Indian Lake Island Camping
One of the ADK’s most popular camping destinations. Book early.
Indian Lake from Above
As a kid, we spent our vacations touring North America in a pop-up camper. Our travels took us from Prince Edward Island in Nova Scotia down to Florida's Gulf Coast (not in one trip).
I understood then that the pop-up camper was not exactly roughing it. And while I looked longingly at the Airstreams and massive Winnebagoes in the campground, I also knew I needed to build some street cred when it came to being a Lil ADK Woodswoman.
So when my friend Kim B. and her super outdoorsy family invited me to go tent camping on Indian Lake, I jumped at the chance. In fact, they asked me to go twice, so I must have passed muster the first time (although I got massively dehydrated, and it took me two days to recover).
Your own private Adirondack island.
When we departed from the boat launch in their motorboat and finally arrived at our island (it felt like hours but was probably 20 minutes), we disembarked and set up camp. Our campsite consisted of a place to moor the boat, a picnic table, a fireplace, a spot for pitching our tents, and a short walk into the woods to an outhouse with a pit toilet (no bidet).
Note: Kim and her family were long-time campers on the Indian Lake islands. The motorboat was a recent upgrade. For many years, they did the whole deal in a canoe with two adults and two toddlers—#respect.
We spent our days swimming, water-skiing, and exploring our tiny island, reading books, gathering downed limbs and branches for firewood, and helping to prepare meals. While I never made it past the Brownie stage of Girl Scouts, I felt entirely validated boiling water to wash dishes and cooking our meals over a campfire while "bathing" in the lake with some kind of eco-friendly soap.
A sought after destination.
So, it's been a minute since I've camped there, but my scouts tell us the Indian Lake Island campgrounds are still thriving. No boat? No problem. There are boat rentals available.
If you want a genuinely memorable ADK wilderness experience, camping on the Indian Lake Islands is a great option. Be sure to make a reservation with NY State Parks to lock in your favorite spot on Indian Lake.
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