Slang Pond Site 3 (Saint Regis Canoe Area)
FREE primitive camping (Adirondack canoe country -- most sites here are PADDLE-IN, reached by canoe with short carries between ponds, not drive-up). DEC-designated primitive tent site ('Slang Pond Site 3') in the Saint Regis Canoe Area, part of New York's Adirondack Forest Preserve, in the northern Adirondacks northwest of Saranac Lake -- the Towns of Santa Clara and Brighton in Franklin County (DEC Region 5), a 20-pond paddling network reached off NY Route 30 / Route 186 near Paul Smiths and the Saranac Inn area. New York provides these designated primitive tent sites at NO CHARGE (the DEC unit page lists the fee as 'Free' and describes 70 designated primitive tent sites across roughly 20 ponds); sites are first-come and cannot be reserved. This is a WATER-ACCESS (paddle-in) site in the Saint Regis Canoe Area -- reach it by canoe or kayak, typically with one or more short carries (portages) between ponds; a few pondside sites also have foot access, so confirm the route on the DEC unit page before you go. DON'T CONFUSE THESE FREE SITES WITH THE NEARBY PAID CAMPGROUNDS: the DEC-operated Fish Creek Pond Campground and Rollins Pond Campground on the southern edge of the canoe area -- developed, reservable, fee-based public campgrounds that charge a fee and take reservations -- these primitive 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, or for a group of ten or more (the DEC page sets no stricter local threshold, so the statewide rule governs). 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. Camp only at the marked site (look for the yellow 'Camp Here' disc), keep camp 150 feet from water and trails unless the site is otherwise designated, and follow the posted canoe-area rules. These are primitive sites -- typically only a fire ring and a pit privy, no hookups and no potable water; pack out all trash and follow Leave No Trace and the DEC fire rules. The canoe area is open year-round, but winter access is on ice/ski -- confirm conditions, and the current rules and this site's access, with the DEC unit page (dec.ny.gov/places/saint-regis-canoe-area) or the Region 5 Ray Brook office before you go; we have not visited.
Everything you need — measured from camp
- DDump4 mi
- WWater4 mi
- ShShower4 mi
- FFuel4 mi
- GGrocery4 mi
- @Mail7 mi
- RxPharmacy10 mi
- MMechanic10 mi
- HHardware10 mi
- +Urgent care12 mi
- OOutfitter12 mi
- LLaundry37 mi
The read: water is basically at camp, fuel & food sit about 4 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
Nearby & resupply (OpenStreetMap)
- Water featureSlang Pond (water) · nearby
- Nearest townFloodwood · ~2.4 mi
- Drinking waterDrinking water · ~3.9 mi
- FuelFuel · ~4.4 mi
- Propane / LPGnone within 31 mi
- Dump stationDump station · ~4.0 mi
- GroceriesStore · ~4.4 mi
- PharmacyKinney Drugs · ~9.8 mi
- Hospital / clinicAdirondack Medical Center · ~11.6 mi
- HardwareSturdy Supply & Rental · ~12.3 mi
Nearby restrooms — pit toilets, restrooms & rest areas (government data)
- No mapped restroom within 30 miles — plan to pack it out.
Open this spot elsewhere
Other camps nearby
If this one is full, gated or washed out.
- Slang Pond Site 2 (Saint Regis Canoe Area)~0.2 mi
- Turtle Pond Site 1 (Saint Regis Canoe Area)~0.4 mi
- Slang Pond Site 1 (Saint Regis Canoe Area)~0.5 mi
- Long Pond Site 12 (Saint Regis Canoe Area)~0.5 mi
How we know this
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.
- 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