mason lake

Kayaking Mason Lake, August 11

Mason Lake is located in the Adirondacks just off NY 30. It has primative camping, I camped their last night (August 10th), and also camped there on July 31.

NY 30

It’s a two hour drive from Albany, so it’s not as far north as Moose River Plains, and can be done on a Friday night. It’s fairy popular, but there is usually some of the 6 out of 12 non-lake side campsites are always avaliable, and it’s not like it’s ever crowded on the lake in a boat.

Pine Trees Reflect On Mason Lake

I paddled down to the southern end of the lake, with a stream exiting Mason Lake. This part of the Jessup River is unpassable by kayak due to many trees crossing on it.

Stream Exiting Mason Lake

It was a beautiful day at Mason Lake with puffy clouds above.

Clouds and Marsh at Mason Lake

Thru Swampy End of Mason Lake. You had to watch out for trees on the bottom that you could get hung up on.

Thru Swampy End of Mason Lake

Pond Lilly

Jessup River Road. As seen from the southern end of Mason Lake paddling around.

Jessup River Road

Great Blue Heron, standing tall on an Island on Mason Lake.

Great Blue Heron

Another Island on Mason Lake

Snowy Mountain. As seen from the middle of Mason Lake.

Snowy Mountain

Lower Blue Ridge. As seen from Mason Pond. Beyond this ridge is Moose River Plains and Cedar River Flow.

Lower Blue Ridge

Kayak Parked at the Mason Lake Parking Area, where people pull off NY 30, totally oblivious to the camp sites across the lake.

Kayak Parked

Lakeside Campsite. This was the lake campsite at Mason Lake I camped out on Tuesday night. It was pretty nice that night, although I didn’t get any pictures, because I was dead tired after driving up two hours after work.

Lakeside Campsite

Truck’s All Packed. All I have to do now is put the kayak on the roof of my truck, and head north to Cedar River Flow for the next day of camping out.

Truck's All Packed

Lake Side Parking. This by where I camped down at Mason Lake.

Lake Side Parking

The campsite I stayed at with it’s views at Mason Lake. It was real nice.

Campsite with a View

Styrofoam Canoe Blocks I Made. I cut up an old styrofoam sleeping pad, rolled it up, cut notches, and duck taped it all together. It worked well, far better then trying to let the kayak ride directly on the roof of the pickup.

Styrofoam Canoe Blocks I Made

Here is a map of the lake. 12 Campsites are located along Jessup River Road, 3 which are RV/truck accessible with water, 3 that tent sites, and about 6 nearby the water. It’s great.

Camping at Mason 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.

NY 30

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.

Mason Lake

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.

Train

Campsite on Jessup River Road

Cleaning Up Site

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.

Mason Lake

Reflection

Lillies at Jessup River

Blackwater Falls  [Expires November 7 2023]

Mason Lake in the first light of the morning.

Mason Lake

Towards Floodwood Mountain

Mason Lake Map.