Fish Creek Pond Loop (Adirondack Park) in New York - Extended Trip Report

Trip Overview

May 5, 2008 - Arrive Fish Creek Pond Campground

Following our long weekend canoe camping trip to St. Regis Canoe Wilderness, Nancy and I loaded up and headed over to Fish Creek Ponds campground. We scoped out the shower facilities, however they were still closed. We then went over to our campsite and offloaded our tents and a few other bags and washed up in the restrooms. We then drove over to McKenzie's Grill in Lake Saranac for some lunch and also checked out Adirondack Outfitters in town.

Upon our return I set up my tent and then went fishing. I caught a few yellow perch and sunnies. I cooked up some spaghetti for dinner and then took a drive to Tupper Lake for some bait. Upon my return I did a little bit more fishing while Nancy paddled on the lake in the dark. Nancy mentioned a meteor shower and went to bed, I soon saw a few fall and gave her a shout so she could see them. After a bit more fishing and meteor viewing, I too turned in for the night.

May 6,2008 Paddle Fish Creek Pond Loop
I was up early again. I cooked Nancy and I some eggs and sausage with V8 once she awoke.

Nancy and I were to paddle up to Square Pond together however she wasn't up to it, so I paddled the Fish Creek loop solo (a 10.5 mile loop). I paddled from Fish Creek Ponds, up Fish Creek to Copperas Pond.

From Copperas Pond, I portaged to Whey Pond, crossed the pond and then portaged to Rollins Pond. Rollins Pond was windy so I paddled on the eastern (leeward) side of the pond as I headed north to Floodwood Pond.

I took the small connecting stream over to Floodwood Pond (where there are a few cabins along the lakeside), and then continued across the pond until I spied a nice campsite along the banks where I took a rest and cheese-it snack.

After my short break I paddled east to the access stream to Square Pond and Fish Creek. This stream was very beautiful and there was a few mergansers hanging out on its banks as I paddled down towards Square Pond.

I was soon on Square Pond, where the whitecaps ruled. I took a few minutes to ponder my fate and then headed downstream towards the campsites, sticking the leeward side as much as possible. While paddling back on Fish Creek a small beaver smacked his tail and swam under me and a falcon flew overhead.

I arrived to Fish Creek Ponds and it was extremely windy there too. I was rounding the peninsula when I spied Nancy, who told me that I should probably take out and portage to the campsite. I did.

Nancy had had enough outdoor adventures this week so I took her to the Best Western in Saranac Lake. After I dropped her off I went over to St. Regis Canoe Outfitters in town.

As I headed back towards camp, I decided to take a backwoods drive on Floodwood Road to mark put-ins. I gathered about 10 put-ins and then returned to my campsite.

Once at the campsite, I put my canoe on the car and then headed over to a put in on the Racquette River approximately 8 miles away. After a near swim at launch (deep and squirrelly), I paddled upstream for about an hour and a half. I checked out some side channels, and paddled near some large rocky cliffs with whirlpools in the river. I turned around shortly afterwards as the sun was starting to go down and I arrived at the ramp as the sun was setting.

Once I loaded up, I drove over to Tupper Lake and grabbed some grub and returned to the campsite for my last night out.

May 7, 2008 Return to Pennsylvania
Upon waking up (early), I cooked up some water, washed up and headed over to Saranac Lake to check out the town and get some breakfast. I picked up Nancy at the hotel around 10am and then we headed back home via the High Peaks. We stopped to admire a few vistas, take a hike up to Cascade Falls and take some photos of snowy peaks and old barns.

The Adirondacks were beautiful again this year. Any later and we would have had some serious bug (black fly) issues. Weather was spotty, but hey what can you do. I am definitely planning on returning again next year and paddling some other local ponds, lakes and rivers.

Outfitting:

Bell Canoe Works Yellowstone Solo


Necky Zoar Sport

Fees:

Fee for camping at www.dec.ny.gov/outdoor/24466.html is $20.00 per day.

Directions:

From the Northway (I-87) northbound: Exit 30 Route 9 north to Rte. 73 north to Lake Placid. Route 86 north through Saranac Lake to Rte. 186 west to Rte. 30 south. 9 miles to Fish Creek Pond.

From the Northway (I-87) southbound: Exit 38, Rte. 374 west to Rte. 3 west to Saranac Lake. From Saranac Lake follow directions above.

From I-81: Exit 48, Rte. 342 east to Rte. 3 & 30, then Rte. 30 north to Fish Creek Pond.

Resources:

New York Atlas and Gazetteer by Delorme


"AMC Quiet Water Canoe Guide: New York" by Alex Wilson and John Hayes