Lake Lila # 4 (William C. Whitney Wilderness)
FREE primitive camping (water-access canoe country -- many sites here are PADDLE-IN or boat-access, not drive-up). DEC-designated primitive tent site ('Lake Lila # 4') in the William C. Whitney Wilderness, part of New York's Adirondack Forest Preserve, in the central Adirondacks in the Town of Long Lake, Hamilton County (DEC Region 5, off NY Route 30 via the Sabattis and Lake Lila roads, near Little Tupper Lake). New York's Forest Preserve allows backcountry camping at these designated sites at NO CHARGE (the DEC unit page lists the fee as 'Free'), first-come/first-served -- these backcountry sites cannot be reserved. A FREE New York State Forest Ranger permit is required ONLY if you stay more than 3 nights in one spot (call the local Forest Ranger at 518-828-0236); group size is capped below the statewide 10-person threshold at this unit -- about 8 people at most sites and 9 at Lake Lila / in Round Lake Wilderness. Camp only at the marked site (look for the yellow 'Camp Here' disc). This is a primitive site: no hookups, no potable water, pack out all trash, follow Leave No Trace and the DEC fire rules. This particular site is named for a pond/lake, so it most likely requires a paddle or a hike to reach (this is Adirondack canoe country); confirm access on the DEC unit page. Rules and site status change -- confirm with the DEC unit page (dec.ny.gov/places/william-c-whitney-wilderness-and-round-lake-wilderness) or a regional DEC office before you go; we have not visited.
Everything you need — measured from Lake Lila # 4 (William C. Whitney Wilderness) · New York State Dept. of Environmental Conservation · NY
- GGrocery12 mi
- @Mail12 mi
- FFuel16 mi
- OOutfitter16 mi
- LLaundry17 mi
- +Urgent care17 mi
- WWater18 mi
- HHardware18 mi
- MMechanic21 mi
- RxPharmacy21 mi
- ShShower22 mi
- DDump28 mi
- EVEV fast charger29 mi
The read: water's a short hop out, fuel & food sit about 12 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 — Lake Lila # 4 (William C. Whitney Wilderness)
Nearby & resupply — around Lake Lila # 4 (William C. Whitney Wilderness) · New York State Dept. of Environmental Conservation · NY (OpenStreetMap)
- Water featureHarrington Brook (stream) · nearby
- Nearest townNehasane · ~1.3 mi
- Drinking waternone within 10 mi
- FuelKickerville Station · ~15.9 mi
- Propane / LPGnone within 31 mi
- Dump station~27.5 mi
- GroceriesOtto's Abode · ~12.1 mi
- PharmacyKinney Drugs · ~21.1 mi
- Hospital / clinicClifton Fine Hospital · ~18.5 mi
- HardwareAce Hardware - Old Forge Department Store · ~23.4 mi
EV charging — from Lake Lila # 4 (William C. Whitney Wilderness) · New York State Dept. of Environmental Conservation · NY — nearest public DC fast & Level 2 (US DOE station data)
- Nearest public DC fast charger28.9 mi straight-line SE — 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 reachnone within 25 mi · 14 within 50 · 212 within 100 · 449 within 150
- Nearest listing NACS (Tesla)37.8 mi — ChargeSmart EV - Saranac Lake, Saranac Lake
- Nearest listing CHAdeMO47.0 mi — EVolve NY Potsdam, Potsdam
- Nearest public Level 2 (J1772)12.1 mi — Otto's Abode, Wanakena, NY (at a parking lot) · Non-Networked · J1772 · 1 Level 2 port listed · listed open, last confirmed by AFDC 2024-03-14 · hours: 24 hours daily
- 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 Lake Lila # 4 (William C. Whitney Wilderness) · New York State Dept. of Environmental Conservation · NY — pit toilets, restrooms & rest areas (government data)
- No mapped restroom within 30 miles — plan to pack it out.
Open Lake Lila # 4 (William C. Whitney Wilderness) elsewhere
Other camps near Lake Lila # 4 (William C. Whitney Wilderness)
If this one is full, gated or washed out.
- Lake Lila # 3 (William C. Whitney Wilderness)~0.2 mi
- Lake Lila # 5 (William C. Whitney Wilderness)~0.3 mi
- Lake Lila # 20 (William C. Whitney Wilderness)~0.5 mi
- Lake Lila # 21 (William C. Whitney Wilderness)~0.6 mi
How we know this — Lake Lila # 4 (William C. Whitney Wilderness)
What we don’t know about Lake Lila # 4 (William C. Whitney 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
- Seasonal & winter access
- 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