Parking
Lily Pond Road Parking Area, on Lily Pond Road off NY Route 8. DEC recommends a high-clearance vehicle for the access road.
Overview
About Buttermilk Pond Trail
Why go
- The north branch is the shorter of two routes to Buttermilk Pond.
- A longer alternative reaches the same pond via Duck and Round Ponds.
Heads up
- Current trail footing and wayfinding conditions are not documented.
Buttermilk Pond Trail is a 6.2-mile out-and-back, with 3.1 miles to Buttermilk Pond on the shorter north branch and the same route back. It is a longer woodland walk to a pond rather than a short stroll; allow about four hours and expect roughly 600 feet of cumulative climbing.
Parkwolf’s verdictIs this the walk for you?Map & elevation
The route
Loading the Lake George map
Full mapElevation1,171–1,532 ft
Plan your hike
Before you go
Parking
Safety
2 active Lake George alerts
- ClosureFishbrook Pond North Lean-to site closedThe entire Fishbrook Pond North Lean-to site is closed because the lean-to burned down. - No camping or campfires are allowed at the site until further notice.Official details
- CautionNo Parking Zones enforced along River RoadDo not park in the No Parking Zones along River Road in the Hudson River Special Management Area in the Towns of Lake Luzerne and Warrensburg; DEC is enforcing the restriction.Official details
The highest, rockiest slopes around here are a summer buffet for grizzly bears.
Lake George Tour Guide
Your drive to Buttermilk Pond Trail, narrated.
Parkwolf is a GPS audio tour guide for Lake George NY. As you drive, it chimes in with what’s ahead: hidden gems, upcoming stops, history, geology, and wildlife, right through your car’s speakers.
See the Lake George audio tourMore stories near here in the app
- The Empty Skin Beside the Water
- The Loon’s Underwater Chase
- Boats Sunk for Safekeeping
- Clay Meadows and Tongue Mountain
- 113 audio storiesacross Lake George’s roads, triggered by GPS as you drive
- Wildlife heatmapsfor White-tailed Deer, Timber Rattlesnake, Osprey, and 13 more
- Works offlinemaps, 67 trails, 64 places, and audio download before you lose signal
- CarPlay readysimple controls built for the drive
“Fantastic app with many points of information… It’s great to just turn on while you’re driving and it gives you an audio tour of the national Park. We love it!!!!”
Trail guide
Hiking Buttermilk Pond Trail
Take the north forkFrom Lily Pond Road Parking Area, follow the trail 0.
From Lily Pond Road Parking Area, follow the trail 0.5 mile to the first junction and take the eastbound path. Another 0.1 mile later, choose the northern branch for Buttermilk Pond. The eastern option reaches the same pond, adds 0.5 mile each way, and passes Duck and Round Ponds at about mile 1.3. This guide maps the shorter northern route and return.
Access and the routeStart at the Lily Pond Road Parking Area, off NY Route 8.
Start at the Lily Pond Road Parking Area, off NY Route 8. DEC recommends a high-clearance vehicle for the access road; the lot's capacity and facilities aren't documented. DEC lists the forest as open year-round with no fee. Pets are allowed; keep them under control, leash them when other visitors approach, and keep waste away from trails and water. Current trail conditions aren't confirmed. Older reports describe route-finding problems on the southern/eastern branches through cedar swamp and found the north leg easier to follow; they don't establish today's conditions.
Wildlife
Wildlife in Lake George
34 sightingsWhite-tailed DeerMost seen around 5 PMSighting map
26 sightingsTimber RattlesnakeMost seen around 6 PMSighting map
22 sightingsOspreyMost seen around 7 AMSighting map
60 sightingsLoonMost seen around 6 AMSighting map
33 sightingsPorcupineMost seen around 7 PMSighting map
84 sightingsGreat Blue HeronMost seen around 6 AMSighting mapSighting maps show where each species has been reported across Lake George. Wildlife moves, so no sighting is guaranteed.
