It's all about secluded fishing here! Drop a line and have fun.

Getting there

From Newcomb follow Route 28N west toward Long Lake. Continue for around 9.5 miles to the access site on the right. Look for a DEC sign. Follow this short gravel road down to the parking lot.

Fishing

There is very little shoreline fishing available here. The easement only allows for a boat launch to the flow and at the launch there is very little access for decent casting. The shore of the flow is not open to the public. However, by boat you can access Fishing Brook that feeds into and out of the flow where you can fish from shore, but you need to remain within 33 feet of the shore of the brook. All non-motorized uses allowed. Electric motors are permitted.

Fish species types: brook trout, bullhead

Special Regulations: No shore access from County Line Flow, stay within 33 feet of Fishing Brook when fishing from shore.

Special notes

PLEASE RESPECT PRIVATE PROPERTY.

• Do not go ashore on County Line Flow.
• Stay within 33 feet of Fishing Brook
• NO HUNTING OR TRAPPING.

Always follow State fishing regulations and be sure to pick up a NYS Freshwater Fishing Guide at your local outfitters or regional NYSDEC office.

Paddling

The carry is an easy one as it is all downhill. It is a carry of only around 200' so a cart would not be necessary. The launch area is still fairly new and opened by the DEC under a conservation easement with the land owners. The pond is long and somewhat narrow, allowing for excellent wind protection, but it can still get a bit choppy during bad weather. Small bays and narrows on the NW end of the pond are a nice place to check out. You can proceed up and down Fishing Brook a little bit if the conditions are right.

Well sheltered and calm, there may be small motors on the small pond as it is essentially a private pond with public access. There is no access to shore from the pond other than the launch site.

There is a slight incline to this hike but it's very pretty and a relaxing hike. The pond gets its name from an early pioneer named Timothy Challis. 

Key takeaways

• Distance: 1.3 miles round trip
• Elevation gain: 260 feet

Hiking

The trail traverses a hemlock and cedar forest. This is a very enjoyable just over half-mile hike to a pond; it's easy to fall in love with. With minimal effort and only a slight climb, the trail passes a small, attractive waterfall before it reaches the north end of Challis Pond.

Fishing

Challis Pond offers early-season anglers brook trout. Reclaimed in 1992, the Little Tupper Lake Strain of brook trout were then stocked in this 15-acre pond. Remember that trout fishing is best when the water temperatures are cool – ice out to mid-May and then again in mid-September until the close of the season. Because this is a reclaimed pond, the use or possession of baitfish is prohibited here.

Paddling

The hardest part of this paddle destination is reaching it, and that isn’t all that difficult with a lightweight boat. The portage to the pond is slightly uphill but the footing is pretty good in reaching this small backcountry jewel. It will be a 0.6 mile carry to the pond. The water is calm and well protected. There is no official launch, but anywhere along the shore can be used.

How to get there

From Exit 29 off of Interstate 87, follow Blue Ridge Road toward North Hudson and take a left onto Route 9 and to follow it north. Continue for 2.5 miles and turn right on Caza Turn Road, then take the next right onto Ensign Pond Road. Follow Ensign Pond Road for around 2.5 miles to the trailhead on the right. There is limited parking and a fairly obscure trail, with only a small sign marking it.

Oliver Pond is a quiet body of water where the fish are plentiful and the wildlife is abundant.

How to get there

South of Schroon Lake on Route 9, turn right onto Hoffman Road (County Road 24). Follow this for 8 miles to parking on the right.

Paddling

There is a short carry to the water, but once there, you'll find perfect flatwater for paddling. It's only 44.5 acres, so get ready for small pond paddling and solitude. There are also two primitive campsites accessible via a short paddle.

Fishing

Fishing from a canoe or kayak is the best option here. The pond contains brook trout. Use or possession of baitfish is prohibited.

Wolf Pond is a gorgeous, 59-acre pond with a lean-to and shoreline views that include some of the High Peaks. The trail follows Wolf Pond Brook all the way to Wolf Pond, but since it steers clear of the marshy woods that line the stream’s western bank the brook is out of sight for more than half the trail.

How to get there

The trail to Wolf Pond starts on Blue Ridge Road, about 10 miles west of Exit 29 (Route I-87) and about 14 miles east of Newcomb. The large parking area is on the right if you’re coming from the highway.

By the numbers

It’s 2.3 miles to the pond with minimal elevation gain

Hiking

Leaving the parking area, the trail follows Wolf Pond Brook and soon crosses it on a wooden bridge. The trail gains a little elevation and continues to follow the brook, sometimes at a distance and sometimes along the bank, before finally swinging left and away from it to avoid the marshy area. Some ups and downs follow with the path gaining some elevation in spots, but those sections are brief and things never get too steep. Wolf Pond comes into view on the left at the 2.3 mile mark. There’s a lean-to that’s set back from the shore and a trail that follows the pond’s shore for stunning views of the mountains.

Fishing

This pond is stocked with native strain brook trout.

Camping

There is a new lean-to along the trail, near the pond.

Views of the High Peaks dominate the scene from the shore of Boreas Ponds, the 320-acre waterbody for which this region is named. LaBier Flow, Boreas River, LeClaire Brook, Casey Brook, Slide Brook, and White Lily Brook can also be found on this tract.

This tract is one of the newer additions to the Adirondack Park Forest Preserve and the NYSDEC is in the process of adding new features, so keep up to date on the latest information.

Getting there

Gulf Brook Road is the main route to Boreas Ponds. It's located off Blue Ridge Road, about 16.5 miles east of Newcomb and about 7 miles west of Exit 29 on I-87. Visitors are permitted to drive on Gulf Brook Road, and if paddling you'll want to park at the Four-Corners parking area, which is 500 feet beyond LaBier Flow access, and just under a mile walk to Boreas Ponds. 

Hiking, snowshoeing, and cross-country skiing

Gulf Brook Road is currently the main route to Boreas Ponds, and the only other "trails" in the area are overgrown and difficult to navigate.

Hikers can park at the first lot to walk the entire 6.7 mile Gulf Brook Road to reach Boreas Ponds, or they can park at one of the other three lots along the road to shorten the trip. The road travels through a dense, young forest for most of its length and doesn't really get scenic until it reaches LaBier Flow, a mile or so from Boreas Ponds. Shortly after that is a four-way intersection — take a right to pass another view of LaBier Flow before reaching the shore of Boreas Ponds. In the winter, you will have to ski or snowshoe the entire length of the road.

Paddling

In low water, the best option is to do the walk from Four Corners parking area to Boreas Ponds, instead of putting in at LaBier. Once on Boreas Ponds, you can make your way northeast through the main parts of the ponds and into the Boreas River, where depending on the water level it can be quite navigable and scenic.

Cycling

Bicycling is permitted along Gulf Brook Road, from Blue Ridge Road to Boreas Ponds Dam. Bikes are not allowed past the dam. The Handlebarley, an annually-organized social gravel bike ride, includes stopping at Boreas Ponds. 

Fishing, hunting, and trapping

Boreas Ponds is open to fishing, hunting, and trapping.

The well-named Fishing Brook is in a lovely area which is mostly wild. The brook trout fishing is so good you might want to keep it a secret.

How to get there

Start at the three corners in Long Lake drive toward Newcomb on Route 28N. Continue to where Fishing Brook goes under the road and immediately look for a dirt drive on the right, after you cross. There is a bridge and dam here creating a small pond upstream.

Fishing

Shoreline fishing is very good here, up and downstream. The small pond that has been created upstream from the small dam makes for some fantastic brook trout fishing. Heading downstream the fish are much smaller and harder to catch, but that doesn't stop it from being a popular spot.

Anglers can fish here but must stay within 33-feet of the Public Fishing Rights corridor. See map here.

From the DEC website: "Paddling is allowed on Fishing Brook and County Line Flow. Launch onto Fishing Brook at the Pickwickett Pond Road Hand Launch and paddle 0.9 mile downstream to County Line Flow. Canoes and kayaks may be launched or retrieved at the hand launch on County Line Flow. Traveling upstream on Fishing Brook is not advisable in low water. NOTE: Fishing Brook and County Line Flow are on Township 20 Easement Lands. The lands are privately owned with limited public access rights. The public is permitted to access the banks of Fishing Brook but not the shoreline of County Line Flow. Please respect private property. Do not trespass on private lands or camps."

Loons, mink, pine marten, otter, moose, beaver, deer, and red fox are just some of the wildlife that you may encounter at the lake. Lake Harris and Rich Lake is beautiful gems in the Adirondack Hub!

How to get there

To get to Lake Harris launch from Overlook Park in Newcomb, head west on Route 28N toward Long Lake. After 2.5 miles, turn right onto Beach Road and the launch is on the right.

Paddling

Lake Harris does have motorboats, but it's an absolutely beautiful lake to paddle. Connecting to Lake Harris is Rich Lake, on Adirondack Interpretive Center property. Belden Lake separates Lake Harris and Rich Lake. Paddling from one lake to the other requires portages, but all are less than 300 yards. Along the way you'll see many historical landmarks!

Fishing

Popular fish species here are: smallmouth bass, northern pike, yellow perch, brown bullhead, and pumpkinseed.

Ice Fishing

Lake Harris now supports a self-sustaining population of walleye after being experimentally stocked from 2004 until 2008. Also known for its quality panfishing.

Species: Northern pike, yellow perch, walleye.

This is a remarkable hike in a truly unique area!

Getting there

To get here from the intersection of Route 9 and Hoffman Road in Schroon Lake, follow Hoffman Road (CR24). Continue on CR24, which eventually turns into Irishtown Road. Take a right onto O’Neill Road just over 11 miles from Route 9 and a left onto Longs Hill Road (CR24A). This will bring you to Route 28N in Minerva in roughly 2 miles. Take a right onto Route 28N for 2.5 miles to Northwoods Club Road on the left. Follow Northwoods Club Road for 6.5 miles to the Blue Ridge Trailhead parking on the right. 

Key statistics

• Distance: 4.8 miles round trip
• Elevation gain: 575 feet

Hiking

Blue Ledges extends 2.4 miles from the trailhead to the rock ledges on the northern rim of the Hudson Gorge. Follow the trail around the east end of Huntley Pond. Look for the blue DEC markers. At the river there is a small sandy place for wading and viewing. At the end of the trail are cliffs known as the Blue Ledges. There are many boulders at this right angle bend which put on a fine show, depending on water levels.

Snowshoeing

This is an easy, well-marked trail and recommended for snowshoeing! It is a wonderful snowshoe destination, mainly because it freezes up the wet early stages of the trail as you pass by Huntley Pond. You won’t have to worry about any major icy conditions on this one, as the trail never gets too steep. The ice formations on the cliffs and in the Hudson River are quite interesting. As a reminder: snowshoeing is a beloved winter past time; it can provide access to areas not seen by most in the summer. Since the Hudson is a swift moving river, we do not recommend that you step onto the ice that forms on the river. It is a dangerous activity to cross frozen water bodies.

Fishing

At this location the Hudson River will require an easy to moderate hike of 2.5 miles each way to reach it. Once at the river, the fishing is quite good and you can work your way up and down the beach areas to access eddies, flat calm waters, and rapids. The shore is lined and dotted with boulders that work perfectly as platforms to fish from. This is also a great area for fly fishing. The pool at the base of the ledges is quite deep, allowing you to fish the cooler waters as well.  

Fish species types: brook trout, brown trout, rainbow trout 

Special regulations: Always follow state fishing regulations and be sure to pick up a NYS Freshwater Fishing Guide at your local outfitters or regional NYSDEC office. 

Horseshoe Pond is easy access and not far from the road, making it a great destination for little fishermen and women!

Getting there

Shoreline fishing is accessible off Horseshoe Pond Road.

Fishing

It's not a far walk from your vehicle, which is nice for youngsters fishing from shore. Yellow perch and pumpkinseed are the "big catches" here.