Lake Colden camping area is a spread out collection of campsites lean-tos surrounding the south side of Lake Colden in the High Peaks Wildnerness in Adirondack Park. This area is open year round and does not require a permit, although during peak season(Jun-September) you may need a reservation if you plan to access it from one of the highly trafficked Adirondack Parks, specifically LOJ.
• Open year round with lean-tos for winter
• No permits needed• first come first serve
• Must have a bear safe food container(available at ADK lodges), some rangers consider the clear blue bear cans unsafe since bears in the area have been known to break into them!
• Limited campsites: you can camp only in designated areas and there is a 5 person limit to each site, try to come early during peak season as these do fill up
• No Amenities: bring your own food, water filter, tent, bedding, etc. There are no amenities
• No fires allowed in High Peaks
• Pit toilets with no TP provided
I have camped at Lake Colden twice, once during the first week of May and once during the first week of September. This campsite is surrounded by 46ers and ideal for those looking to backpack over a few summits so it’s safe to say its highly trafficked, it’s also a beatiful place to camp. When camping in September, arriving at 5pm, we got the last campsite in the area(circled in my photos since it’s a hidden one).
This area is busy and the campsites can be really hard to find so if you plan to camp here in the summer, do come early. Snowpack remains on these trails till at least the end of May and flurries begin as early as October so be prepared for cold and weather if you plan to go during this time.
Access Points:
• Avalanche Lake Via ADK LOJ
• Algonquin Peak Summit via ADK LOJ
• Mt. Colden Summit via ADK LOJ
•(there are many other ways but they will take at least 1 overnight to get there)
FOR THOSE PARKING IN THE ADK LOJ lot, you will need to arrive early during busy days/season. If it is a saturday during peak season the lot fills as early as 6am!
