Raquette River Site 12 (Saranac Lakes Wild Forest)

FREE backcountry primitive camping. DEC-designated primitive tent site ('Raquette River Site 12') in the Saranac Lakes Wild Forest, part of New York's Adirondack Forest Preserve, in the northern Adirondacks -- the Towns of Brighton, Franklin, Harrietstown, Santa Clara and Tupper Lake in Franklin County and the Towns of North Elba and St. Armand in Essex County -- in the Saranac Lake / St. Regis lakes-and-ponds canoe country. 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 unit is a MIX -- some sites are drive-up along Floodwood Road or Route 3, but MANY are on lakes, ponds and rivers reached by canoe/kayak (or on foot). THIS particular site is on a lake, pond or river in this canoe country, so it is most likely reached by canoe/kayak (some pond sites can also be reached on foot or from a nearby road) -- confirm THIS site's access and the nearest launch/parking on the DEC unit page / DECinfo Locator. DON'T CONFUSE THESE FREE SITES WITH THE NEARBY PAID CAMPGROUNDS: Fish Creek Pond, Rollins Pond and Meadowbrook Campgrounds and the Saranac Lake Islands Campground (which covers the Lower and Middle Saranac Lake sites) are separate developed facilities that charge a fee -- these designated Wild-Forest sites are the free ones. 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 required for any stay of more than three nights at one spot; the DEC unit page states organized groups of 20 or more require a permit (the statewide rule is a permit for groups of 10 or more). Arrange any permit in advance through the DEC Region 5 Ray Brook Office (Mon-Fri 8:30 AM-4:45 PM) at (518) 897-1200 -- they name the local Forest Ranger for the permit. Camp only at the marked site (look for the yellow 'Camp Here' disc), and keep camp 150 feet from water, roads and trails unless the site is otherwise designated. 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 (the DEC page notes sites are added and closed) -- confirm with the DEC unit page (dec.ny.gov/places/saranac-lakes-wild-forest) or a regional DEC office before you go; we have not visited.

USGS topo — contours & terrain

Aerial — USGS / NAIP

EV charging — from Raquette River Site 12 (Saranac Lakes Wild Forest) · New York State Dept. of Environmental Conservation · NY — nearest public DC fast & Level 2 (US DOE station data)

• Nearest public DC fast charger14.3 mi straight-line NE — ChargeSmart EV - Saranac Lake · CHARGESMART_EV · CCS, NACS (Tesla) · 8 fast ports listed · listed open, last confirmed by AFDC 2026-09-16 · hours: 24 hours daily · directions
• Public DC fast stations within reach8 within 25 mi · 22 within 50 · 164 within 100 · 388 within 150
• Nearest listing CHAdeMO36.2 mi — EVolve NY North Hudson, North Hudson
• Nearest public Level 2 (J1772)6.6 mi — Fish Creek Pond Campground, Saranac Lake, NY (at a campground) · Non-Networked · J1772 · 2 Level 2 ports listed · listed open, last confirmed by AFDC 2024-03-14 · hours: 24 hours daily
• Also listed, not counted aboveNACS-only Level 2 — Shaheen's Adirondack Inn - Tesla Destination, Tupper Lake, 4.1 mi · NACS (Tesla) · hours: 24 hours daily. Open to Teslas only. · AFDC lists it “Free”
• 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 434123 · US DOE Alternative Fuels Data Center

Nearby restrooms — around Raquette River Site 12 (Saranac Lakes 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 Raquette River Site 12 (Saranac Lakes Wild Forest) elsewhere

Other camps near Raquette River Site 12 (Saranac Lakes Wild Forest)

If this one is full, gated or washed out.

• Raquette River Site 10 (Saranac Lakes Wild Forest)~0.4 mi
• Raquette River Site 13 (Saranac Lakes Wild Forest)~0.4 mi
• Raquette River Site 11 (Saranac Lakes Wild Forest)~0.6 mi
• Raquette River Site 8 (Saranac Lakes Wild Forest)~0.8 mi

How we know this — Raquette River Site 12 (Saranac Lakes Wild Forest)

What we don’t know about Raquette River Site 12 (Saranac Lakes 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

Before you go — Raquette River Site 12 (Saranac Lakes Wild Forest)