Camp Santanoni, Newcomb Lake and Vicinity

By Rich Macha

Situated in the heart of the Adirondack Park, Camp Santanoni, an excellent example of what is known as an “Adirondack Great Camp,” is a wonderful place to visit in any season. In winter, it has become a popular destination for skiers as well as snowshoers. Although the round-trip distance is close to 10 miles, the terrain is relatively mild, and the route travels over a well-maintained dirt/gravel road that only requires a few inches of snow to make it ski-worthy. From the same trailhead, there is also more to explore than may initially meet the eye.

The 15,000-square-foot main lodge was built on the eastern shore of Newcomb Lake in the late 19th century amid 12,900 acres of land owned by an Albany businessman, Robert Pruyn, and his wife, Anna. New York acquired the parcel in 1972. In order to preserve and maintain the buildings associated with the camp, the 32.2-acre Camp Santanoni Historic Area was created, which includes the 4.75-mile carriage road, the main camp area, the Gate Lodge Complex, and the Farm Complex. The balance of the lands was placed in the High Peaks Wilderness Area and the Vanderwhacker Mountain Wild Forest.

The parking area, which is within the Gate Lodge Complex, is found by driving north on Newcomb Lake Road for 0.3 miles from NY Route 28N in the Town of Newcomb. A trail register kiosk and gate are located just beyond the parking area. A snowmobile trail crosses the road just past the gate but snowmobiles and other motor vehicles are not allowed anywhere else along the road. The Newcomb Lake Road Trail, which I will hereafter refer to as the main trail, is about 12 feet wide, so there is plenty of room for skiers and snowshoers to make their own separate tracks.

At 0.3 miles from the gate, a trail on the left leads 0.5-mile into the lands and the trails of the Adirondack Interpretive Center, a part of SUNY College of Environmental Sciences and Forestry’s Newcomb Campus. The connector trail and the AIC trails that visit Belden and Rich lakes are a couple of notches more challenging than the Newcomb Lake Road Trail, and thus are best for intermediate skiers.

The buildings of the Farm Complex are reached after going about one-mile. You may want to ski up the hill on the left and take a closer look. A suspicious fire in 2004 burned down the barn which was located to the right of the trail – if not snow-covered, you may be able to make out the concrete floor and foundation to the right of the trail.

Further on, the Moose Pond Horse Trail bears left off the main trail at the 2.2-mile mark. It is another old carriage road that leads to Moose Pond and beyond. For the most part, the skiing is similar in difficulty as the main trail, but it is much less traveled so there is a greater likelihood that you will be breaking trail, and some blowdown was recently reported along the route. From the junction, it is another 4.7 miles to the campsites on the pond’s south shore where there is a great view of the Ermine Brook Slide on Santanoni Peak. The round-trip distance from your car to Moose Pond and back is about 14 miles and thus will require a substantial time and energy commitment.

The main trail tops out at the three-mile mark, after a gradual elevation gain of 350 feet. You may be able to see Newcomb Lake and Santanoni Peak through the trees. You then drop about 250 feet in the next mile.

A trail heads off to the left at 3.6 miles – this is quite a bit more rugged than the main trail and some steep sections require at least intermediate skiing ability but should not be much trouble for the snowshoer. The Newcomb Lake Lean-To is reached in 1.4 miles. Past the lean-to, at the end of the rocky point known as Fish Rock, there is an outstanding High Peaks view. It is possible to continue on this trail, heading northwest and reaching the Moose Pond Horse Trail in another 3.7 miles, then you can loop back to the start – a round-trip of about 15 miles, or 16.4 miles with a visit to Moose Pond, which I have done once for the experience but will not likely do again due to the distance involved.

Back on the main trail, we soon cross the bridge over the outlet of Newcomb Lake – Upper Duck Hole is seen downstream to the right. The trail then bends to the left, passes some designated campsites, and arrives at the Main Camp Complex. The first building you pass on the left is the Boat House – a nice spot for a lunch break is at the launching ramp on its lake side. There are also some picnic tables scattered around the area of the main lodge. More often than not, you will find that there is a good wind coming at you off the lake and you will want to have extra warm layers in your pack to put on if you would like to spend some time here. The view of the lake and of Santanoni Peak peering over the cedars along the shoreline is captivating.

If conditions allow, you could ski across the lake to its western end, where you may want to visit the two lean-tos and perhaps get a view of Mount Marcy in the distance toward the northeast. Happily, the return on the main trail has more downs than ups – the longest uphill section comes soon after leaving the camp so helps to warm you up in case you got chilled at the lake.

This area has much to offer from a variety of perspectives, good snow conditions notwithstanding, so bears repeated visits. For those who would like more background and details on the Great Camp complex, you can find some fascinating information and maps in the 2016 Camp Santanoni Historic Area Unit Management Plan which can be accessed online: dec.ny.gov/docs/lands_forests_pdf/santanonump1.pdf.

A lover of wild places, Rich Macha has led many trips for the Adirondack Mountain Club, and has spent 20 years in the paddlesport/snowsport business. More of Rich’s adventures can be found at northeastwild.blogspot.com.