A Mecca for Camping, Kayaking, Hiking & Craft Beer All Rolled Into One

Exploring Rollins Pond, Tupper Lake Triad and Raquette River Brewing

Written by: Kayc Cass-Northrop

Did you know that sunfish make a loud popping noise when feeding in lily pad patches? It’s the most interesting sound as you paddle along quiet waters. It sounds like the lilies are literally popping open as you float by or maybe that the pitcher plants are catching their prey sneakily.  If quiet, peaceful shore camping is your destination, then Rollins Pond Campground in Tupper Lake/Saranac Lake may be your answer. Although small motorboats, 25 HP or less, are allowed, the large pond is ruled by small vessels: kayaks, canoes, SUP boards, and rafts galore. The sites might be nearing fully booked, but it is still a quiet and peaceful place to spend your days camping, hiking, animal watching, paddling, and swimming.  Oh, and it is a truly amazing place to see a meteor shower! My husband and I live in a very dark, rural section of NYS and see amazing shooting stars often, but that still lacks in comparison to watching them over the pond with minimal white light for acres upon acres.  Rollins Pond Campground is adjacent to the more noisy and popular Fish Creek Pond Campground. That one is ruled by motorboats, jet skis, large families and parties, and I’ve heard, is a blast if that’s the type of camping you prefer. Both campgrounds are made up of mostly water sites that make it the perfect opportunity to slip your kayak or canoe in quickly for a beautiful sunset paddle and an amazing experience overall. This year we added a few big outdoor adventures to our Rollins Pond trip.  On our first full day there we took advantage of the low chance of rain, got in our kayaks, and did the eight mile Rollins Pond paddle loop.  This loop takes you across five ponds (or some small lakes really), 1-2 creeks, and has 2-3 portages. With the heavy rainfalls this year we were able to float both creeks easily and only had to carry our kayaks twice.  We started at our campsite toward the southend of Rollins Pond, near the boat launch.  We took several people’s advice and traveled clockwise in order to hit the down current along Fish Creek.  We had some heavy headwinds and went against the current on the two largest ponds, though, and we like to stop to take lots of pictures, get out to stretch our legs and wander the area a bit, so our overall travel time was about six hours.  Man, were my shoulders burning afterwards!  But it was amazing.  The loop includes Rollins Pond, a small connection creek (that sometimes needs to be portaged), Floodwood Pond, Fish Creek, Little Square Pond, Coppperas Pond, a one-third to one-half mile carry, Whey Pond, and then a short carry back to Rollins.  My utmost favorite part of the trip were the creeks.  The first, short one had some fun, fast sections that whipped you downstream like a rafting adventure.  Then the long section of Fish Creek was a slow, meandering “lazy river-style” float that was full of natural beauty.  Along the whole trip we saw many fish, ducks, loons, and even an eagle fishing!  Many others often see deer, herons, beaver, muskrats, sometimes river otters, and even occasionally the elusive moose!  Make sure to bring along water, some power snacks, and maybe even a picnic lunch, always making sure to carry out what you carried in.  And if you are like us and bring along some brews to enjoy along the way, you might be extra worried about the bathroom situation.  Luckily there are some primitive campsites along the different ponds that have rustic latrines available to use (bring your own toilet paper).  If there aren’t any boats shored up to these sites, they are most likely open for public use.  If this isn’t an option, please remember the typical outdoor rule of making sure you are 200 feet away from water sources and trails to take a ‘bush break.’

Photos by Kayc Jo Cass-Northrop

Our other main adventure for this trip was completing a hiking challenge while there. We decided to use two days to complete the Tupper Lake Triad, although it can be done all in one day.  This challenge is a great way to get started on the various ADK hiking challenges as it is the shortest and easiest of the four main hiking challenges. The Tupper Lake Triad hikes are family and dog friendly too.  On day one we hiked Goodman Mountain, 2178′, which is the longest hike of the three, at, according to our GPS, 3.2 miles round trip.  It has an ascent of 581 feet, with a clearing at the top that has great views mostly to the south and west, including one of the other triad mountains, Coney.  Next, we headed over to nearby Coney Mountain, 2280′, which has amazing clear 360 degree views at the summit. That hike was about 2.3 miles round trip with an ascent of 548 feet.  After those two hikes we stopped at the Bog River Falls which is right in that area. This is a beautiful, short, rocky, cascade-style falls that flows right into the south end of Tupper Lake.  You drive on a small bridge over the falls and can pull over to view the river, falls, and lake.  There is a small picnic area that would make a great lunch stop.  On day two we hiked Mt. Arab, 2545’, which is listed as the shortest hike, one mile one way, but also has the steepest ascent, 764 feet, of the three.  We wandered quite a bit at the top, so our total mileage was actually 2.5 miles round trip. There is a fire tower on Mt. Arab, so if you are doing the Fire Tower Challenge too you can mark this one off both lists!  Also atop of this one is an old observer’s cabin, which is often manned by a volunteer with a wealth of knowledge during the summer months.  Climbing the fire tower is an experience in itself that offers amazing 360 degree views!  Don’t worry though, even if you don’t climb the tower, there are a few different observation spots at the summit that have beautiful views to the south. The Tupper Lake Triad can be completed in both summer and winter for different challenge patches.

Photos by Kayc Jo Cass-Northrop

There are a myriad of other outdoor things to do in the Tupper Lake and Saranac Lake areas too.  If you are up to more of a challenge for hiking, you can hit up a numerous number of other mountains and trails.  There are many other Adirondack Hiking Challenges, including the very popular Adirondack Forty-Sixers, the Fire Tower Challenge, and the nearby Saranac Lake 6er.   The Raquette River has many access points for kayaking and canoeing.  And there are dozens of nearby lakes and ponds for paddling too. On a cold and rainy day during this trip we made sure to check out The Wild Center in Tupper Lake.  There are activities both inside and out that are fun for adults and children alike.  Take note that currently you need to make online reservations, but we were able to do so in the parking lot and did not have to wait at all on the day we went.  Inside houses the Hall of the Adirondacks exhibit in which you can learn about and view various animals and plants from the Adirondacks, including live animals such as fish, amphibians, and river otters.  Occasionally there are presenters, speakers, and demonstrations too.  Also inside is a beautiful view of the pond in which you can sit among live birch trees in the main hall and watch the pond outdoors.  There is a restaurant and gift shop inside also.  Outside there are several trails, activities, and things to do.  There are outdoor animal viewing areas that include owls, porcupines, snakes, turles, and the otters.  There are multiple trails of varying length throughout the 115-acre campus that lead you around the forest, a pond, and to the river, including the Oxbow of the Raquette River.  The Forest Music trail includes music being amplified on the trail while you look at multiple art sculptures along the way.  The Pines Wild Play area is an outdoor adventure playground and area for the kids.  There are guided canoe trips on the river for an extra cost.  And of course there is the very popular Wild Walk, which is a trail among and across the treetops, literally.  This fun section includes accessible paths the whole way and options for climbing the stairs in a giant snag, suspended bridges, a large rope spider web play area, and a huge eagle nest viewing deck with views of the high peaks in the distance.  Rain or shine, this is a must-visit and is well worth the ticket cost. The village of Tupper Lake is a nice place to spend an afternoon too.  The main drag has several restaurants, galleries, and shops to meander.  You can even grab a coffee and fresh donut while waiting for your laundry at the Washboard/Donut Shoppe!   We also enjoyed a tasty espresso drink from the restaurant Well Dressed Food.  There is a public park on the lake that is great for a walk, chilling on a bench or relaxing in the grass while taking in the lake view, or letting the kids play on the playground. Many nights you can catch a Tupper Lake Riverpigs game, a professional minor league baseball team, next to the park!

Photo by Kayc Jo Cass-Northrop

Any time we head to the ADKs to camp, we make sure we stop by any local breweries at least once each trip.  In the town of Tupper Lake is the Raquette River Brewing Company, about 30 minutes from Rollins Pond.  RRBC, founded by two local friends, Mark Jessie and Joe Hockey, in 2013, offers a wide selection of rotating small batch brews, a seltzer, a large selection of Finger Lakes wines, ciders, and mixed drinks.  As usual, we went for a couple of flights in order to taste a variety of their beers.  On that day we tried Strawberry Cilantro Wheat, Mango Wheat Ale, Summer Ale, Citrus Kolsch, Fruit Salad Sour, Red Ale, Maple Cream Porter, and Double IPA.  All were very tasty, with my favorite of the day being the Mango Wheat Ale.  We actually stopped back two other times during this trip, once while it was raining, and for lunch on the way home.  Both those times I had a pint of the Blueberry Wheat which is very yummy too.  The brewery is spacious with an Adirondack lodge feel.  There is plenty of seating both inside and out, with a variety of picnic tables, booths, high tops, bar seating, and of course ADK chairs.  Their brewing setup is behind the main building.  Outside there is a large covered seating area, multiple picnic tables with umbrellas, and the ADK chairs are on a patio around a couple of fire pits.  There is a large grassy area too, which is often being enjoyed by children and dogs alike.  The brewery also hosts a free music series; the schedule can be found on their website or on Facebook. There are two permanent food trucks daily and sometimes a third on weekends.  We really enjoyed the tasty wood fired pizzas from Fusion Street Food on our lunch stop.  Of course we loaded up with several 4-packs of cans to take home and they offer growler fills too.  Raquette River Brewing is a favorite among locals and visitors alike.

Photo by Kayc Jo Cass-Northrop

Raquette River Brewing Company:  Website: http://www.raquetteriverbrewing.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RaquetteRiverBrewing/  Food: Food trucks on site Spirits: Yes Wine: Yes Cider: Yes Seltzer: Yes, limited Dog-Friendly: Yes Summer hours- Daily from 11am to 9pm Address: 11 Balsam Street #2, Tupper Lake, NY 12986

Photo by Kayc Jo Cass-Northrop

Photo by Kayc Jo Cass-Northrop

Rollins Pond Campground:  https://newyorkstateparks.reserveamerica.com/camping/rollins-pond-campground/r/campgroundDetails.do?contractCode=NY&parkId=547 Address: 4523 State Route 30, Saranac Lake, NY 12983   Tupper Lake Triad Challenges: https://www.tupperlake.com/recreation/tupper-lake-triad   Other Hiking Challenges: https://www.adirondack.net/hiking/challenges/    Rollins Paddle Loop: https://www.canoeoutfitters.com/trip-planning/routes/rollins-loop   The Wild Center: https://www.wildcenter.org/ Hours: 7 days a week from 10am to 5pm (currently reservations are required) Address: 45 Museum Drive, Tupper Lake, NY 12986 Cost:

• Adult Ticket (18 – 64) $20
• Senior/Military Ticket (65+) $18
• Youth Ticket (5 – 17) $12
• Age 4 and Under Free

The Tupper Lake Riverpigs: https://tupperlakeriverpigs.com/ Address: Municipal Park – 19 Demars Blvd., Tupper Lake, NY 12986