The Adirondack Mountains' Most Beloved Campground Is A Scenic Gem With Ponds Perfect For Fishing And Paddling

The Adirondacks — New York's awe-inspiring mountain getaway – are an excellent place to camp and reset. You can wake to golden sunrise views over forested hills and streams, embark on a scenic hike or lazy paddle in the afternoon, and doze off with beautiful stargazing and sounds of rustling leaves rather than the rumble of car engines. This is a typical camping vacation sequence in the Adirondacks, with stays that beckon both experienced and beginner campers. One beloved and highly-rated place — scoring above 4.5 stars on Google, Tripadvisor, and Dyrt – to pitch your tent and experience this all is the 853-acre Fish Creek Pond Campground.

At Fish Creek Pond Campground, you'll find 330 wooded campsites, including three group sites, most tucked near the sandy shoreline. "We love camping along Square Pond, nothing beats being able to just go in the lake whenever you feel like it. The sand is nice, and the views are great. Just note that everything you bring will get sandy! :)" wrote one former visitor on Google. While reviewers praise the waterfront setting, spacious layout, and generally well-maintained facilities, there are mixed views on privacy, as there are no natural barriers beyond the thick foliage, and motorboats can be noisy during the day (quiet hours run from 10 p.m. to 7 a.m.).

The campground operates seasonally, typically from mid-May to mid-October, with reservations opening up to nine months in advance through the New York state system. Summer (July and August) is the peak season, with its charms of balmy, dry weather and lingering greenery. As autumn creeps in and the crowds disperse, however, the lush forests transform into vibrant fall foliage (peak colors are usually from the last week of September to the first week of October), making this rustic stay a cozy, uncrowded fall getaway in the Adirondacks.

The interconnected waterways known as the Fish Creek Ponds offer miles of shoreline and a bay that connects to Upper Saranac Lake, making the waters fun and ideal for boating. From camp, paddlers can hit the water on the 8.8-mile Fish Creek Ponds Paddle Route (rated 4.9 on AllTrails), which winds through connected ponds such as Little Square and Floodwood before looping back. All reservoirs have different horsepower limits, so this route is best for paddlers and other non-motorized boaters. Adrenaline junkies can instead get their fix at the campgrounds' three reservoirs (around which the sites are tucked), with jet-skiing and waterboarding allowed. Paddlers, look out for power cruisers here.

An array of different water bodies around you also means you'll get to catch a variety of fish species. At Fish Creek and Rollins Pond (another reservoir nearby, reached via trails and roads from the campgrounds), common catches include bass, northern pike, yellow perch, and brown bullhead. Upper Saranac Lake is known for Atlantic salmon, while fishers prowl for trout at Black and Whey Ponds. Make sure you grab your New York state fishing license before setting your rods, as these are not available on-site.

If you want to explore terrestrially, there are hiking and biking trails, too. An easy hike — the 4.5-mile Fish Creek Loop – lets you encircle the entire pond on a paved path and offers great vantage points to admire the panoramas. For a ramble through the Adirondacks' wilds, go on the 10.7-mile Otter Hollow loop path that rewards hikers with a mix of wooded and waterfront sections. You're also only 10 minutes away from a Panther Mountain — a short but steep Adirondack hike with sweeping views from a breathtaking summit – slated as the region's best trail.

The campsites at Fish Creek Pond Campground accommodate both tents and RVs up to 40 feet in length. As of this writing, nightly rates cost $22 for New York residents, with an additional $5 for nonresidents. Each site includes a picnic table and fire ring, while campground amenities include several parking areas, playgrounds, a swimming beach, one shower building, a boat launch, a fishing pier, and multiple spaced-out toilets that visitors appreciate. "I was surprised by the number of bathrooms, you'll never be far from one while camping here," wrote one Dyrt camper.

As with any camping trip, you'll want to pack essentials such as bug spray, headlamps, toiletries — and of course, marshmallows. Still, the on-site Trading Post near the entrance stocks many of your usual supplies like firewood, kitchen utensils, fishing gear, as well as food items such as coffee, sandwiches, subs, beer, and ice cream. It also sells gas. "Well stocked with fresh meats,deli and house made salads all complimented [sic] by the friendliest staff," penned one Google reviewer who gave the store a 5-star rating.

Travelers arriving by road from NYC will drive for 5 hours to reach this accommodation, while Syracuse (an affordable vacation city that's a food and art paradise) is 3.5 hours away by road. Those on a time crunch can also fly into the Adirondack Regional Airport (only 11 miles from your stay), which offers at least one direct flight each day from NYC and Boston, Massachusetts.