Long Lake is simply a widening of the Raquette River and is very long, making the name for it quite accurate. Long Lake, being so long, has been divided into a North and South section which is split by Route 30 and the Village of Long Lake. With ample paddling, there are also several miles of trails that skirt the shore, as well as plenty of camping opportunities along the way. All of this makes for an easy destination to plan for an extended stay.
Getting there
From bridge over Long Lake along Route 30 in Long Lake follow Route 30 into town. You can launch here along the beach area as a perfect access point for either end of the lake.
Continue a bit further and take a left onto Dock Road and follow this around to the State Boat Launch Site. This is a good spot if you plan to go out for multiple days, with ample overnight parking.
A third launch is a bit further away. You will need to follow Route 30 through town and head toward Blue Mountain Lake. On the outskirts of town take a right onto North Point Road and drive for 1.5 miles to the Canoe Carry Trail on the right. There is parking for about 4-cars, but others can park along the roadside with ease. This will be a short carry of about 0.25 miles to the lake shore, all downhill.
Paddling
The southern portion of Long Lake has much less to offer than the north. The only camping opportunity is at the head waters where the Raquette River comes in. There are tenting spots as well as two lean-tos. A carry trail at this location offers a nice hike up to Buttermilk Falls.
The northern end of the lake offers tons of camping opportunities from tenting to lean-to sites near the eastern shore. The Northville-Placid Trail parallels the lake to the east opening up opportunities for day hiking or an evening stroll through an attractive forest. At the north end the waters again become a river and offer some interesting paddling opportunities back to Raquette Falls.
Long Lake is a huge body of water; even though it's not too wide in most locations it is unsheltered from heavy winds and can create whitecap conditions. Motorboats are allowed and sea planes frequent the waters near the village. Other days it can be as calm as glass with very little traffic. Mid-week is the best time for a quieter paddle.
