TO ADIRONDACK CANOE ROUTES

1. Meacham Lake is a pleasant wilderness pond on the East side of Route 30.  It has a State campsite and is 30 miles north of Tupper Lake. Use the Meacham Lake Quad.  MAP

2. The Saranac River, flowing from Lower Saranac Lake, south across Route 3 at the State launch site, offers both placid and narrow, rocky stretches on its way downstream to Oseetah Lake and Lake Flower in the Village of Saranac Lake. It also passes through a State lock (charge $3.00). A popular trip is from the launch site on Route 3, south and east to the village launch site above the dam. Use the Saranac Lake Quad.  MAP

3. Upper Saranac Lake is accessible at its lower, northern, end by a launch site at the Saranac Inn off Route 30. Travel south through Upper Saranac Lake. Near its south end turn east to the portage at the outlet to Middle Saranac Lake. Most of the shoreline is privately owned, but State campsites are available on several islands in Middle Saranac Lake. You may take out through South Creek or continue on downstream through Lower Saranac Lake to the State launch site. (See #2 above) Saranac Lake Quad.   MAP

4. Middle Saranac Lake, a favorite with boat campers, is best reached through the South Creek launch site, 6 miles east of the junction of Routes 3 and 30. At South Creek’s mouth keep right to leave the lake downstream via a State hand-operated lock to Lower Saranac Lake. You may wish to cross the lake, northerly, to enjoy the scenery and fishing at Weller and Little Weller Ponds through Hungry Bay. Saranac Lake Quad  MAP

5. Pine Pond, a spring-fed and State-owned water body, is accessible via Oseetah Lake from either Route 3 or Saranac Lake Village launch sites. Its access is in the southwest corner of Oseetah and requires a level ¼ mile carry to the pond. Saranac Lake Quad  Map MAP

6. Follensby Clear Pond, with islands available for camping, has a parking lot on the west side of Route 30 two miles north of the Routes 3&30 junction. It is part of the St. Regis Canoe Area which offers miles of waterways with frequent short portages. St. Regis Quad

7. Moose Pond, State-owned with a launch area, is northeast of Saranac Lake Village. Take Route 3 to Bloomingdale. Just after the sharp right turn in Bloomingdale, and just beyond the Woodruff Lumber Co. sign, Route 3 crosses a stream. Take the right turn immediately after the stream, and travel 2 miles to another right turn. Cross a narrow bridge over the Saranac River and continue to Moose Pond. Saranac Lake Quad

8. Lake Colby is a large pond located on the north side of Saranac Lake Village, on Route 86 across from the Adirondack Medical Center. It has a Village beach and a boat ramp. Saranac Lake Quad

9. The St. Regis Canoe area contains a maze of lakes and ponds connected by streams and portages. One very interesting trip leaves from Paul Smiths College dock, off Route 30, across lower St. Regis Lake to the outlet. Portage to the left at the dam along a paved road near the old Keese mill. (This leads to the St. Regis Mountain Fire Tower and the entrance to the Marjorie Merriweather Post Estate. ) The portage is very tricky! Less than ¼ mile down this road is an uphill track on the left which may be marked by a sign "Peter’s Point" Follow the track to the hilltop, take a right on a footpath and keep left (only a hundred feet in all) to a crude dock on a pond less than two acres in area.Paddle across to a lean-to, walk uphill behind it and there is the North Bay of Upper St. Regis Lake. This is a beautiful paddle...follow the J-shaped lake southeast past impressive "cottages" with stone boathouses, circa 1880-1910. You may see sailboats of the St. Regis Class, similar to the one on display at the Adirondack Museum. On the left shore (on the base of the "J") - watch closely - there are two buoys marking a narrow channel. It leads to Spitfire Lake and then to Lower St. Regis Lake and your destination at Paul Smith’s College. Note an interesting plaque on Rabbit Island at the entrance to Spitfire Lake! Use the St. Regis Quad.