The Betty Brook Campsite remains one of my favorite in NY State, especially because it’s a quick hour drive from downtown Albany out there, over the Thruway and the Warren Andersen Expressway. It almost never disappoints, and it was a great night.
Morning Sun. The valley being so deep around Betty Brook the sun sets early, and rises late this time of year. Looking at the sun through the trees, a little after 9 AM.
Betty Brook Road. Just looking at this road brings me home, back to my favorite camping area.
The Campsite. And yes, I of course have my trademark Christmas lights that I always use for ambiance.
I headed from here, in my truck, up to explore the Mallet Pond State Forest-area just to the north. I probably will camp up at Rossman Pond the next time I am here, because the pond is so pretty and I can paddle around with my kayak there.
Here is a map of the Betty Brook Campsites. There is a larger one to the south, but I generally prefer the one to the north, as its smaller and the firepit and stone table is much nicer.
I can set my alarm clock to an early hour, and get going at an early morning. Yet, I can’t get moving fast in the morning. I am a slow poke, always delaying, and puttering around, as the time moves along on the clock. It’s simply not possible for me to rush and get ready most days.
I like to get up early to go hiking. I don’t like to waste the whole day in bed on the weekends. I have to get to work on time. Yet, to do that I always have to get up extra early in the morning, because I’m just so darn slow.
I set my alarm clock extra early, and get going earlier. Yet, it still takes me 1 1/2 to 2 hours to get going, as I often reset the alarm clock, drink several cups off coffee, take much too long in the shower, and just poke around. I wish was I faster, but I guess there isn’t much I can do about it.
Mountain Pond is located about 2 miles North of Paul Smiths College on an old routing of NY 30. It is a mile long, has catch and release fishing, and good place for some solitude and flat water paddling. It is in Debar Mountain Wild Forest, with 2 large campsites on the pond, 3 smaller ones on or near the pond, and 10 other along Mountain Pond Road. It’s little used due to it’s remote location, and easy to even get one of the large sites on the lake on the weekends.
Paddling. Just paddling along Mountain Pond in the kayak.
Tall Pine. Lining the edge of Mountain Pond, as I ride around in the kayak.
Towards Jenkins Mountain. The last hill that makes up Jenkins Mountain is where Mountain Pond gets it’s name from.
From Southern End of Mountain Pond. This is looking from Campsite 1 at the Southern End of Mountain Pond, looking North. Old NY 30 winds right along the shore of NY 30, the New Routing is about a 1/2 mile away for NY 30.
Campsite No 1. This is campsite No 1 at Mountain Pond. It was never used on the Saturday Night I was there, but it looks nice, if not a bit small.
View from Campsite 1. Here my kayak is parked at Campsite 1, where I got out for a stretch. Looking south at this rather spectacular looking lake on a great day. The lake winds back and forth, for about a mile.
Along Edge of Pond. This is looking at the eastern, more mountainess shore of Mountain Pond.
Central Part of Lake. On the left is the western shore, by where NY 30 runs. It is a beautiful, if not humongous lake with lots of shoreline and bys.
Many Downed Trees. There where many downed trees that had fallen into the lake, from the often steep eastern edge of mountain pond. Campsites are on the other side of the lake, and they all where in good shape.
Northeastern Bay. Here is an Northeastern Bay at Mountain Pond. Not as pretty as farther south with the steep rock ledges against the lake, but still a classic Adirondack Lake.
Loons. While this picture is somewhat in shadow, there where loons on Mountain Pond. They were not all that noisy, compared to Polliwog Pond or especially Mason Pond, where they howled quite bit more in the evening.
Mountain. This is the Mountain at Mountain Pond. It’s not much more then a hill, because Jenkins Mountain has largely petered out before reaching here, but it’s still a lot higher then surrounding elevation.
Campsites No 4 and No 5. As I had previously noted, Campsites 4 and 5 where pretty close to one an another. Nobody ended up staying at No 5, although somebody parked there for a while to go paddling.
Treeline. This is the tree line towards the top of Mountain Pond, on this rather beautiful day for sure.
Campsite No 4. This was taken from the lake. It was great to be right on the lake, at this very remote Adirondack Pond.
Mountain Pond is located about 2 miles North of Paul Smiths College on an old routing of NY 30. It is in Debar Mountain Wild Forest, with 2 large campsites on the pond, 3 smaller ones on or near the pond, and 10 other along Mountain Pond Road. It’s little used due to it’s remote location, and easy to even get one of the large sites on the lake on the weekends.
Old NY 30 Signs. Along Mountain Pond Road/Old NY 30, you can see the road signs dating back to the 1960s or maybe even earlier, prior to modern alignment of NY 30.
Campsite 4. Here is the view of Campsite 4 from Old NY 30/Mountain View Road and down by the lake. A nice campsite, big, roomy, and private, although the much smaller Campsites 5 is fairly close.
Making Up Blueberry Cake Mix. Here I’m the Blueberry Cake Mix, and getting ready to add the Blueberries I picked up at Moose River Plains. Should be real good.
Baking in Dutch Oven. That sure smells good, doesn’t it. I put the pan that the mix was in dutch oven up on rocks, so it didn’t burn the bottom of the cake, and made sure to add adequate coals to the top to keep things cooking evenly.
Mountain Pond in the Evening.
First Rays of Sunshine. I purposefully picked this campsite, and parked my truck so that the first rays of the sun, would come through the truck cap, and wake me up around the crack of down (around 6:35 AM this time of year).
Getting Out and Stretch. That’s my rig with all the messy camping gear and sleeping stuff around, as I first awake in the morning.
Sunshine. Sparkling on the pond, first thing in the morning. Real purty.
Ropes. These are the ropes and bungee cords I use to secure the kayak on the roof. Seems to work well on the kayak blocks.
Gear All Packed Up. Now just to get the kayak up on the roof.
Buying Firewood. There is this great place for campfire wood on Cedar River Plains Road, about 8 miles in. You get a lot of wood for $5.
Cab Full of Firewood. The seat and floor boards where stacked with firewood. It kept me going for the next 4 days, although I really didn’t have big fires until the last day when I was up at Mountain Pond. That may have violated DEC firewood regulations, at moving the wood 60 miles, but too bad. It’s my wood.
Wild Blueberry Fields. I decided I wanted to drive up there from Cedar River Flow, to eat some, because I knew they would be in peak. This is an hour away (or 15 miles away at 15 MPH), up in the sandy plains of Moose River Plains from Cedar River Flow. These are some of the best blueberry fields in the Adirondacks, and despite being in season for three weeks and very popular, still have many berries to pick.
Blueberries. All I can say is delicious. And so numerous, as you look around all you see is blueberries.
Helldiver Pond in Evening . Watching the sun set over Mitchell Ponds Mountain.
Moose River Plains Road After Dark. It’s an interesting road to drive after dark, being so narrow, twisty, and rough, especially after drinking all day.
Camping at Site 8. This is down by the Wakely Dam. The prior day I spent paddling around Cedar River Flow and up the river a ways.
Picnic Table. I have yet to pick up my gear. It took a while to figure out which trees to use to set up the site, but ultimately with the steel poles, I got it set up.
Kayak Tying Down Tarp. I couldn’t quite figure out how to keep the tarp tied down. I tried to use a wood stake, but it kept pulling out of the ground. The kayak worked well for this purpose.
Packed Up and Ready To Go. See I’m all packed up and ready to go. Kayak is on the roof, and the site is all cleaned up. I don’t leave a mess or do ny kind of damage to site. Anything unburnt in the fire pit, I haul out.
Heading Across Wakely Dam. It certainly is not a real pretty morning out there. So be it.
Cedar River Flow Campsite No 8. It’s a pretty descent basic little campsite. Now off to Owls Head Mountain Firetower.
Horseshoe Lake is located on South Eastern Saint Lawrence County, on a dead end state highway, NY 421, a spur from NY 30 South of Tupper Lake. It offers 6 campsites scattered along the lake, with 6 others on nearby roads. It is also near the Bog River Flow Canoe/Kayak Area. Don’t expect to get a campsite on the lake in the afternoon, but the sites along the truck trail are rarely used.
Six Miles to Horseshoe Lake. This is the turn off for NY 421, one of the strangest state highways in the state. It is a dead ended highway, that leads to gravel roads around Horseshoe Lake and Bog River Flow. It is very twisty and narrow, and portions have not been resurfaced in over 50 years.
After The Pavement Runs Out. About a two miles from the paved end of NY 421, I camped. This is first thing in the morning, with the sun shining down from the wetlands near where I camped.
Campsite No 9. This is Campsite No 9 at Horseshoe Lake, on an Unnamed Adirondack Park Road, about two miles from the end of NY 421/Paved. I could not get site on the lake, arriving at 5 PM at night, but it’s still a nice campsite. This area of Saint Lawrence County is so remote, only 2 big pickup trucks, and logging truck passed by in the 12 or so hours I was there.
Not Fancy Campsite. By no means was Campsite No 9 on the Unnamed Road, particularly fancy. But it provided a place to camp, and was a three minute drive down to the lake. I could have gotten a spot on Horseshoe Lake most likely had I arrived in the morning, as it seemed like campsites tended to clear out in the morning.
Road Crosses Railroad Tracks. This is where the weird hair-pin turn appears on maps at the end of NY 421. I’m not sure why it follows this route, as the terrain is flat, but maybe at one time there was an inholding or private home located in here.
Horseshoe Lake in Morning. Heading swimming in a couple of minutes. The water was real nice.
Cowboy Hat, Swimming Trunks, Work Boots. Not that you could get the total picture from this image. But the cowboy hat and work boots came off before the dip. A real country boy thing.
Unnamed Dirt Road. This is the road that goes from Horseshoe Lake to Mount Arab / Piercefield.
Wetlands Along Horseshoe Lake. This is about a mile after the pavement runs out on NY 421, just after the Bog River Flow / Lower Lows Dam Road turn-off
Here is a map of where I camped, on the truck trail, west of Horseshoe Lake.
There are 12 primitive campsites on or around Mason Lake, right south of the intersection of NY 30 and Jessup Lake Road, along with a scattering of designated sites in International Paper Easement. I camped there on the night of July 31st of this year. There is no firewood locally, you’ll have to buy some and haul it on the site.
Click to download high resolution map for printing. Be aware I added these campsites, and the Unit Plan calls for changes in the layout of campsites, so the site locations may have changed.
The campsites on Mason Lake are fairly popular, and if you want one lake, you will have to get there early.
Otherwise, the sites off the lake and nearby lake are often open, and the scattered designated sites throughout Perkins Clearing are rarely used. I hiked Pillsbury Mountain in the morning, and didn’t arrive until evening, so I had this site across Jessup River Road, a short walk to the lake.
Mason Lake in afternoon has some amazing reflections, of Floodwood Mountain. It’s not perfectly quiet, due to several campsites around, and the noise from NY 30’s traffic, but it is the closest free camping area on NY 30, just being North of Spectulator.
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