Sargent Ponds Wild Forest

General information on hiking includes how-to and safety tips and links to rules and regulations.

The property's trail system contains a mix of trails marked for both snowmobile and foot travel. Existing trails are concentrated in two areas: the Lake Eaton/Owl's Head area and the Sargent Ponds/Castle Rock area.

A developed 3.1-mile trail leads to the Owl's Head Mountain fire tower.

A foot trail allows access from Maple Lodge Road in Blue Mountain Lake to Castle Rock. Parking is located near the Syracuse University Minnowbrook Conference Center. From the Minnowbrook Conference Center, users hike along the private road and then turn right, entering the Forest Preserve. This trail continues to Upper Sargent Pond via Helms Pond Trail. Located along the northern shore of Blue Mountain Lake, Castle Rock is a unique geologic formation with a marked trail leading to its summit. A large overhanging natural rock shelter and a small cave are located to the south of this formation. Castle Rock can be accessed by an easy hike leading to the 200-foot high rock outcrop. From this vantage point visitors get an excellent view of Blue Mountain and Blue Mountain Lake. A short spur trail from the Castle Rock Loop leads to the shores of Blue Mountain Lake.

Although there are many wide spots and turn-outs at various locations that provide access to the property, there are few developed trailheads that provide visitors with information and safe parking. Many locations only offer a trail sign and a small pull-off in which to park. Trail registers are located at Upper Sargent Pond, Lower Sargent Pond, Castle Rock, Owl's Head Mountain, Lake Eaton and Forked Lake Dam. A register journal is also located at the lean-to on Lower Sargent Pond.

The Bluff Point conservation easement allows public use of the existing trails on the Castle Rock and Sargent Ponds area. Users are also allowed to hike on the Raquette Lake-Forked Lake Canoe Carry easement.

General information on backcountry camping includes how-to and safety tips and links to rules and regulations.

The area has a diverse mix of camping options available to visitors. There are designated interior camping facilities at Upper and Lower Sargent Ponds, Forked Lake, Long Lake, Blue Mountain Lake, Raquette Lake, Utowana Lake and along the canoe carry between Forked Lake and Raquette Lake. Lean-tos are scattered throughout the property. There are also many roadside locations used seasonally by hunters and during the summer by others along North Point Road and at other locations. There is generally an increase in primitive camping during the beginning of trout season and the beginning of the regular big game season.

Backcountry camping is also allowed throughout the property as long as the site is at least 150 feet from a water body, road, or trail, unless the area is posted as "Camping Prohibited." Camping for more than 3 nights or with 10 or more people requires a permit from a forest ranger.

Campers who prefer more amenities may camp at numerous nearby DEC campgrounds.

General information on paddling includes how-to and safety tips and links to rules and regulations.

Boaters and users of the area's larger lakes and the Adirondack Canoe Route enjoy the placid scenic backdrop provided by the surrounding landscape. Five miles of the Marion River and the section of the Raquette River lying below Long Lake are classified as Scenic under the Wild, Scenic and Recreational Rivers Program.

Buttermilk Falls has long been an attraction for canoe route users carrying along this rough stretch of the Raquette River. Easily accessible from North Point Road, the Falls also serve as an excellent destination for families. A few picnic tables afford visitors a spot to relax while enjoying this beautiful attraction, which is adjacent to the road.

Blue Mountain Lake has long been popular due to its clear waters and numerous small islands and mountain-ringed scenery. From the hamlet of Blue Mountain Lake, a route exists heading west into Eagle Lake and Utowana Lake. A half-mile carry (Bassett Carry) continues below the dam at the west end of Utowana Lake following the path of a former railroad. This trail bypasses the rapids on the Marion River and allows the public to continue the trip to Raquette Lake. The Marion River is canoeable in either direction.

The Raquette Lake-Forked Lake Canoe Carry easement provides access for paddlers between the two waterbodies. The easement also allows user to hike, ski, snowshoe or horseback ride on the property.

General information on boating includes safety tips with links to rules and regulations and lists of DEC boat launches by county.

Trailered boat launches are available on numerous lakes on the property, including Lake Eaton (parking for 12 cars and trailers), Blue Mountain Lake (two private boat launches along State Route 28), Forked Lake (parking for 40 cars and trailers), Raquette Lake (at Golden Beach Campground & Day Use Area), and Long Lake (parking for 60 cars and trailers).

General information on biking includes how-to and safety tips with links to rules and regulations.

Two of the Adirondack North Country Scenic Byway routes pass near the area. A portion of the 188-mile Adirondack Trail (State Route 30) and the 140-mile Central Adirondack Trail (State Route 28) offer road touring and bicycling opportunities through the Blue Mountain Lake area. Bicyclists could easily gain land access for a day hike into the area from the end of Maple Lodge Road.

General information on fishing includes fishing tips with links to seasons, rules and regulations.

A variety of lakes, ponds and streams offer fishing opportunities.

Raquette Lake has fishing for smallmouth bass, lake trout, lake whitefish, landlocked salmon (rare), brown bullhead, yellow perch, pumpkinseed, rainbow smelt, and brook trout.

Forked Lake is primarily a warm water fishery, but it has some cold water opportunities. Species include brook trout, lake trout, yellow perch, landlocked salmon, smallmouth bass, brown bullhead, largemouth bass, rainbow smelt, redbreast sunfish and pumpkinseed. Forked Lake is a top fishing water in Hamilton County for large and smallmouth bass. The three tips of the lake are shallow which provides for excellent warm water fishing. The southern end of the lake has the best habitat for smallmouth bass. However, the center of the lake is a deep pocket of water, and that is where most trout and salmon are caught.

Fish found in Blue Mountain Lake include lake trout, brook trout, smallmouth bass, brown bullhead, landlocked salmon, rainbow smelt, pumpkinseed, and yellow perch. Lake whitefish and redbreast sunfish were formerly common in this lake, but are now seldom caught. Every year the lake is stocked with approximately 510 lake trout and 1,300 landlocked salmon. It is one of the few lakes in Hamilton County that landlocked salmon are stocked in. Surplus brook trout fingerlings are stocked when available in the fall. Ice fishing is permitted here. Eagle Lake is directly connected to Blue Mountain Lake and thus has a similar fish community.

Long Lake has largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, yellow perch, rock bass, brown bullhead, walleye, black crappie, northern pike, pumpkinseed, white sucker and golden shiner. Quality smallmouth and largemouth bass up to 20 inches roam these waters. Northern pike up to 35 inches have been reported as well. Walleye have been stocked by the lake association and some reaching 20 inches have been reported.

Lake Eaton is heavily stocked with coldwater fish, but it has a good population of smallmouth bass. Fish found within this lake include lake trout, landlocked salmon, rainbow trout, brown trout, smallmouth bass, brown bullhead, yellow perch, and rainbow smelt.

Adirondack/Lake Champlain Fishing provides information on fishing in the Adirondacks and links to top fishing waters, stocking lists, public fishing access and waters open to ice fishing listed by county.

Help Protect Native Adirondack Fish; populations of brook trout, round whitefish and other native Adirondack fish species have severely declined due to introduced fish.

Wildlife Management Unit: 5F and 6J

General information on hunting includes how-to and safety tips with links to seasons, rules and regulations.

Game hunters can hope to find black bear, deer, raccoon, marten, fisher, weasels, mink, river otter, striped skunk, coyote, red fox, gray fox, woodchuck, bobcat, beaver, opossum, muskrat, porcupine, Eastern cottontail, snowshoe hare and ruffed grouse.

Wildlife Management Unit: 5F and 6J

General information on trapping includes how-to and safety tips with links to seasons, rules and regulations.

Trappers can hope to find black bear, deer, raccoon, marten, fisher, weasels, mink, river otter, striped skunk, coyote, red fox, gray fox, woodchuck, bobcat, beaver, opossum, muskrat, porcupine, Eastern cottontail, snowshoe hare and ruffed grouse.

General information on snowmobiling includes how-to and safety tips and links to rules and regulations.

This activity is very popular in the neighboring community of Indian Lake. The frozen water surface of Blue Mountain Lake is utilized by some snowmobilers for riding and to access ice fishing shanties. A snowmobile trail developed in the nearby Blue Mountain Wild Forest provides a snowmobile connection between the two communities. Even though the marked DEC trail currently ends at the DOT parking area, snowmobilers can legally ride into the hamlet of Blue Mountain Lake by riding the outside scraper banks of the State highway.

While there was a snowmobile trail that led to Upper Sargent Pond for a short period of time, permission was revoked for snowmobiling over the private land section.

A designated snowmobile corridor trail (Corridor Trail 8B) connects Raquette Lake to Long Lake through the center of the property via North Point Road.

DEC is drafting a new unit management plan for the wild forest that would make alterations to the snowmobile trail system to get the trails off the lakes and roads as much as feasible.

General information on cross-country skiing includes how-to and safety tips and links to rules and regulations.

Cross-country skiing is permitted on all hiking trails. No trails are specifically marked as cross-country ski trails within the area. Occasional skiing activity can occur on the marked hiking trails or on the frozen water surface of Blue Mountain Lake.

General information on snowshoeing includes how-to and safety tips and links to rules and regulations.

Snowshoeing is permitted on all hiking trails. No trails are specifically marked as cross-country ski trails within the area. Occasional skiing activity can occur on the marked hiking trails or on the frozen water surface of Blue Mountain Lake.

General information on animals includes links to information about birds, mammals, fish, reptiles, amphibians and insects that inhabit or migrate through the state.

Mammals that can be found on the property include black bear, deer, raccoon, bats, marten, fisher, weasels, mink, river otter, striped skunk, coyote, red fox, gray fox, woodchuck, bobcat, beaver, opossum, muskrat, porcupine, Eastern cottontail, and snowshoe hare. A variety of reptiles and amphibians are also present, including snakes, turtles, salamanders and frogs. Several protected and threatened bird species may be present, including common loon, great blue heron, osprey, bald eagle, golden eagle, sharp-shinned hawk, Cooper's hawk, peregrine falcon and spruce grouse. Other birds that can be found are a variety of waterfowl, marsh birds, owls, hawks and song birds.