The Saranac Lakes Wild Forest is a discontinuous 79,000-acre tract designated as Wild Forest by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation in Franklin and Essex Counties near Saranac Lake, Tupper Lake, and Lake Placid. The area covers large portions of Harrietstown, Santa Clara, and North Elba; smaller portions are in Altamont, St. Armand, Brighton, and Franklin.
There are over 67,000 acres of wild forest lands and nearly 19,000 acres of water. There are 142 bodies of water including Upper, Middle, and Lower Saranac Lakes, Oseetah Lake, Lake Placid, Lake Clear, and Lake Colby. Major rivers include the Raquette and Saranac Rivers.
Activities supported include hiking, snowmobiling, snowshoeing, skiing, mountain biking, canoeing, hunting, fishing, camping, swimming, mountain biking, cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, snowmobiling and bird watching.
Hiking options include 3058-foot Scarface Mountain, 2516-foot Boot Bay Mountain and 2352-foot Shingle Bay Mountain, 2241-foot Panther Mountain, the Fernow Nature Trail, and the Lake Placid Peninsula Nature Trails. There are over 50 miles of marked trails, including about 26.5 miles of snowmobile trails, 3.3 miles of canoe carries, ten miles of mountain bike trails, and 13 miles of cross-country skiing trails.
There are nearly 250 designated campsites, including 82 in the Saranac Islands Campground on Weller Pond and Middle and Lower Saranac Lakes, 18 on Upper Saranac Lake, 31 on Follensby Clear Pond, and 16 along Floodwood Road, along with 12 lean-tos on several of the lakes, ponds, and rivers.
There are 15 boat launches and fishing access sites, located on the Raquette River, Upper and Lower Saranac Lakes, Follensby Clear Pond, Second Pond, Lake Colby, Lake Placid, Mirror Lake, Lake Flower, Hoel Pond, East Pine Pond, Moose Pond, Little Green Pond, and Little Clear Pond.
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