Pharaoh Lake PRIMITIVE TENT SITE 1 (Pharaoh Lake Wilderness)
FREE backcountry primitive camping (HIKE-IN -- these designated sites are reached on foot by trail, not drive-up; Pharaoh Lake itself has no road or boat access). DEC-designated primitive tent site ('Pharaoh Lake PRIMITIVE TENT SITE 1') in the Pharaoh Lake Wilderness, part of New York's Adirondack Forest Preserve, in the eastern Adirondacks in Essex and Warren Counties (DEC Region 5, with trailheads off NY Route 74 between Ticonderoga and Schroon 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; a free permit is also required for a group of 10 or more people (statewide Forest Preserve rule). Arrange any permit in advance through the DEC Region 5 Forest Rangers at (518) 897-1303. 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/brook reached on foot -- expect a hike in along a trail to reach it (Pharaoh Lake itself has no road or boat access); confirm the trailhead and distance on the DEC unit page. Rules and site status change -- confirm with the DEC unit page (dec.ny.gov/places/pharaoh-lake-wilderness) or a regional DEC office before you go; we have not visited.
Everything you need — measured from Pharaoh Lake PRIMITIVE TENT SITE 1 (Pharaoh Lake Wilderness) · New York State Dept. of Environmental Conservation · NY
- WWater5 mi
- DDump5 mi
- ShShower5 mi
- @Mail6 mi
- FFuel6 mi
- LLaundry6 mi
- GGrocery6 mi
- HHardware7 mi
- +Urgent care11 mi
- MMechanic11 mi
- EVEV fast charger11 mi
- RxPharmacy18 mi
- OOutfitter19 mi
- AAir-up34 mi
The read: water is basically at camp, 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); the EV fast charger from the US DOE station locator. Open in Google Maps ↗
The site — Pharaoh Lake PRIMITIVE TENT SITE 1 (Pharaoh Lake Wilderness)
Nearby & resupply — around Pharaoh Lake PRIMITIVE TENT SITE 1 (Pharaoh Lake Wilderness) · New York State Dept. of Environmental Conservation · NY (OpenStreetMap)
- Water featureWhortleberry Pond (water) · nearby
- Nearest townGraphite · ~5.1 mi
- Drinking waterDrinking water · ~4.8 mi
- FuelSunoco · ~10.2 mi
- Propane / LPGAmeriGas · ~12.5 mi
- Dump station~4.9 mi
- GroceriesAdirondack General Store · ~5.9 mi
- PharmacyRite Aid Pharmacy · ~18.2 mi
- Hospital / clinicElizabethtown Community Hospital - Ticonderoga · ~11.0 mi
- HardwareCurtis Lumber Co., Inc. · ~6.8 mi
EV charging — from Pharaoh Lake PRIMITIVE TENT SITE 1 (Pharaoh Lake Wilderness) · New York State Dept. of Environmental Conservation · NY — nearest public DC fast & Level 2 (US DOE station data)
- Nearest public DC fast charger11.4 mi straight-line SW — Chestertown, NY - Tesla Supercharger (at a gas station) · Tesla · NACS (Tesla) · 6 fast ports listed · listed open, last confirmed by AFDC 2026-06-18 · hours: 24 hours daily. NACS partner enabled. · directions
- Public DC fast stations within reach5 within 25 mi · 49 within 50 · 279 within 100 · 698 within 150
- Nearest listing CCS11.6 mi — EVolve NY North Hudson, North Hudson
- Nearest listing CHAdeMO11.6 mi — EVolve NY North Hudson, North Hudson
- Nearest public Level 2 (J1772)9.5 mi — Ticonderoga Country Club · VIALYNK · J1772 · 4 Level 2 ports listed · listed open, last confirmed by AFDC 2026-09-16 · 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 154440 · US DOE Alternative Fuels Data Center
Nearby restrooms — around Pharaoh Lake PRIMITIVE TENT SITE 1 (Pharaoh Lake Wilderness) · New York State Dept. of Environmental Conservation · NY — pit toilets, restrooms & rest areas (government data)
- Highway rest areaHigh Peaks (North) · ~15.4 mi N
- Highway rest areaHigh Peaks (South) · ~15.6 mi N
- Highway rest areaFair Haven Welcome Center · ~22.8 mi SE
Open Pharaoh Lake PRIMITIVE TENT SITE 1 (Pharaoh Lake Wilderness) elsewhere
Other camps near Pharaoh Lake PRIMITIVE TENT SITE 1 (Pharaoh Lake Wilderness)
If this one is full, gated or washed out.
- Pharaoh Lake PRIMITIVE TENT SITE 14 (Pharaoh Lake Wilderness)~0.1 mi
- Pharaoh Lake PRIMITIVE TENT SITE 13 (Pharaoh Lake Wilderness)~0.2 mi
- Primitive Tent Site (Pharaoh Lake Wilderness)~0.3 mi
- Pharaoh Lake PRIMITIVE TENT SITE 12 (Pharaoh Lake Wilderness)~0.3 mi
How we know this — Pharaoh Lake PRIMITIVE TENT SITE 1 (Pharaoh Lake Wilderness)
What we don’t know about Pharaoh Lake PRIMITIVE TENT SITE 1 (Pharaoh Lake 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