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Adirondack Lean To's

A lean to is a three sided shelter with an overhanging roof and one open side.  Many are located along the trails inside of Adirondack Park, giving visitors opportunities for backcountry camping.  They are available on a first come basis up to the capacity of the lean to, usually about 7-8 people.  Thus a small party can not claim exclusive use of a shelter and should allow late arrivals equal use.

Normally you won't see anyone camping at a lean to, except in the high traffic areas as the High Peaks region.  Usually your odds are pretty good that you'll have that lean to for yourself, even during holiday weekends. Most of the shelters have a fireplace in front (some with a primitive grills), some have privy's close by, some have benches as well as a picnic table and many are located close to water.  It is in poor taste to write or carve your initials into a lean to.  Please keep the lean to clean for the next visitor.

Since reservations are not accepted or possible for a lean to (except campgrounds like Tioga Point), it is important that you carry alternative shelter as a tent.  The DEC has also imposed the following rules when dealing with a lean to.

1. No plastic can be used to close off the front of a shelter
2. No nails or other permanent fasteners can be used to affix a tarp on a lean to, however you may use rope to tie canvas or nylon tarps across the front
3. No tent can be pitched inside of a lean to

Remember if your camping in an area with no lean to, unless there is a "camp here" disc there is no camping allowed 150 feet from water, road or a trail.  It is usually pretty easy to find a good tenting spot in the backcountry when no lean to is available.

Below is a list of the over 200 lean to shelters available for backcountry camping in Adirondack Park. The list is sorted by each forest preserve inside of the park.  Please e-mail us if we're missing a lean to or if a lean to we have listed has been removed. We offer all this hiking information for free on this website, however this site would disappear without donations and you'll be stuck buying those overpriced, heavy guide books.  Please donate $1, $3, $5, $10, $20, $50, $100 or whatever you can afford. Thank You!

Bear Lake Lean To in Black River Wild Forest

Black River Wild Forest (9)

Remsen Falls
Nelson Lake
Woodhull Lake
Sand Lake Falls
Gull Lake
North Lake
Chub Pond #1
Chub Pond #2
Bear Lake

Ha-De-Ron-Dah Wilderness (2)

Middle Branch Lake
Middle Settlement Lake

Independence River Wild Forest (2)

Panther Pond
Pine Lake

Pigeon Lake Wilderness (6)

Queer Lake
Russian Lake
Andy's Creek
Upper Gull Lake
Sister Lake
Upper Sister Lake

Moose River Plains Wild Forest (4)

Seventh Lake #1
Seventh Lake #2
Eighth Lake
Dunning

West Canada Lakes Wilderness (16)

Brooktrout Lake
West Lake #1
West Lake #2
West Canada Creek
South Lake
T Lake
Spruce Lake #1
Spruce Lake #2
Spruce Lake #3
Sampson Lake
Pillsbury Lake
Cedar Lake #1
Cedar Lake #2
Cedar Lake #3
Colvin Brook
Carry

Shaker Mountain Wild Forest (2)

Chase Lake
Holmes Lake

Silver Lake Wilderness (3)

Wilcox Lake Wild Forest (4)

Siamese Ponds Wilderness (5)

Gore Mountain Ski Area (1)

Burnt Ridge

Lake George Wild Forest (8)

Fishbrook Pond #1
Fishbrook Pond #2
Greenland Pond
Millman Pond
Lapland Pond
Black Mountain Pond
Fifth Peak
Five Mile Mountain

Pharaoh Lake Wilderness (14)

Berrymill Pond
Grizzle Ocean
Pharaoh Lake #1
Pharaoh Lake #2
Pharaoh Lake #3
Pharaoh Lake #4
Pharaoh Lake #5
Pharaoh Lake #6
Clear Pond
Rock Pond
Little Rock Pond
Tubmill Marsh
Lilypad Pond
Oxshoe Pond

Vanderwhacker Mountain Wild Forest (2)

Stony Pond
Cheney Pond

Hammond Pond Wild Forest (1)

Moose Mountain Pond

Dix Mountain Wilderness (3)

Slide Brook
Lillian Brook
Boquet River

Giant Mountain Wilderness (1)

Giant Mountain

Hurricane Mountain Primitive Area (2)

Gulf Brook
Biesemeyer Memorial

Sentinel Range Wilderness (1)

Copperas Pond

McKenzie Mountain Wilderness (3)

Wilmington Wild Forest (1)

Cooper Kiln Pond

Taylor Pond Wild Forest (3)

DeBar Mountain Wild Forest (4)

Cranberry Lake Wild Forest (2)

Five Ponds Wilderness (13)

Aldrich Pond Wild Forest (1)

Streeter Lake

Watsons East Triangle Wild Forest (1)

Bryant Pond

Saranac Lakes Wild Forest (9)

Saint Regis Canoe Area (3)

High Peaks Wilderness (73)

Horseshoe Lake Wild Forest (1)

Black Bay

William C Whitney Wilderness (1)

Lake Lila

Sargent Ponds Wild Forest (14)

Blue Mountain Wild Forest (2)

O'Neil Flow
Tirrell Pond

Blue Ridge Wilderness

Stephens Pond
Cascade Pond
Wilson Pond

Paul Smiths** (12)

Peters Rock
Bent Spike
Upper St Regis
Alabamu
Church Pond
Frog Pond
Lincoln Brook
Osgood Pond
St Regis River
Long Pond (Day Use only)
Black Pond #1 (Day Use only)
Black Pond #2 (Day Use only)

**Restrictions may apply for Paul Smiths, see their website for more information on any lean to located on their property.

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