
"Where wilderness meets water"
CLIFTON-FINE

Five Ponds Wilderness Area
Star Lake Access
Little Otter Pond, Buck Pond, Cage Lake, & Wolf Pond
This access Point to the
"Five Ponds Wilderness Area"
leads you deep into the heart of true Adirondack backcountry where serene waterways, elusive Adirondack wildlife, Flourishing Flora, and pristine, and primitive landscapes completely engulf you.
This access trail doesn’t necessarily have to stop at any of the destinations listed above. From here you can explore even further into the inter-connected trail system within the
"Five Pond Wilderness area".
Other destinations such as "High Falls", Cat Mountain, High Rock, and the Cranberry Lake 50 hiking trail loop (just to name a few) all intertwine within this area and help make up the most remote and wild region in the entire 6 million acre Adirondack Park.
Little Otter Pond is just over 2-miles from this trailhead and itself is a great location for a day trip.
The trip to back to Wolf Pond alone from this access point, is over 11-miles one-way and is recommended at a 2-3 day back-country excursion. The trail gets moderate use back to Cage Lake where there is a very nice lean-to, not many venture further to Wolf Pond, which also has a very nice lean-to on its shore. The trail tends to be a bit wet in certain locations where beavers tend to habitat.
Trailhead Location:
From the intersection of Youngs Road and Route 3 in Star Lake, follow Youngs Road to its end. The trailhead is located on the left.
Trail uses: Hike, Snowshoe, XC Ski
![]() Five Ponds Wilderness Star Lake Map | ![]() Wolf Pond Map | ![]() Lady Slippers Adirondack Flora© Spencer Morrissey |
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![]() Early Morning Haze deep in the wild© Spencer Morrissey | ![]() Winter Trail© Spencer Morrissey |