Dispersed camping opportunities abound in the Adirondack region surrounding Paul Smiths, New York, with options ranging from primitive sites to developed campgrounds. The area includes notable locations such as Fish Creek Pond Campground and Buck Pond Campground, both offering waterfront camping experiences within short driving distance. Established campgrounds typically provide tent and RV sites with varying levels of amenities, while primitive options like Jones Pond NYSDEC Primitive Campsites offer more secluded experiences. Little Green Pond provides additional dispersed camping options with designated sites situated on the water, particularly appealing for campers seeking quieter alternatives to the more developed facilities.
Most campgrounds in the region operate seasonally, with typical openings from May through September or early October. Weather conditions can change rapidly in the Adirondacks, with cool temperatures even during summer months, particularly at higher elevations. Cell service is limited or non-existent at many campgrounds, especially at more remote sites like Jones Pond and Little Green Pond. Many primitive sites operate on a first-come, first-served basis with maximum stay limits of three nights without permits. The access roads to primitive sites often require higher clearance vehicles, as noted by one camper who mentioned, "The two track access road is rough and all dirt," when describing Jones Pond.
Waterfront access represents a significant draw for many campgrounds in the Paul Smiths area, with several visitors highlighting the pristine lake and pond views. Many sites at Fish Creek Pond Campground sit just feet from the water, making them ideal for paddling enthusiasts. Privacy varies considerably between campgrounds, with Buck Pond offering more secluded sites compared to the more open layout at Fish Creek. A visitor to Buck Pond noted, "Our site was tucked back into some trees and you couldn't see any other sites from it. To look around, it was as if we had all of the Adirondacks to ourselves!" Primitive sites generally provide greater solitude but fewer amenities, often limited to pit toilets and fire rings. Campground density also varies, with some locations allowing larger groups and multiple vehicles, while others are better suited for smaller camping setups.
$22 - $40 / night
"Most of the campsites at Fish Creek Pond are along the waterfront, offering easy access to the pond. Some campers even build temporary docks that they leave behind for subsequent campers."
"Bike path, kayak rentals, close to Lake Placid Olympic center, Wild Center in Tupper Lake"
$20 - $40 / night
"As it isn't too far of a drive for us, it quickly became our go-to campgrounds for quite a while due to the mostly flat campground and who doesn't love hearing the slow trickle of water splashing close"
"It was generally quiet Memorial Day weekend, and we were able to snag a lakeside site with plenty of trees and space for our tent, SUV, and more."
$22 - $40 / night
"Outhouse was a little rough around the edges, but doable. Town is close by for ice and things. Our island had 4 other campsites on it and we barely saw or heard our neighbors."
"This lake is so peaceful and the remote islands that are only accessible by boat make this spot really special. It's a gorgeous place to get away from everything and to really connect to nature."
"Close to hiking trails, Whiteface Mt Parkway & Lake Placid. Nice, helpful staff. It is NOT wheelchair accessible. There are steep steps to the office, no grab bars in the bathrooms."
"Very large and busy campground, close to Lake Placid and other cool activities to take in. Pros- hot showers, convenient laundromat, you are guided to your site by staff on golf carts."
$20 - $40 / night
"Buck Pond is a quiet, sublime campground about 20 minutes from Paul Smiths College. The sites are sandy and our site was mostly flat. Some sites do have an uphill driveway lined with trees. "
"Our site was tucked back into some trees and you couldn't see any other sites from it. To look around, it was as if we had all of the Adirondacks to ourselves!"
$20 - $40 / night
"We spent a week here and didn't have a lakeside site, but one of the small ones on the stream. Great place to visit. If you do score a lakeside site, your views will be spectacular!"
"One side of the lake is a bit crowded and can get rowdy. This side has flush toilets and showers. There are waterfront sites here."
$18 - $40 / night
"This is a very basic campground situated in a small village in the Adirondacks – situated between Saranac Lake and Lake Placid. "
"It's an average campground, but has a really good location between Lake Placid and Saranac Lake. Our site had the standard DEC picnic table and fire pit."
"There is a hand launch for small boats/kayaks to access the pond near the entrance. Site #1 is near the entrance and near the road."
"It took me about two hours 45 minutes and well worth the drive, I first stopped at site four and fully set up my Truck tent and the rest of camp, awesome location."
"Some require driving down a bumpy access road that can be muddy after a rain. Sites are on the Pond. Pond has a small beach to swim. Tree covered sites."
$18 / night
"Only about a hour and a half from the border of Canada. This is a great home base for Lake Placid area and Whiteface Mountain. Great clean bathrooms with free hot showers."
"Great location, very close to Lake Placid and many different trails. The sites are closer together and not as much privacy in some sections, be sure to reserve to get a prime spot."
GuideWe loved camping at Crane Pond. It was a little over 3 miles to hike into the waterfront sites. There is an outhouse nearby, several campsites, fire pits, and we went for a swim in the pond. Overall great experience!
LegendThis review is for primitive backpack or paddle in camping alogn the breathtakingly beautiful Sagamore Lake. On the southwest corner of the lake is located the historic Camp Sagamore, one of the so-called Great Camps of the Adirondacks and which is now a comfortable lodge and camping retreat which hosts lifelong learning workshops on crafts and history throughout the year. If interested in visiting it, see this link: https://www.sagamore.org/
However, beyond the grounds of the Camp is the vast Blue Ridge Wilderness of the Adirondack State Forest Park which completely surround the lake. Adhacent to camp Sagamore is a parking lot for campers and hikers, which includes an outhouse, picnic table, launch for canoes or kayaks, and trailhead for hiking and backpacking. The trail encircles Sagamore lake is is about 3.8 miles long. There is primitive and dispersed camping all along the trail and and along shore and beyond as long as you practice Leave No Trace principles. This basically means no campsite amenities other than the glorious woods and lake, but you will have your pick of remote spots to pitch a tent without having to backpack for hours. The trail does attract a fair number of day use hikers or paddlers, but few campers. The trail is reasonable to tackle for beginning dispersed campers, with the added safety of being able to hike out to the Camp within a couple miles in case of emergency. Highly recommended!
LegendThis is a small rustic state forest off the beaten track, remote from but not too far from the village of Inlet in the Adirondacks. It is smaller than some of the other are forest campgrounds, and more quiet and peaceful. While in a rustic location at a distance from the main road, amenities do include picnic tables and firerings, flush toilets as well as privvies, and a trailer dump station 9but no hooksups) Sites are spacious and private and well shaded. You can paddle and fish right here, with lots of good hiking in the area. Fairly easy to get to from the Utica area, and with reasonably close access to a quaint Adirondack village, but still providing a remote expereince at the edge of the wilderness.
Note: just 3.5 miles from the campground is the very nique and special Ferd's Bog reserve. There is a floating boardwalk into the trail, under the shadow of Cascade Mountain. Myriad unique boreal plants for view by botany fans, about a 1.2 hike in and back, and easy trail access from nearby Uncas Road, more info here: https://cnyhiking.com/FerdsBogTrail.htm
LegendThis has been one of my favorite campgrounds and I have camped there many times over the last several decades. Always well maintained, but peaceful state forest campground with spacious sites, many right on the water. There is an official beach, but the water sites really have their own access for canoes and nice swimming. The water is crystal clear, sunsets magnificent, canoeing and hiking opportunities abound, and even on a "busy" summer weekend the campground is quiet and the fellow campers are low key and respectful. For a tent camper, this is an ideal location and I love it. Fire ring, even tenting spot, picnic tables, etc. There are numerous accessible campsites, a shower building, and regular restrooms as well as privvies. Small trailers can fit and their is an RV dumpstation, but this is not a campground for big rigs and hookups. The campground is a little off the beaten path and in the further reaches of the Adirondacks for most campers, and the vicinity is one of the largest and most pristine areas in the ADK wilderness. Come well supplied with groceries and camping needs as there isnt much nearby. The SUNY Forestry school maintains a Ranger school at nearby Wanakena on the west side of the lake, and a Field Biology station on the south side of the lake. Nice hiking in the area
LegendThe Golden Beach campground has two sections: one is the main campground, with the usual state forest amenities including bathrooms, showers and beach, shared with a couple hundred campsites along the east side of Racquette Lake. However, the campground also manages a string of more remotely placed campsites located along the shor of the south bay of Racquette Lake, removed from the main campground and its amenities but with much more space between sites and direct access to the lake. They also are clustered in small spurs directly accessible to Rt 28, which has pluses and minuses. For me, these quieter more rustic sites are preferable, especially with the easy access for canoeing right on the lake. Picnic table, tent site, parking spot and fire ring are all provided, right along the beautiful lake. The smallest spur has only 2 campsites, which is perfect when you want a quiet spot! Big trees, peace and quiet, beautiful Adirondack experience, also not too far from the main campground and many hiking trails in the area
GuidePretty nice campground all things considered, bathrooms are definitely rustic but kept clean. Some of the campsites are very close together, and others have a decent amount of space between them, not necessarily a lot of trees in between campsites for privacy. Beautiful views of the water, and surrounding mountains. Staff was extremely friendly!
TravelerI wish I had my bike!!! I didn’t know that this was a biking campground and there were SO MANY trails. Made the most of them with running, but overall, a fantastic campground. Showers were clean, staff was very friendly. Sites and attractions within walking distance (but busy roads to cross).
RangerWe stayed in site 33 which is in the equestrian camping area. It’s really open with little tree cover which is perfect for those who work remote using Starlink. We had fantastic connection. The sites in the equestrian camping area are huge and so clean. The bathrooms are the cleanest I’ve seen so far and we do this full time. The only disappointment was that the hot water doesn’t get very hot in the shower so you better do some jumping jacks to get pumped before showering during colder temps! The trails are well marked and well maintained. Overall, this is a fantastic campsite. There’s even a brewery a ten minute walk down the road. We didn’t go but looks nice. Get your supplies before you arrive! Not many places around to quickly grab charcoal if you need it.
GuideAlong Co 421, by Horseshoe Lake, there are 10-11 designated campsites. Most have fire pits.
Road is rough but easily doable if you take it slow.
As it’s a forest, the sites are pretty shaded, so solar and Starlink may present challenges. Slight AT&T at earlier sites.
Camping sites near Paul Smiths, New York range from waterfront locations on ponds and lakes to forest sites tucked into the hemlock groves. The region sits at elevations between 1,500-1,700 feet, contributing to temperature variations that can drop 30 degrees from day to night even in summer months. Most primitive campgrounds operate from mid-May through early October, with water access serving as a primary attraction for paddlers.
Paddling expeditions: Little Green Pond offers 12 designated camping spots with easy water access for canoeing and kayaking. "You hear the word 'pond' and you might think of a small body of water however this 'pond' is massive. It's more like a lake," notes Amanda K. about Rollins Pond Campground.
Island camping adventures: For a more remote experience, paddle to island sites at Saranac Lake Islands Adirondack Preserve Campground. "I have camped at Saranac Lake Islands for two summers in a row. The first time, my children and I had an island and the second time we had a spot on a little peninsula. It's such a gorgeous place!" shares Joanna H.
Hiking trails: Access trails directly from some campgrounds without needing to drive. At Meadowbrook Campground, "There's a trail to Scarface that leaves from the campground. Like many of the towns in the area, Saranac has a hiking challenge. Complete 6 hikes in the area and earn a patch; Scarface is one of the 6," explains Jean C.
Waterfront access: Many campers value sites directly on water. At Fish Creek Pond Campground, "The water is super shallow all along the shoreline. It's perfect for dogs, kids, and hanging out in the water. The bottom is sandy with some rocks, good to have water shoes but not essential," according to Oleńka S.
Privacy between sites: Buck Pond Campground offers more secluded sites compared to busier locations. "Sites are large enough to have an RV, a canopy, and a small tent, or several tents. There is a canoe/kayak rental at the campground as well as a beach," notes Danielle S.
Natural sounds: Campers frequently mention the peaceful sounds at night. At Rollins Pond Campground, Kristina L. appreciates "falling asleep to loons is priceless! We always have wildlife at our site. This past trip we had chipmunks, squirrels, ducks, and a crane."
Bathroom facilities vary widely: While some campgrounds offer modern facilities, primitive sites have basic amenities. At Jones Pond NYSDEC Primitive Campsites, "There are two pit toilets, both primitive, one of which did not have a door when we visited," reports Dylan J.
Site accessibility considerations: Many primitive sites require specific vehicles or hiking in. At Jones Pond, "The two track access road is rough and all dirt. Site #1 is near the entrance and near the road. It is the only site that would be accessible for larger rigs such as an RV," according to Dylan J.
Frequently Asked Questions
What outdoor activities are available in Paul Smiths, NY?
Paul Smiths offers abundant outdoor recreation opportunities throughout the year. In summer, enjoy paddling, fishing, and swimming in the region's numerous lakes and ponds. Hiking trails range from easy walks to challenging mountain climbs. Mountain biking is popular on local trails, while wildlife viewing opportunities abound. The area around Lake Durant Campground showcases spectacular fall foliage. Winter activities include cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, and ice fishing. Birch's Lakeside Campground and Marina provides boat rentals and water access for exploring the region's interconnected waterways.
Where can I find camping near Paul Smiths in the Adirondacks?
The Adirondacks around Paul Smiths offer excellent camping options. Meacham Lake Campground provides drive-in access with reservable sites that accommodate RVs. For a more secluded experience, Rollins Pond Campground near Saranac Lake features waterfront sites. Both public and private options exist, with state campgrounds typically offering more primitive settings and private campgrounds providing additional amenities. Most campgrounds in the area are open from May through October, with peak season in July and August. Many sites can be reserved in advance, though some operate on a first-come, first-served basis.
What is Paul Smiths College known for?
Paul Smiths College is renowned for its environmental and natural resource programs, particularly forestry, wildlife, and natural resource management. Located in the heart of the Adirondacks near Buck Pond Campground, the college emphasizes hands-on outdoor education with its campus situated on Lower St. Regis Lake. The college maintains a strong focus on sustainability, hospitality management, and culinary arts programs. Its unique setting provides students with immediate access to 14,000 acres of college-owned lands that serve as living laboratories for environmental studies and outdoor recreation.
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