Cascade Lake Designated Campsite #1 [DEC #18674] (Pigeon Lake Wilderness)
FREE backcountry primitive camping on the shore of Cascade Lake in the Pigeon Lake Wilderness of New York's ADIRONDACK Forest Preserve (DEC Region 6, between Big Moose and Raquette Lake). This is a DEC-mapped designated primitive tent site ('Cascade Lake Designated Campsite #1 [DEC #18674]'), and New York provides it at NO CHARGE: the DEC Pigeon Lake page lists the fee as 'Free' and the unit as open year-round, first-come first-served. It sits about 37 feet from Cascade Lake (measured against OpenStreetMap). This is a hike-in: reach it on foot via the Cascade Lake Trail (the popular loop off Big Moose Road past the old Cascade Lake outlet) -- no motor vehicles or bicycles are allowed, so you carry in. COUNT DISCLOSURE: the DEC unit page lists 22 designated primitive tent sites across this wilderness (Big Moose 3, Cascade 3, Chub 1, Constable Pond 1, Mays Pond 1, Queer 3, Raquette 3, Razorback Pond 1, Shallow Lake 3, Windfall Pond 2, Windfall Pond Trail 1) and states the sites 'do not currently appear on the map [but] will be added in the near future.' DEC's GIS has mapped only 6 of the 22 as points so far; this is one of those 6 mapped sites, shipped with a real DEC coordinate. The other 16 sites are real per the DEC page but are not yet mapped, so no pins were invented for them. This is free, first-come Adirondack Forest Preserve backcountry camping in the Pigeon Lake Wilderness -- do NOT confuse it with a reservable fee campground; the nearest paid DEC campgrounds (Brown Tract Pond, Eighth Lake, Golden Beach) are a separate, paid system to the south, and the ONLY fee mentioned on the DEC unit page is a day-use fee for the boat launch inside Brown Tract Pond Campground -- that fee does not apply to these free wilderness sites. SEASON / ACCESS: DEC lists Pigeon Lake Wilderness as open YEAR-ROUND and free, but every site here is reached on foot or by paddle (Wilderness = no motor vehicles and no bicycles) -- trails can be wet, snow-covered or blowdown-blocked and water crossings vary, so confirm current trail, water and site conditions with the DEC Region 6 Herkimer office (315-866-6330) or the unit page before you go, especially in winter or mud season. RULES: no reservation and no fee; camp only at a designated site (look for the round yellow DEC 'Camp Here' marker) or, elsewhere in the wilderness, more than 150 feet from any road, trail or water; a free Forest Ranger permit is required only if you stay more than 3 nights or camp with a group of 10 or more (arrange it through the DEC Region 6 Herkimer Office at (315) 866-6330 (Forest Rangers via 911 or DEC dispatch 1-833-NYS-RANGERS)). This site is around 1817 feet, well below any Adirondack high-elevation camping restriction. These are primitive sites: expect at most a fire ring -- no hookups, no showers and no potable water, so bring water or treat what you take from the lake. Pack out all trash, follow Leave No Trace and the DEC fire rules, and store food from bears (this is black-bear country). Confirm current rules, trail status and this site's status on the DEC page (dec.ny.gov/places/pigeon-lake-wilderness) or with the Herkimer office (315-866-6330) before you go; we have not visited.
![USGS topographic map of Cascade Lake Designated Campsite #1 [DEC #18674] (Pigeon Lake Wilderness)](img/cascade-lake-designated-campsite-1-dec-18674-pig-ny-43788n74812w-topo.png)
![Aerial image of Cascade Lake Designated Campsite #1 [DEC #18674] (Pigeon Lake Wilderness)](img/cascade-lake-designated-campsite-1-dec-18674-pig-ny-43788n74812w-aerial.jpg)
Everything you need — measured from camp
- LLaundry1 mi
- @Mail1 mi
- WWater3 mi
- GGrocery3 mi
- HHardware3 mi
- FFuel3 mi
- RxPharmacy10 mi
- OOutfitter13 mi
- ShShower22 mi
- +Urgent care23 mi
- DDump25 mi
- MMechanic27 mi
- AAir-up50 mi
The read: water is basically at camp, fuel & food sit about 3 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)
- Water featureCascade Lake (water) · nearby
- Nearest townEagle Bay · ~1.3 mi
- Drinking waterDrinking water · ~2.6 mi
- FuelFuel · ~3.1 mi
- Propane / LPGnone within 31 mi
- Dump stationDump station · ~25.1 mi
- GroceriesKalil's Market · ~2.7 mi
- PharmacyKinney Drugs · ~10.1 mi
- Hospital / clinicClifton Fine Hospital · ~28.6 mi
- HardwareAce Hardware - Old Forge Department Store · ~9.6 mi
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.
- Cascade Lake Designated Campsite #2 [DEC #19083] (Pigeon Lake Wilderness)~0.5 mi
- Moss Lake Campsite #2 (Fulton Chain Wild Forest)~1.6 mi
- Moss Lake Campsite #3 (Fulton Chain Wild Forest)~1.6 mi
- Moss Lake Campsite #1 (Fulton Chain Wild Forest)~1.7 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