★ Field-verified · Dave's ownPublic land · dispersedFree
Essex County
Drive-up · public land · Essex County, NY · 44.19118, -73.93828
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Ask about this camp →Dave's been here. A spot from Dave's own travels on public land — free to camp. Conditions still change, so confirm access, stay limits and fire rules before you go.
Designated primitive camping area at South Meadows in the Adirondack High Peaks. No fires allowed. Very poor cell service. Enough space for single vehicle. There are other sites with limited vehicle access. Pit toilets. Densely forested area at the foot of the mountains. Beautiful setting and great hiking, but a decent amount of human traffic. Recommended.
USGS topo — contours & terrain
Aerial — USGS / NAIP
Weather outlook
Loading the latest forecast…
Live NWS area forecast (~2.5 km grid, not elevation-corrected). Camp sits at 2,076 ft.
Fire & smokeNIFC · AirNow
Checking active fires & air quality…
Active wildfires from NIFC (within ~50 mi); air quality from AirNow. Always confirm current fire restrictions with the managing office before you go.
Everything you need — measured from camp
Straight-line miles · bearings approx · roads run longer
Nearest of each
- ShShower1 mi
- OOutfitter1 mi
- +Urgent care6 mi
- FFuel6 mi
- GGrocery7 mi
- MMechanic7 mi
- WWater7 mi
- @Mail7 mi
- RxPharmacy8 mi
- HHardware8 mi
- DDump12 mi
- LLaundry26 mi
≤30 mi30–4545+water
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
Access
Drive-up
Land
public land · dispersed
Elevation
2,076 ft
County
Essex County, NY
Coordinates
44.19118, -73.93828
Cost
Free
Nearby & resupply (OpenStreetMap)
- Resupply lookup unavailable — try the map links below.
From the field — what Dave saw, in person
Cell service
No signal
Getting there
Any vehicle managed it
Fire ring
No
Toilet on site
Yes
Tent friendly
Yes
Verdict
Recommended
Nearby restrooms — pit toilets, restrooms & rest areas (government data)
- Highway rest areaHigh Peaks (South) · ~16.7 mi SE
- Highway rest areaHigh Peaks (North) · ~16.9 mi SE
Open this spot elsewhere
Other camps nearby
If this one is full, gated or washed out.
- Barkeater Cliffs Campsite [DEC #11703] (Sentinel Range Wilderness)~6.0 mi
- Base Of Roaring Brook Falls Campsite [DEC #13924] (Giant Mountain Wilderness)~9.2 mi
- Base Of Roaring Brook Falls Campsite [DEC #13923] (Giant Mountain Wilderness)~9.2 mi
- Top Of Roaring Brook Falls Campsite (Giant Mountain Wilderness)~9.3 mi
How we know this
Source
Dave's own travels
Confidence
Researched — The record is detailed and internally consistent, and the coordinates land where the managing agency says this site is.
How it was placed
FIELD VERIFIED by Dave Lalande -- he has stood on this site. Coordinates are his own GPX track point, not a geocode. County and state confirmed against the FCC Census Block API (Essex County, NY). Everything under 'From the field' is a direct observation; nothing here is inferred from a land record.
Field check
Verified on the ground. Dave has stood on this one. Conditions still change — confirm before you commit.
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.
- How many rigs actually fit
- Seasonal & winter access
- Current fire restrictions
- Whether any water here is drinkable
- Shade & wind exposure
- Noise and who else shows up
Before you go
Water on public land →Dumping grey & black →Cold-weather camping →Gear & rig loadout →All field notes →
Been here? Tell us what changed. This page is built from public records, so the fastest way it gets better is somebody who has actually pulled in. Road washed out, site gone, gate locked, or it is exactly as described — all of it useful. Send a report →