Brown Tract Pond Campground

Brown Tract Pond Campground is a campground run by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation[2] in Raquette Lake, New York. It is located on the shores of Browns Tract Pond[3] in a remote area of the Adirondacks,[4] approximately two miles (3.2 km) from Raquette Lake, near the town of Inlet in Hamilton County.[5]

Brown Tract Pond Campground
Browns Tract Pond from the campground
Brown Tract Pond Campground is located in New York
Brown Tract Pond Campground
Location of Brown Tract Pond Campground within New York State
LocationUncas Road, Raquette Lake, New York
Coordinates43°48′13″N 74°42′14″W / 43.80361°N 74.70389°W / 43.80361; -74.70389[1]
Area146 acres (59 ha)
Created1957 (1957)
Operated byNew York State Department of Environmental Conservation
Camp sites90

Brown Tract Pond State Campground consists of a 146-acre (59 ha) site including ninety camping sites, eight of which are remote.[6] Recreational activities available at the campground include canoeing, fishing, swimming, hiking, and bicycling.[7]

History

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Development of the campground began in 1957 and was completed in 1958.

In 2010, the campground was in the news when a bear who had been threatening the campers had to be shot by a forest ranger.[8]

In 2015, Brown Tract was the site of a boat washing station run by the Department of Environmental Conservation to limit the spread of invasive species.[9]

Description

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The island near the west side of Brown Tract Pond.

Brown Tract Campground has 90 tent and trailer sites, a picnic area with tables and fireplaces, flush toilets, a trailer dump station, and a recycling center.

Browns Tract Pond is approximately 0.5 miles (0.80 km) across[10] with a small island near the west side. The island is uninhabited, however on the south side there are several large boulders, one of which has a wooden ladder to allow visitors to climb up and jump off into the pond.

Motor boats are not allowed on the pond.[11][12] Rowboats and canoes are permitted, and rentals are available from the camp office.[13][4] There is a boat launch with limited parking. Fish varieties in the pond include smallmouth bass, largemouth bass, sunfish, yellow perch, brown bullhead, sucker common shiner, golden shiner, and occasionally brook trout.[14][15]

There are nearby trails to Black Bear Mountain, Bug Lake, Eagle Lake, and Eighth Lake. Marked trails lead to Shallow Lake and West Mountain.[16] A large wooded picnic area is available as is a sand beach.

Area attractions

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Campers can visit the Old Forge region, Adirondack Museum, and golf courses at Inlet and Indian Lake.

References

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  1. ^ "Browns Tract Pond State Campground". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior. Retrieved January 13, 2017.
  2. ^ State of New York Adirondack Park State Land Master Plan: Approved November 1987. Adirondack Park Agency. 1987. p. 50.
  3. ^ "Browns Tract Pond". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior. Retrieved January 13, 2017.
  4. ^ a b New York Sportsman. Mid York Sportsman, Incorporated. 1997.
  5. ^ Clean Water/Clean Air Bond Act, Annual Report. The Department. 2000. p. 25.
  6. ^ "Reserve America: Brown Tract Pond Campground".
  7. ^ "Brown Tract Pond Campground". NYS Department of Environmental Conservation.
  8. ^ Lynch, Mike (August 28, 2010). "Bear killed at campground". Adirondack Daily Enterprise.
  9. ^ Metzger, Amanda May (March 26, 2015). "New Adirondack-wide boat washing program will include nine stations". Post Star.
  10. ^ "Brown Tract Pond". Adirondack Science Byways.
  11. ^ Press, Menasha Ridge; Wells, Catharine; Starmer, Aaron; Starmer, Timothy (June 1, 2007). The Best in Tent Camping New York: A Guide for Campers Who Hate Rvs, Concrete Slabs, and Loud Portable Stereos. Menasha Ridge Press, Incorporated. p. 181. ISBN 9780897327602.
  12. ^ Wilbur H. Morrison (April 15, 2011). Adventure Guide to the Catskills and Adirondacks. Hunter Publishing, Inc. p. 135. ISBN 978-1-58843-250-6.
  13. ^ Ben Keene (May 7, 2013). Camping New York: A Comprehensive Guide to Public Tent and RV Campgrounds. FalconGuides. p. 84. ISBN 978-0-7627-8091-4.
  14. ^ "Brown Tract Pond Brochure" (PDF). NYS Department of Environmental Conservation. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2010-05-28.
  15. ^ Fishing Eastern New York By Spider Rybaak
  16. ^ "Trails from Brown Tract Pond Area". CNY Hiking.
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