Parking
The mapped access is roadside shoulder parking near the camp at the end of Grassville Road, Horicon. No capacity or fee information was found; current parking permission is unconfirmed, so check access before going.
Overview
About Lily Pond and Round Pond Trail via Grassville Road
Why go
- Two forest ponds and shoreline campsites in one outing.
- An easy, relatively flat walk for hikers looking beyond summit trails.
Heads up
- The Round Pond leg can be very wet and muddy.
- Current parking and access across private land need confirmation.
Map & elevation
The route
Loading the Lake George map
Full mapElevation1,184–1,365 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 Lily Pond and Round Pond Trail via Grassville Road, 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
- Clay Meadows and Tongue Mountain
- Leaves That Wait for Spring
- 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 Lily Pond and Round Pond Trail via Grassville Road
The walkThe Lily Pond and Round Pond Trail via Grassville Road is a 5.
The Lily Pond and Round Pond Trail via Grassville Road is a 5.2-mile out-and-back to two forest ponds. Follow the same corridor back from Round Pond; allow about 2½ to 3 hours. The route is described as easy and relatively flat, though wet ground and the final descent can slow the walk.
Finding the wayThe approach to Lily Pond is unmarked; yellow markers continue from Lily to Round Pond.
The approach to Lily Pond is unmarked; yellow markers continue from Lily to Round Pond. Stay with that marked continuation for this itinerary. The separate Lily Pond Road route heads east toward Buttermilk Pond and is a different hike.
The pondsLily Pond opens through the trees to a broad wooded shoreline.
Lily Pond opens through the trees to a broad wooded shoreline. The trail continues to Round Pond, where the last approach drops over rocky ground to an irregular shore. Primitive campsites are shown by both ponds, but these are simple backcountry sites rather than developed facilities.
Access and footingThe mapped start is at Grassville Road’s end, with shoulder parking near a camp.
The mapped start is at Grassville Road’s end, with shoulder parking near a camp. The route crosses a short stretch of private land before state land, and current permission and parking arrangements have not been confirmed; check with the land manager before setting out. The Round Pond section can be very wet and muddy, so a drier stretch of weather makes for easier walking. Facilities at the primitive sites are not documented.
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.
