Jones Pond 📍

Jones Pond, located in the Gabriels and Paul Smiths area within the Adirondack Park, is a scenic, shallow waterway popular for its raw wilderness feel and easy access. While the eastern shore features a few private homes, the surrounding scenery is bordered heavily by Forest Preserve.

Jones Pond is an excellent, family-friendly fishery characterized by its shallow depths and dense aquatic vegetation. 🎣

• The Habitat: The water is filled with cattails, lily pads, reeds, and grass, providing ideal cover for fish.
• Target Species: It is best known for containing large numbers of Northern Pike. It also holds healthy populations of yellow perch, brown bullhead (catfish), pumpkinseed, and bluegill sunfish.
• Angling Tips: Because of the heavy weeds, using weedless hooks and lures is highly recommended to avoid constant snagging, especially on the ultra-shallow western side. The southeastern portion of the pond is historically the most popular zone for casting.
• Winter Fishing: Jones Pond is also a highly popular winter spot for ice fishing.

There are several primitive campsites located along the pond’s northeastern shore. 🏕️

• Campsite Setup: There are primitive sites spread along a rough, dirt, two-track jeep road extending from the boat launch. There are also an additional three walk-in/foot-access primitive sites on the northwestern shore.
• Site Profiles:
  • Site #1 sits near the main entrance road and is the only space level and large enough to accommodate a small RV or trailer.
  • Sites #2, #4, and #5 sit closer to the water and are accessible by standard cars, trucks, or SUVs, with Site #4 being exceptionally large for groups.
  • Site #3 and #6 are walk-in only due to high-clearance, rough road conditions.
• Amenities: These are entirely primitive sites with stone fire rings and two rustic pit privies. There is no running water or electricity.
• Regulations: Camping is free and operates on a strict first-come, first-served basis. You can stay up to three nights without a permit; longer stays or groups of 10+ require a permit from a NYS Forest Ranger.

Jones Pond is an ideal haven for kayakers, canoeists, and paddleboarders looking for calm waters and abundant wildlife viewing. 🛶

• The Launch: A hand-launch site is located at the north end of the pond just off Jones Pond Road. It accommodates canoes, kayaks, and small watercraft with trolling motors or small outboard engines.
• Day Paddling: A paddle around the perimeter of the pond takes less than a half-day. As you float, you are highly likely to spot classic Adirondack wildlife, including loons, great blue herons, bald eagles, and beavers.
• The Jones Pond Outlet Route: For a longer trip, you can paddle to the marshy western end of the pond to enter the Jones Pond Outlet. This winding, narrow stream cuts through a deep, highly biodiverse wetland marsh and flows directly into Osgood Pond.
• Paddling Notes: Active beavers frequently build dams along the outlet stream. Depending on the water levels, kayakers should be prepared to pull over or portage around a few beaver dams or fallen logs.