surveyor's marks or a family parcel from the 19th century, but without maintained trail access or a known put-in, it's functionally off-grid. If you're counting ponds for completionist purposes or chasing property-line curiosities, Nesbit qualifies; otherwise, it's a dot on the topo map and not much more.
New Pond is a 99-acre water tucked in the Keene town footprint — big enough to hold some depth and thermal stratification, small enough that the name tells you everything about its historical profile in the region. No fish stocking records and no formal access trail in the DEC inventory, which usually means either private-boundary complications or a bushwhack-only approach through unbroken forest. Worth checking the town tax map and the latest DEC Wild Forest unit plan if you're hunting for overlooked water in the Keene Valley orbit. Most ponds this size without a trail got passed over for a reason — but that reason is often just topography, not water quality.
Nichols Pond sits in the town of Keene at 79 acres — a mid-sized pond with no public fish stocking records and limited documentation in the accessible DEC files. The water is named but not heavily promoted, which in the Adirondacks often means private shoreline or minimal formal access infrastructure. Without confirmed trail data or lean-to information, this is a pond that requires local knowledge or direct contact with the town clerk's office to fish or approach legally. If you're working through the Keene ponds systematically, confirm access first — trespassing violations in Essex County are enforced.
North Pond sits in the Keene township — a 33-acre water with no published fish survey and limited trail infrastructure, which means it stays quiet even in peak season. The pond falls into that category of named Adirondack waters that appear on the DEC map but don't show up in guidebooks — accessible to locals who know the old logging routes, largely off the radar for visitors working the standard lake loops. No designated campsites, no formal trailhead signage. If you're looking for solitude and you know how to read a contour map, North Pond delivers — but expect to bushwhack the last quarter-mile.
Ore Bed Pond is a 4-acre pocket water in the Keene backcountry — small enough that it doesn't show up on most recreational itineraries, tucked into the kind of terrain that favors local knowledge over trailhead signs. The name hints at historical mining activity in the area, part of the 19th-century iron extraction that left scattered adits and tailings throughout the eastern Adirondacks. No fish data on file, no maintained trail markers — this is walk-in-and-see territory, the kind of pond that rewards the curious and punishes the unprepared. Worth confirming access and property boundaries before bushwhacking in.
Rhododendron Pond is a three-acre pocket tucked into the woods near Keene — small enough that it won't show up on most trail maps, quiet enough that it holds its place as a local footnote rather than a destination. No fish data on record, no formal access route advertised by DEC, and the name suggests someone either found blooms near the shore or wished they had. Ponds this size in the Keene drainage tend to sit on old logging roads or connector trails between more trafficked routes — worth knowing about if you're already in the area, not worth the drive if you're not.
Rogers Pond is a three-acre pocket water in Keene — small enough that you could walk its perimeter in ten minutes, the kind of pond that gets left off most trail maps and doesn't generate its own trailhead parking. No fish data on record, no established campsites, no signage pointing you in — it exists in that middle category of Adirondack water that serves mostly as a landmark for locals or a surprise discovery on a bushwhack between more documented destinations. If you're looking for brook trout or a designated lean-to, keep moving; if you want a quiet lunch spot off someone else's itinerary, Rogers delivers exactly that.
Round Pond sits off Adirondack Street just south of Keene — a small, roadside five-acre pond that sees more local foot traffic than through-hikers. The water is shallow and warmwater-adapted, no trout on record, but it's close enough to town to serve as a dog-walk destination or a quick stop between Valley trailheads. The pond borders private land on multiple sides, so access is limited and informal; this isn't a camping or canoeing destination. On a summer afternoon it's the kind of spot where you'll see a single pickup truck parked and someone fishing from the bank with a bobber rig and no expectations.
Russett Pond is a 24-acre water in the Keene town limits — small enough to stay off most touring itineraries, large enough to hold its shape on a USGS quad. No fish data on file with DEC, which typically means either naturally fishless or stocked once decades ago and left alone since. The pond sits in mixed hardwood-conifer forest at mid-elevation, the kind of water that serves as a landmark on longer through-hikes more often than a destination itself. Worth checking local trail registers or the DEC Region 5 office in Ray Brook for current access routes if you're working a loop in the area.
Sarnac River — listed in state records as a pond, not a river — sits in the Keene drainage at 219 acres, though details on access and shoreline character are sparse in the public record. The name itself is an outlier: no major tributary or outlet called "Sarnac" runs through the Keene Valley corridor, and the listing may reference a smaller impoundment or a remapped feature that predates modern DEC surveys. No fish species on file, no nearby trail infrastructure in the curated database. If you're chasing this one down, start with the town clerk in Keene or the Ray Brook DEC office — sometimes these old pond names live only in tax maps and pre-1980 USGS quads.
Scribner Pond is a two-acre pocket water in the Keene town boundary — small enough that it rarely shows up on trail maps and quiet enough that most through-hikers miss it entirely. No fish stocking records on file, which usually means native brookies or nothing at all, and the shallow basin suggests it runs warm by mid-July. The pond sits in mixed hardwood cover, far enough from the High Peaks corridor that it doesn't pull weekend crowds, close enough to Keene Valley that locals know it as a low-effort bushwhack or a short unmarked approach. Best use: early-season reconnaissance, off-trail navigation practice, or a reason to get wet without company.
Secret Pond lives up to its name — a four-acre pocket of water tucked into the Keene backcountry with no formal trail, no lean-to, and no fish stocking on record. It's the kind of place that shows up on the DEC database but not in any guidebook, accessed by bushwhack or local knowledge and left alone by the crowds that fill the Route 73 corridor a few miles west. No species data means either no one's fishing it or no one's reporting — both possibilities track for a pond this size and this quiet. If you're here, you probably already know why.
Slush Pond is a 38-acre water east of Keene Valley — quieter and less trafficked than the roadside ponds along NY-73, tucked into the middle elevation forest where the High Peaks begin their descent toward the Champlain Valley. The name alone keeps some people away; the lack of stocked fish and the absence of a groomed trailhead keeps most others at arm's length. What remains is an off-the-radar pond for anglers willing to bushwhack, paddlers looking for solitude, and the occasional hunter working the hardwood ridges in October. No DEC campsite data on file — which in this region usually means walk-in camping by permit only, or none at all.
Tanaher Pond is an 11-acre water tucked into the Keene town boundaries — small enough that it doesn't appear on most recreational radar, and remote enough that access details aren't widely documented. The pond sits outside the standard hiking corridors and trailhead clusters that define the central High Peaks, which means it's either private, roadless, or both. No fish data on record, no established DEC presence, no nearby lean-tos in the state system. If you're looking for it, start with the town clerk or a pre-1950s USGS quad — this one belongs to the category of named Adirondack waters that exist on paper more than they do in boots-on-trail reality.
