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Camping on Hope Falls and Pumpkin Hollow Roads

Andy | August 17, 2011

There are several campsites a on side roads, little ways off of NY 30, as you head North from Northville towards Wells NY. These campsites are nice if you starting off into the Adirondacks, and are looking for a convenient place to camp for the night, and want campsites quieter then those on NY 8 / East Sacanadaga River.

These sites are all designated with official “Camp Here” discs.

Road	Number of Sites
Hope Falls Road	3 Vehicle 3 Tent Sites
Pumpkin Hollow Road	2 Vehicle (Between Willis Lake and Inholding) 1 Vehicle (Beyond Inholding)

Hope Falls Road.

From Northville on Hope Falls Road, you drive north and north. The paved road goes on for several miles, until you finally reach the “Seasonal Use Only” sign, and hte pavement ends it becomes a one lane road.

Click the map above to print it.

None of these campsites are particularly fancy, although there is a single outhouse for the first grouping of campsites on the southern port of the road.

All of the campsites run along Stoney Creek …

Pumpkin Hollow.

The campsites are a ways back on Pumpkin Hollow Road, a dirt road, beyond Willis Lake and the camps along it. Pumpkin hollow is a short ways south of the Sacanadaga River DEC Campground, it starts out as a paved road by a white house, then eventually a mile or two back becomes unpaved and one lane.

You can print the above map by clicking on it and printing it.

Here’s sample designated campsite on Pumpkin Hollow Road.

And Pumpkin Hollow Road…

Floodwood Loop in St Regis Canoe Area

Andy | July 19, 2011

On a nice weekend, expect many people to be joining you on the ever popular Floodwood Loop in the Saranac Lake Wild Forest. While technically not part of the Saint Regis Canoe Area, this area is considered part of series of ponds that makes up this area, and this loop is the most popular of all the canoe routes in this area.

Alternatively, take a look at this Google Map of the loop. Balloons are designed campsites, there are no charge to use these sites. Red lines are portages and other trails.

View Larger Map / Download KML

At around 10 AM I headed out. Bright sunny day, a lot of glare. None of the ponds are paticularly large.

The Fish Creek between the ponds is quite narrow, and don’t be surprised if you hit some traffic. In parts the current can be fairly swift, although one can still paddle up or down stream with relative ease, just avoid the other boats.

There is a 1/4 mile portage between Copreas Pond and Whey Pond. Despite being mostly sandy soil, with some roots, do NOT drag your kayak, if you want to avoid putting holes in it, as I learned the hard way.

There also is another short portage over a road, and through the Rollins Pond Campground, after you leave Whey Pond.

Overview of the Saint Regis Canoe Area, including other ponds and all of campsites.

And if you prefer roadside camping with a trailer or pickup truck cap, take a look at these sites.

… I hope you enjoyed these pictures and maps from the Floodwood Loop.

Mount Arab

Andy | July 1, 2011

Kayaking Little River

Andy | June 30, 2011

The Little River offers some interesting kayaking opportunities, and can be part of a roadside camping experience at Streeter Lake in Aldrich. Here is a map, you can click to expand and print up.

Kayaking Streeter Lake

Andy | June 30, 2011

Streeter Lake is a smaller pond, but offers some interesting fishing and kayaking opportunities when camping along Streeter Lake Road.

Kayaking Francis Lake

Andy | June 28, 2011

Near Number 4 is Francis Lake on Stillwater Road. It’s not the world’s largest lake, but it does offer some interesting kayaking with good views, as you paddle around this lake. There are some private inholdings along the lake, but most of the lake is pretty wild.

Click above to download the high resolution version of map for printing…

Pictures of the Trip…

Kayaking Woodhull Lake

Andy | June 27, 2011

To get to Woodhull Lake, you have to take McKeever Road from NY 28 in McKeever (1/2 mile before it crosses the Moose River, then drive back about 6 miles on a dirt truck trail known as Wolf Lake Landing Road. You put in at Wolf Lakes Landing, which is named after one of the lakes that Woodhull Lake covered when it was dammed up to form a larger lake to provide water supply to the Erie Canal.

While the road is fairly well maintained one-lane gravel truck trail, one creek crossing is a bit eroded from the rains of 2011. There are roughly 6 designated roadside campsites along the road, with minimal to no facilities that you can camp at. You can drive all but an 1/8th of a mile up to Woodhull Lake, where the road is gated off, from there you have to carry your kayak or canoe to the lake on the gravel road. Consider using wheels on your kayak to assist on this portage.

Here is a map of Woodhull Lake. Consider clicking on it, for a high-resolution map that you can print up, put in a plastic bag and use on the trip like I did. It works really well like this, and I think this map prints out to be nice and high resolution, especially if you have a color printer.