13Th Lake Campsite 8 (Siamese Ponds Wilderness)
FREE primitive camping in the 114,010-acre Siamese Ponds Wilderness, part of New York's Adirondack Forest Preserve, in the east-central Adirondacks between Indian Lake and North Creek -- Towns of Johnsburg and Thurman in Warren County and Towns of Indian Lake, Lake Pleasant and Wells in Hamilton County (DEC Region 5), reached from NY 8, NY 30 and the Thirteenth Lake / Old Farm Clearing roads off NY 28. DEC-designated primitive tent site ('13Th Lake Campsite 8'). New York provides these designated primitive tent sites at NO CHARGE (the DEC unit page lists the fee as 'Free'); sites are first-come and cannot be reserved. HOW YOU REACH THIS SPECIFIC SITE IS NOT PINNED DOWN by DEC: the page says nine of the thirteen Thirteenth Lake sites are reached on foot from the Thirteenth Lake trailhead via the Peaked Mountain Trail and its spur trails, and that "the remaining three tent sites can only be accessed via water from the Thirteenth Lake hand launch" -- but it never says WHICH sites are which, so plan for either a shoreline walk or a paddle from the hand launch, and check with DEC first. PERMITS: a free New York State Forest Ranger permit is required for any stay of more than three nights at one spot, or for a group of ten or more (the DEC unit page sets no stricter local threshold, so the statewide rule governs). Arrange any permit in advance through the DEC Region 5 Warrensburg Office at 518-623-1200 (Mon-Fri, 8:30 to 4:45). Camp only at the marked site (look for the yellow 'Camp Here' disc) -- elsewhere on the Forest Preserve, camping is prohibited within 150 feet of any road, trail, spring, stream, pond or other water. These are primitive sites: typically just a fire ring, no hookups and no potable water, and designated TENT sites are for tents only. Pack out all trash, follow Leave No Trace and the DEC fire rules, and store food away from black bears. The unit is open year-round, but winter access is on ski or snowshoe and several stream crossings here have no bridge -- confirm current conditions, closures and this site's access with the DEC unit page (dec.ny.gov/places/siamese-ponds-wilderness) or the Warrensburg office before you go; we have not visited.
Everything you need — measured from 13Th Lake Campsite 8 (Siamese Ponds Wilderness) · New York State Dept. of Environmental Conservation · NY
- @Mail4 mi
- +Urgent care7 mi
- GGrocery7 mi
- RxPharmacy7 mi
- LLaundry7 mi
- FFuel8 mi
- MMechanic8 mi
- EVEV fast charger8 mi
- ShShower14 mi
- DDump18 mi
- WWater18 mi
- OOutfitter18 mi
- HHardware21 mi
- AAir-up39 mi
The read: water's a short hop out, fuel & food sit about 7 mi out.
Not within 60 mi: Propane. Plan those before you head up.
One dot per need — the nearest of each kind, straight-line from camp. Places from OpenStreetMap (© OpenStreetMap contributors); the EV fast charger from the US DOE station locator. Open in Google Maps ↗
The site — 13Th Lake Campsite 8 (Siamese Ponds Wilderness)
Nearby & resupply — around 13Th Lake Campsite 8 (Siamese Ponds Wilderness) · New York State Dept. of Environmental Conservation · NY (OpenStreetMap)
- Water featurePeaked Mountain Pond Brook (stream) · nearby
- Nearest townChristian Hill · ~3.2 mi
- Drinking waternone within 10 mi
- FuelStewart's Shop · ~8.0 mi
- Propane / LPGnone within 31 mi
- Dump station~17.5 mi
- GroceriesTops · ~7.0 mi
- PharmacyRite Aid Pharmacy · ~7.1 mi
- Hospital / clinicNorth Creek Health Center · ~6.9 mi
- HardwareCurtis Lumber Co., Inc. · ~21.0 mi
EV charging — from 13Th Lake Campsite 8 (Siamese Ponds Wilderness) · New York State Dept. of Environmental Conservation · NY — nearest public DC fast & Level 2 (US DOE station data)
- Nearest public DC fast charger8.5 mi straight-line NW — Indian Lake - Welcome Center · VIALYNK · CCS · 4 fast ports listed · listed open, last confirmed by AFDC 2026-09-16 · hours: 24 hours daily · directions
- Public DC fast stations within reach3 within 25 mi · 38 within 50 · 275 within 100 · 582 within 150
- Nearest listing NACS (Tesla)17.4 mi — Chestertown, NY - Tesla Supercharger, Chestertown
- Nearest listing CHAdeMO25.9 mi — EVolve NY North Hudson, North Hudson
- Nearest public Level 2 (J1772)1.1 mi — GARNET HILL LOG HOUSE #2, North River, NY · ChargePoint Network · J1772 · 2 Level 2 ports listed · listed open, last confirmed by AFDC 2026-09-16 · hours: 24 hours daily
- Also listed, not counted aboveLevel 2, restricted access — North Creek Heads in Beds, North Creek, 7.2 mi · J1772, NEMA 5-20 · hours: 10am-10pm daily; for guest use only; Drivers must bring their own J1772 cordset for Level 1 charging · AFDC lists it “Free”
- Pricing at the fast chargernot listed
- Power (kW)not listed by AFDC — “DC fast” spans roughly 24 to 350 kW, so ask the network.
- Read this honestlyStraight-line miles, like every distance on this site. Roads run longer than this, and you have to get back. We know where a charger is listed. We don’t know if it works today, how fast it is, or the road miles. Check the network before you commit.
Snapshot 2026-09-16 · AFDC record 405740 · US DOE Alternative Fuels Data Center
Nearby restrooms — around 13Th Lake Campsite 8 (Siamese Ponds Wilderness) · New York State Dept. of Environmental Conservation · NY — pit toilets, restrooms & rest areas (government data)
- Highway rest areaHigh Peaks (North) · ~29.8 mi NE
Open 13Th Lake Campsite 8 (Siamese Ponds Wilderness) elsewhere
Other camps near 13Th Lake Campsite 8 (Siamese Ponds Wilderness)
If this one is full, gated or washed out.
- 13Th Lake Campsite 9 (Siamese Ponds Wilderness)~0.1 mi
- 13Th Lake Campsite 7 (Siamese Ponds Wilderness)~0.3 mi
- 13Th Lake Campsite 2 (Siamese Ponds Wilderness)~0.3 mi
- 13Th Lake Campsite 6 (Siamese Ponds Wilderness)~0.4 mi
How we know this — 13Th Lake Campsite 8 (Siamese Ponds Wilderness)
What we don’t know about 13Th Lake Campsite 8 (Siamese Ponds Wilderness)
A land record can put you within a few meters of a spot. It cannot tell you any of this — so check it yourself, and treat anything below as the open question it is.
- Road surface & last-mile access
- How many rigs actually fit
- Cell coverage by carrier
- Current fire restrictions
- Whether any water here is drinkable
- Shade & wind exposure
- Noise and who else shows up
- Whether a listed EV charger works today, or the road miles to it