Campground
& Trail Junction:
Marcy Dam
12 Photos
WARNING:
The route from Marcy Dam to Lake Colden will be VERY DIFFICULT for dogs of any size due to the many ladders that are in place to assist hikers. Your dog will be in danger on this route. Note also that dogs of any size, shape, or color must be kept on a leash in the forest preserve.
Peak View Rankings Printable Marcy Dam
About Marcy Dam Campground
Marcy Lake, as some call it, is formed by the dam, upon which the photographer
is standing. You are looking at about 80% of the lake in the photo.
All around the lake are scattered Adirondack lean-to's for campers' use, as
well as tenting sites, all on a first come-first serve basis. If you are aiming to take a short vacation to climb
the peaks in this area, then Marcy Dam is a fairly good location to set up camp.
Camping here will cut about 5 miles off your round trip to the nearby peaks
compared to hiking in from Adirondack Loj. Camping sites and lean-to's, we
believe, continue to be on a first-come-first-served basis.
The campground and facilities are managed by the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC). Do not expect any services beyond outhouses and lean-to's. DEC's first duty, it should be recognized, is to the land, the rules and regulations for use of the forest, and the safety of persons therein. To that end, Adirondack Journey is very much in support of DEC.
Given DEC's mission, Marcy Dam functions primarily to manage the volume of hikers and campers in such a way as to protect nature by preventing overuse and resultant damage caused by the presence of too many people, many of whom, it is plain to see, lack experience in the outdoors and are unaware of the damage they might be causing.
Another, similar option is to camp at the Lake Colden - Flowed Lands area, another three or so miles further in. See the small mountain in the center of the title photo above? That's Avalanche Mt. Lake Colden and Flowed Lands are just beyond. It occupies more acreage, has more lake front, more lean-to's, etc. It's Marcy Dam on a larger scale. We list both as "interior trailheads" because they both act as starting points for the hikes of those that camp there.
Marcy Dam USGS Trail Maps
The 3 maps below connect to one another exactly as positioned and, if followed, will take you from Heart Lake to Lake Colden and Flowed Lands, a very popular hike. The first map shows the Van Hoevenberg Trail from its start at Heart Lake to Marcy Dam. At Marcy Dam we leave the Van Hoevenberg Trail to turn south in the direction of Avalanche Lake. The trail continues along the W side of Avalanche Lake where you will enjoy probably the most awe-inspiring scene in the Adirondacks. Continuing S you reach Lake Colden and, finally, Flowed Land.
Of course, you might have remained on the Van Hoevenberg Trail at Marcy Dam and continued thence to Mt. Marcy. This would be the most popular and easiest route for that hike, however it is much more scenic and rewarding to do Marcy via Lake Colden.
If you stick to the Van Hoevenberg at Marcy Dam, besides the short route to Mt. Marcy you will also encounter two possible side trips. These are to Phelps Mtn and/or Tabletop, both members of the 46. Note that Tabletop is unmarked but if you want to put a little spice in your foray, you might want to tackle it. Either of these peaks, however, require you to be dressed for hiking. We make that comment only because so many folks that show up on Mt. Marcy's summit appear dressed for tennis, not hiking. You will find maps for both Phelps and Tabletop on their respective pages.
| Map 1: Heart Lake to Marcy Dam |  |
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| Map 2: Marcy Dam to Avalanche Lake |  |
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| Map 3: Avalanche Lake to Lake Colden and Flowed Lands |  |
