Auger Falls Campsite (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 ('Auger Falls Campsite'). 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. This one is EASY TO REACH by wilderness standards -- it sits about 0.14 mile (718 feet) in a straight line from the Auger Falls trailhead parking area off NY 30/8, a DEC-published parking area, so it is a short walk in rather than a long backcountry hike; you still park at the lot and walk, and Forest Preserve rules bar camping within 150 feet of the road. NOTE ON WHICH UNIT THIS IS IN: DEC's page warns that numerous designated tent sites along both sides of NY 8 between the NY 30 junction and Bakers Mills are "technically in the Wilcox Lake Wild Forest" rather than the Wilderness. DEC's own mapping files this site under Siamese Ponds Wilderness. Either way it is free New York Forest Preserve land with the same camping rules, but confirm the unit and the site's current designation with DEC. 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 camp
- +Urgent care5 mi
- LLaundry6 mi
- FFuel6 mi
- GGrocery6 mi
- @Mail6 mi
- WWater7 mi
- ShShower8 mi
- DDump8 mi
- RxPharmacy17 mi
- HHardware17 mi
- MMechanic18 mi
- OOutfitter26 mi
- AAir-up29 mi
The read: water's a short hop out, fuel & food sit about 6 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). Open in Google Maps ↗
The site
Nearby & resupply (OpenStreetMap)
- Resupply lookup unavailable — try the map links below.
Nearby restrooms — pit toilets, restrooms & rest areas (government data)
- No mapped restroom within 30 miles — plan to pack it out.
Open this spot elsewhere
Other camps nearby
If this one is full, gated or washed out.
- Auger Falls Campsite (Siamese Ponds Wilderness)~0.1 mi
- Campsite 010 (Wilcox Lake Wild Forest)~2.6 mi
- Old Route 8 Campsite (Jessup River Wild Forest)~3.3 mi
- County Line Campsite (Siamese Ponds Wilderness)~4.0 mi
How we know this
What we don’t know
A land record can put you within a few metres 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
- Seasonal & winter access
- Current fire restrictions
- Whether any water here is drinkable
- Shade & wind exposure
- Noise and who else shows up