Photo by Mike Lynch
The land surrounding the present-day trail has a rich history. Initially it was used as a portage between Upper Saranac and Stony Creek Ponds by Indigenous peoples in the area. In the nineteenth century, two guest lodges were built at either end of the carry, on sites where Abenaki settlements had grown corn. The late conservationist Clarence Petty lived in a cabin at Coreys, walking 13 miles to the Saranac Lake school and returning home on weekends.
The Adirondack Land Trust purchased 36 acres on the Stony Creek Ponds side of the carry in 1989, making it possible to build a portage trail that mostly avoided busy NYS Route 3. We worked with the Adirondack Mountain Club to build the portage and transferred the land to the New York State Forest Preserve. In 2015 the Northern Forest Canoe Trail rebuilt a carry bridge, greatly improving accessibility. The forest here is really wonderful, and the trail from Route 3 to the Stony Creek Ponds provides a gentle walk in the woods in search of birds for some, and a smooth portage for others.
Parking is available on a Route 3 pullout, across the road from the trailhead.
Hiking
Distance
1 mile round-trip
Difficulty
Easy