Silver Lake Wilderness

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

There is one main designated trail and one spur trail in this unit. Twenty-three miles of the Northville-Placid Trail (NPT) pass through the wilderness between Upper Benson and Piseco. The trail can be accessed from four trailheads, all of which include parking areas. The trailheads from north to south are:

• State Route 8 NPT Trailhead
• West River Road NPT Trailhead
• Godfrey Road NPT Trailhead
• Benson Road NPT Trailhead (built in 2014)

The Northville-Placid Trail north of Godfrey Rd was re-located to reduce roadside walking and improve the trail experience. The seven mile re-route skirts around Woods Lake and connects with the existing trail near the North Branch of West Stony Creek.

The new trailhead and parking area is located on Benson Road (County Highway 6) near Woods Lake. The Godfrey Road spur trail remains open as a foot trail to access Silver Lake lean-to, Rock Lake, or any other destination within Silver Lake Wilderness.

Although a long distance trail many people use the Northville-Placid Trail to access the wilderness for day trips. The Whitehouse Trailhead is used for short hikes across a unique suspension bridge over the West Branch of the Sacandaga River. Other popular destinations from Whitehouse include Big Eddy, Mud Lake, and Hamilton Lake Stream.

Popular destinations from the Benson Trailhead include Woods Lake, Rock Lake, and the North Branch of West Stony Creek.

Although there is only one main hiking trail within Silver Lake Wilderness, many unmarked herd paths, such as those at the North Branch Parking area, exist and are mainly used as access points for hunters. These paths are not officially marked or maintained.

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

All designated primitive tent sites, campsites and lean-tos are available on a first come - first served basis and cannot be reserved. Designated campsites are marked with a yellow "Camp Here" disc. Designated tent sites are for tents only. Tents or small campers can use designated campsites. There are no hook-ups for water or electricity at campsites.

There are 33 designated primitive tent sites in the wilderness.

Spy Lake has seven sites along its shore, all accessible by boat only. The only legal access is a 2.0-mile carry via a trail from Route 8.

Ten sites are located along, or accessed from, the West River Road - most on the banks of the West Branch Sacandaga River.

Four designated primitive tent sites are located on the Woods Lake and one designated site is located on Chub Lake. The remaining sites are found along the Northville-Placid Trail.

Silver Lake, Mud Lake, and Hamilton Lake Stream along the Northville-Placid Trail each have a lean-to on their shores.

Campers and hikers who prefer more amenities may camp at the nearby DEC Sacandaga Campground and take day trips into the wilderness.

General Information on Fishing including fishing tips with links to seasons, rules and regulations. You can ensure of continued good fishing opportunities in the future by fishing responsibly. If you have never been fishing but want to try, it's easy to learn how to fish.

All waters within the Silver Lake Wilderness are open to fishing. Anglers may use the same trailheads and trails as hikers, the same hand launches as paddlers, and the same campsites as campers to access and fish these waters.

The region provides an abundance of opportunities for anglers. Many anglers travel to the area to fish the West Branch of the Sacandaga River which provides 18 miles of fishing in the wilderness. The current state record brook trout was caught in Silver Lake in 2013.

In addition to these locations, there are a number of other small ponds and lakes in the region that are designated as Adirondack Brook Trout Waters and have been reclaimed or stocked.

Adirondack brook trout are found in Grant Lake, Mud Lake, Owl Pond, Canary Pond, Brown Lake, Silver Lake and Rock Lake.

The West Branch Sacandaga River is currently stocked with brown trout and brook trout.

The periphery of the unit also has two easily accessible lakes that are frequented by the public-Spy Lake and Woods Lake.

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.

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

Hunters may use the parking areas, roads, seasonal access roads, trailheads, and trails used by hikers, boat launches and hand launches used by paddlers to access the lands and waters in this area. Hunters can park on the shoulders of seasonal access roads provided vehicles are out of the travel lane.

A majority of the big game hunting use occurs along the West River Road, also known as the Whitehouse Road.

Due to its large size, general lack of facilities and plentiful access, hunters appreciate the high degree of solitude afforded.

An unmarked trail enters the wilderness from a parking area from the North Branch Parking Area along Route 10. The trail travels upstream along the West Branch Sacandaga River and then the North Branch Sacandaga River to the interior of the wilderness. The trail is not maintained.

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

Trappers may use the parking areas, roads, seasonal access roads, trailheads, and trails used by hikers, boat launches and hand launches used by paddlers to access the lands and waters in this area. Trappers can park on the shoulders of seasonal access roads provided vehicles are out of the travel lane.

Due to its large size, general lack of facilities and plentiful access, trappers appreciate the high degree of solitude afforded.

An unmarked trail enters the wilderness from a parking area from the North Branch Parking Area along Route 10. The trail travels upstream along the West Branch Sacandaga River and then the North Branch Sacandaga River to the interior of the wilderness. The trail is not maintained.

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

There are a number of paddling opportunities within the wilderness. The most prominent destination is the West Branch Sacandaga River which can be accessed from several points along West River Road and State Route 10. Chub Lake has two designated campsites that may be accessed from the West Branch Sacandaga River.

Two other highly accessible waters that lend themselves to paddling are Spy Lake and Woods Lake, both of which also have primitive tent sites on their shores.

Paddlers can access the West Branch Sacandaga River at the Chub Lake Parking Area at the bridge over State Route 10. Parking is available on either side of the river on the east side of the road.

A little more than 1 mile south on State Route 10, the North Branch Parking Area is located on the east side of the road very near another bridge over the river. A path leads from the parking area to the river.

After putting in at either of these locations, paddlers can take out approximately 8 miles downstream (north) at a recently improved take out site on the east side of State Route 10.

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

Electric bicycles (E-bikes) of any class are not allowed on trails and roadways where public motorized access is prohibited.

Although not in the wilderness, the West River Road does provide an opportunity for biking and offers many scenic qualities as it runs parallel to the West Branch Sacandaga River.

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

There is a designed snowmobile trail from the Route 8 parking lot to Spy Lake. This trail is mostly on private land.

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

Cross-country skiing is a popular winter activities on the Northville-Placid Trail.

Snowshoeing includes how-to and safety tips and links to rules and regulations.

Snowshoeing is a popular winter activities on the Northville-Placid Trail.

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

The Adirondacks contain large tracts of wildlife habitat with some boreal, bog, alpine and other unique habitats. Many species of birds and mammals are unique to the Adirondacks or are mainly found here. More than 50 species of mammals and hundreds of species of birds inhabit or pass through the Adirondacks at one time of the year or another so it is not unlikely to catch site of wildlife during your trip.

More information on Adirondack Flora and Fauna (Leaves DEC Website) from the SUNY ESF Adirondack Ecological Center.

You can protect wildlife and wildlife habitat when viewing them.

Wildlife Found in the Adirondacks

• Mammals
  • Moose
  • Black Bear
  • Beaver
  • Eastern Coyote
  • River Otter
  • White-Tailed Deer
  • Little Brown Bat
• Birds
  • Bald Eagle
  • Common Loon
  • Peregrine Falcon
  • Osprey
  • Great Horned Owl
  • Great Blue Heron
  • Wild Turkey
  • Eastern Bluebird