Lake George Wilderness Lean To Locations

[spartan]

New to the region and wanted to try to get some advice on overnight camping in the Lake George region. I'm planning a small group overnight weekend (5 guys of various hiking/ camping experience levels) in the beginning of May. I was thinking of targeting either the Fishbrook Lean To or the Lapland Pond Lean To. Of the two- which would be the easiest to get to? One of the guys wanted to bring a kayak for the weekend- is this impossible for two guys to carry through the trails?

Thanks for any advice

[dundee]

Lapland is the easiest to ge to and a kayak could be carried in, depending on how heavy it is and how much you desire to carry it.

Being the easiest to get to, Lapland is often full on the weekends. Fishbrook is prettier, harder to get to, a longer carry, but has two LT's and is almost as busy as Lapland.

Firewood is scarce.

[spartan]

Thanks. If we go the Lapland route, are Millman and Black Mountain ponds accessible- albeit slightly longer hikes?

[dundee]

Yes, Millman & are BMP only another 1.5 +- miles from Lapland and see much less use. Lapland is pretty enough, but gets its overuse from the fact that it's the eaqsiest to reach.

Fishbrook gets its overuse from the fat that it's lovely, has two LT's and is stocked with trout.

Millman & BMP are small, swampy and would not make the best kayak destinations; although a inflatable rubber raft might be worth it. There is a moderate uphill section from Lapland to Millman.

Grab Bill Ingersoll's "Discover Series" of guidebooks (do I have that right, Bill?) , or ADKs and check out the actuall distances. Get the maps, too!

Fishbrook is a sizable pond and would make a nice kayak outing. Lapland has a lot of wetland to explore. Neither Millman or BMP are really big enough to warrant a kayak.

[Tick Magnet]

Concur with previous posts on these areas. Be advised that BMP is Day use Only, so no overnight allowed. I was at Lapland last spring and thought it would be nice to canoe, but there are some uphill sections of the trail that might make hauling a boat difficult. I've attached a couple pictures of Lapland just for reference.

1st photo across the pond from the lean-to. Lean-to is at top of large rock on the left hand side of the photo.

2nd photo the view from the inside of the lean-to. Photo doesn't show it, but there's a great view of Black Mt. from the LT.

I agree with Dundee's comments about overuse and firewood being scarce. Still, it's a pretty nice place to visit.

[JerseyHighlander]

Be advised that BMP is Day use Only, so no overnight allowed.

That explains why the picnic table was inside when I passed by it last August coming down off of Black Mountain. Funny, the maps didn't say anything about it being day use only... Some really pretty woods around it, lots of space to set up tents/hammocks if it's allowed. I agree, the pond isn't a centerpiece there.

I was coming out at the end of the day on Friday beginning Labor Day weekend and there was only one person at Lapland.

Didn't seem like too bad a hill to get there, so long as your kayak isn't really heavy, but I was going downhill at that point. The first mile or so is just a dirt/gravel road going slightly but steadily uphill.

I'll third the scarcity of firewood there. Too many people just use everything they can find, making the biggest fire they can.

[jan]

Are you sure Black Mt. Pond is day-use only? I thought that was Black Mt. Point down at the lakeshore. I was at Black Mt. Pond lean-to a week ago, and many other times over the years and have never seen anything that said day-use only. Glad I never spent the night.

[Bob K]

Black Mtn Pond vs. Point

There may be possible confusion between two places with a somewhat similar name here. Black Mountain Point which is accessible by boat from Lake George, does have a lean-to, but is a day use (picnic) only area. You will often see numerous power boats moored there during the day.

Black Mountain Pond(s) is perhaps 2 miles east of and quite a bit higher than Lk George. There is also a lean-to there and, as far as I know, it is OK to camp there overnight (I have seen occupants). The hiking trail up Black Mtn itself from Lk George turns N about 1.8 miles east of Lk George and does not pass that lean-to. It is quite an ascent from Lk George to Black Mtn.

The hike to Lapland is shorter and not as much elevation gain as Fishbrook. I wouldn't be tempted to carry a boat into either as there are more attractive & less traveled spots elsewhere (though Fishbrook much more attractive).

The other day use only area on the East Shore of Lk George is the Shelving Rock area - a bit further on the road that leads to the Fishbrook Pond trailhead at Dacy Clearing. The gate at the dirt road from the Hogtown parking to Dacy is not always open. If not, that will reduce your walk by about 1.5 miles. OK for any car except low clearance - just take your time. People do post here sometimes on the road status.

[dundee]

Yeah, sorry to start the confusion; I used BMP as an abbreviation fof Black Mt. PONDS. There is a day-use picnic shelter at Black Mt. POINT--no camping.

Black Mt. PONDS has a nice lean-to and is a good place to camp. It's not a pond which screams swimming or kayak.

[spartan]

Thanks everyone for your help. Given all this- would it make more sense to go over to Pharaoh Lake area? It sounds like both are pretty popular, but if i go to Fishbrook, Lapland or Millman- if the lean-to's are occupied- it's 1.5-2 miles to the next location whereas there should be plenty of camping space at Pharaoh Lake.

Thanks again

[DSettahr]

Pharaoh Lake gets a lot of overnight use- more so even than the Lake George area. Pharaoh Lake is the most popular camping destination in the Adirondacks outside of the High Peaks. All of the lean-tos there fill up quickly on many weekends in the summer, so if you go there I would definitely go prepared to not be able to get a lean-to. There are plenty of designated tent sites at Pharaoh Lake, though.