Saranac Lake Islands Campground - Campsite #3

- Adirondack Park, Lake Clear, NY 12945

For lifelong residents of New York State, the Adirondack Park is a beloved and essential natural treasure, and the Saranac Lake Islands Campground offers one of its most authentic and sought-after experiences. This is not your typical drive-up campground; it is a unique, state-operated facility managed by the Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) that specializes in primitive, water-access-only camping. With 87 individual campsites scattered across various islands and shorelines of Lower and Middle Saranac Lakes, it promises unparalleled privacy and a true sense of escape into the wilderness.

The experience begins with your boat, whether it's a canoe, kayak, or motorboat, as every single site requires water access—a defining feature that filters out casual campers and attracts those New Yorkers who truly crave seclusion. Campsite #3, located within this network, represents an opportunity to secure a personal slice of the Adirondacks' stunning natural beauty. Each site is designed to be spacious and well-separated from neighbors, often making you feel as though you have an entire island to yourself. Visitors often describe the atmosphere as one of "incredible serenity" and "rustic tranquility," an ideal antidote to the hustle and bustle of downstate or urban living. This destination is the pinnacle of Adirondack boat camping, requiring preparation but rewarding campers with an unmatched wilderness connection.

The Saranac Lake Islands Campground is officially located within the vast Adirondack Park, near Lake Clear, NY 12945, USA. However, the exact location of Campsite #3 is on the water, typically on one of the many islands or mainland peninsulas of the Lower Saranac Lake, a crucial part of the Saranac Chain of Lakes.

Accessibility is the defining element of this campground:

• Water Access Only: There is no road access directly to any of the campsites. Campers must register at a mainland location (often the Second Pond State Boat Launch, which is wheelchair accessible and located off State Route 3 near the campground office) and then use their own watercraft to reach their assigned island or shoreline site.
• Convenient Parking for Local Users: While parking at the boat launch can be limited, New York State residents benefit from the proximity to the Village of Saranac Lake. Campers may be instructed to use municipal parking lots in the village for long-term vehicle storage, which is only a short drive from the boat launch.
• Gateway to the Tri-Lakes Region: The campground is situated near the Tri-Lakes region, offering easy boat travel to Middle and Upper Saranac Lakes (via the historic locks) and quick car access to the amenities and attractions of Saranac Lake Village, Lake Placid, and Tupper Lake.

For New Yorkers, this location is a perfect wilderness anchor point, offering the deep-woods experience of the Adirondacks while still being connected to necessary town services for re-supplying.

• Campsite Registration and Permits: Official check-in and permit issuance are handled at the main launch site by DEC staff, with reservations being highly recommended and available up to nine months in advance via the New York State Parks reservation system.
• Basic Site Amenities: Every campsite, including Campsite #3, is minimally equipped for primitive camping, featuring a fire ring or fireplace and a picnic table.
• Sanitation Facilities: Each individual site is furnished with a primitive outhouse or composting toilet. It is important to note that all camping is "primitive," and there are no hot showers on the islands (the nearest are typically at nearby DEC campgrounds like Fish Creek Pond).
• Firewood Sales: Firewood is generally available for purchase at the main boat launch/registration area to help campers comply with regulations against transporting firewood and cutting down trees.
• Boat Launch Access: The campground maintains boat launch facilities at the mainland, often at Second Pond, with paved ramps and docks for easy loading and unloading of gear and watercraft.
• Recycling: While sites are carry-in/carry-out, a recycling center is available for refuse disposal at other DEC campgrounds—show your camping permit for access.

• Exceptional Privacy and Space: This is the premier highlight. The sites are large and well-separated, often nestled among trees or on their own small islands, providing a truly private wilderness experience that is increasingly rare in popular camping areas.
• The Saranac Chain of Lakes: The campground provides direct boat access to the entire 24-mile Saranac Lake chain, including Lower and Middle Saranac Lakes and the Saranac River, with locks available to navigate between the different lake levels.
• Boating and Paddling Paradise: Perfect for all types of watercraft, the vast network of lakes offers extensive opportunities for canoeing, kayaking, sailing, and motorboating, with many quiet coves and islands to explore.
• Superb Freshwater Fishing: The lakes are renowned for excellent fishing, home to species like largemouth and smallmouth bass, northern pike, and yellow perch—an ideal opportunity to truly 'live off the land' for a meal or two.
• Iconic Adirondack Scenery: Campsites boast stunning waterfront views, making for memorable sunrises and sunsets over the Adirondack mountains and the lake surface, complete with the haunting calls of the Common Loon.

Address: Adirondack Park, Lake Clear, NY 12945, USA (Mainland check-in near this location at Second Pond Boat Launch)

Phone: (518) 891-2841 (This is the publicly available DEC phone number for the campground)

For New York residents, the Saranac Lake Islands Campground offers an unparalleled opportunity to engage with the wild, undeveloped essence of the Adirondack Park—a state resource that belongs to them. This is not merely a camping trip; it is an annual pilgrimage to a unique landscape that cannot be replicated elsewhere in the state. By requiring boat access, it naturally curates a community of prepared, respectful, and conservation-minded outdoor enthusiasts—a perfect match for the "Leave No Trace" ethos of the DEC.

The experience of camping on your own private island or secluded shoreline site, accessible only by water, is a deeply rewarding escape from urban or suburban life. It allows New Yorkers to fully disconnect, enjoy profound tranquility, and challenge themselves with a more primitive style of camping. Furthermore, securing a campsite like Campsite #3 provides a stable base from which to explore the surrounding Tri-Lakes region, including world-class hiking trails nearby and the vibrant mountain towns of Saranac Lake and Lake Placid. It is a premium New York State experience that offers priceless privacy and natural beauty for an affordable state-managed fee, making it a highly cherished and locally celebrated gem worth the advance reservation planning.

Saranac Lake Islands Campground - Campsite #3

Adirondack Park, Lake Clear, NY 12945, USA