Primitive Tent Site (Independence River Wild Forest)
FREE backcountry primitive camping. DEC-designated primitive tent site ('Primitive Tent Site') in the Independence River Wild Forest, part of New York's Adirondack Forest Preserve, in the western Adirondacks -- the Towns of Greig and Watson in Lewis County and the Town of Webb in Herkimer County -- around the 6,200-acre Stillwater Reservoir. 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. NOTE ON ACCESS: this is a MIXED unit -- some sites are drive-up roadside sites, MOST Stillwater Reservoir sites can only be reached from the water (boat/canoe), and others are backcountry pond sites. THIS particular site is of uncertain access -- this unit mixes drive-up roadside, water-access reservoir and backcountry pond sites, so confirm THIS site's access, launch/trailhead and distance on the DEC unit page / DECinfo Locator before you go. Camping for more than 3 nights in one spot requires a FREE New York State Forest Ranger permit; a free New York State Forest Ranger permit is the statewide rule for groups of 10 or more; the DEC page also caps a specific list of numbered Stillwater Reservoir sites at a maximum of 6 people. Arrange any permit in advance through DEC Ray Brook Dispatch at (518) 897-1300 (they name the local Forest Ranger for the permit). 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. Rules and site status change -- confirm with the DEC unit page (dec.ny.gov/places/independence-river-wild-forest) or a regional DEC office before you go; we have not visited.
Everything you need — measured from Primitive Tent Site (Independence River Wild Forest) · New York State Dept. of Environmental Conservation · NY
- OOutfitter3 mi
- FFuel3 mi
- HHardware12 mi
- GGrocery12 mi
- RxPharmacy12 mi
- LLaundry14 mi
- DDump14 mi
- @Mail14 mi
- WWater16 mi
- MMechanic16 mi
- +Urgent care28 mi
- EVEV fast charger28 mi
- ShShower34 mi
- AAir-up52 mi
The read: water's a short hop out, 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); the EV fast charger from the US DOE station locator. Open in Google Maps ↗
The site — Primitive Tent Site (Independence River Wild Forest)
Nearby & resupply — around Primitive Tent Site (Independence River Wild Forest) · New York State Dept. of Environmental Conservation · NY (OpenStreetMap)
- Water featureSunday Lake (water) · nearby
- Nearest townStillwater · ~2.7 mi
- Drinking waternone within 10 mi
- FuelFuel · ~2.8 mi
- Propane / LPGnone within 31 mi
- Dump station~14.3 mi
- GroceriesKalil's Market · ~15.8 mi
- PharmacyKinney Drugs · ~11.6 mi
- Hospital / clinicClifton Fine Hospital · ~20.9 mi
- HardwareAce Hardware - Old Forge Department Store · ~11.5 mi
EV charging — from Primitive Tent Site (Independence River Wild Forest) · New York State Dept. of Environmental Conservation · NY — nearest public DC fast & Level 2 (US DOE station data)
- Nearest public DC fast charger28.5 mi straight-line W — Aldi Carthage TUL 27, West Carthage, NY (at a public site) · RED_E · CCS, NACS (Tesla) · 8 fast ports listed · listed open, last confirmed by AFDC 2026-09-16 · hours: not listed · directions
- Public DC fast stations within reachnone within 25 mi · 9 within 50 · 190 within 100 · 484 within 150
- Nearest listing CHAdeMO52.6 mi — IONIQ L3 #1, Yorkville
- Nearest public Level 2 (J1772)11.4 mi — Covewood Lodge - Tesla Destination, Eagle Bay, NY · Tesla Destination · J1772, NACS (Tesla) · 2 Level 2 ports listed · listed open, last confirmed by AFDC 2026-08-27 · hours: 9:00am-5:00pm daily. Open to all vehicles.
- 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 434178 · US DOE Alternative Fuels Data Center
Nearby restrooms — around Primitive Tent Site (Independence River Wild Forest) · 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 Primitive Tent Site (Independence River Wild Forest) elsewhere
Other camps near Primitive Tent Site (Independence River Wild Forest)
If this one is full, gated or washed out.
- Primitive Tent Site (Independence River Wild Forest)~0.3 mi
- Primitive Tent Site (Independence River Wild Forest)~0.4 mi
- Primitive Tent Site (Independence River Wild Forest)~0.5 mi
- Primitive Tent Site (Independence River Wild Forest)~0.7 mi
How we know this — Primitive Tent Site (Independence River Wild Forest)
What we don’t know about Primitive Tent Site (Independence River Wild Forest)
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