The John Pond Loop

Where: Siamese Ponds Wilderness, Near Indian Lake
Length: A five mile loop
Difficulty: easy to moderate

Less than a mile separates John Pond and Clear Pond, located near the western edge of the Siamese Ponds Wilderness. Both ponds can be reached by trail, and those trailheads are within sight of each other on the appropriately named Wilderness Lane (scroll down for directions).

Trail guides mention that a loop hike can be made by combining the two trails with an easy cross-country jaunt. But, bushwhacking is no longer necessary, a new marked trail completes the loop. The entire route, starting and ending on Wilderness Lane, covers five miles and is generally flat. In addition to visiting two ponds, the trail passes through attractive forests and you'll pass sites that hint at the area's rich and controversial history.

John Pond from the cliffs visible across the pond from the lean-to. The green color is not distorted. Many visitors have noted that John Pond is decidedly murky, showing a green or brown coloration depending on the season. There are plenty of murky waters in the Adirondacks, but John Pond takes the prize. I have not been able to find any explanation for this ponds less than appealing coloration. These cliffs are an easy bushwhack if you are familiar with ADK cross country travel, but care is needed. It is steep in places.

John Pond from near the lean-to.

Clear Pond, looking south, from near the place where the spur trail reaches the pond.

Clear Pond, the new connecting trail between John Pond and Clear Pond passes this spot, near the south end of the pond.

An appealing aspect of this route is that it passes though varied forests. 

A small settlement known as "Little Canada' once existed in the area around John Pond. The residents of Little Canada were primarily French Canadians who worked as loggers, but, by 1900, most had transitioned to farming the lands that surrounded their homesteads. By 1910 only a few families remained, and New York State, firm in the belief that the land was publicly owned, pressed them to vacate. The residents claimed that they had purchased plots from the Finch Pruyn Company while working for the company in the late 1800s. But, by then, Fitch Pruyn had sold the land to the Indian River Company which turned around and sold a large tract, covering much of Township 15, to New York State. No evidence to support the resident's claim could be found and, in 1914, a court decision cleared the title and the remaining residents were evicted.

The 1900 edition of the New York State Forest Commission Maps showed the disputed land as recently purchased. And, the 1909 edition shows the area as owned by New York State. This is significant because areas where the title was not settled were represented differently on the map. So, by 1909, the Forest Commission believed that the State had clear title to the land (the Forest Commission was the entity managed Forest Preserve Lands at that time).

This sequence of events was unfortunate, if not tragic, and the controversy reemerged in more recent times when the Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) included the area around John Pond in the Siamese Ponds Wilderness. At the time of that designation a four wheel drive road existed all the way to John Pond. That road serves as the basis for the modern day trail. DEC, however, considered the road to be abandoned and, in keeping with Wilderness guidelines, moved to block access by motorized traffic. The Town of Indian Lake objected, but there was a catch. Only the first mile of the 2.4 mile route is in the town of Indian Lake, the rest is in the town of Johnsburg in Warren County.

This is where a second tragedy plays a role in the saga. The graves of two children who had died in the diphtheria epidemic of 1897 were located along the route and claims were made that the road should remain open to allow motorized access to this site. This access would have allowed ATVs to reach what local residents had deemed a cemetery. Despite this claim, the road was closed and, today, the well marked graves (marked in modern times, to support the cemetery contention) add a sad point of interest along the trail. This story has been retold by others, and the basis for much of the information that I am retelling is found here.

A point along the John Pond Connector Trail that runs from near John Pond, south to the Kings Flow-Puffer Pond Trail. The area just south of the intersection was planted with Norway Spruce in the 1930s. These plantation trees produce a canopy that is unlike any natural Adirondack forest. But, it is an interesting and attractive stand nonetheless.

The history of this area also evident in the forests themselves. A number of White Pines present along John Pond Trail have the split trunks associated with Pine Weevil damage. Pine Weevils are particular, and this characteristic is commonly seen where White Pine has filled in along the edges of openings where livestock were grazed. Stands of Norway Spruce, almost certainly planted by the CCC during the depression years, are also seen. Stand exists south and east of John Pond, and same aged stands of Red Pine along the east shore of John Pond also appear to have been planted.

Norway Spruce were planted in locations around the Adirondacks by the CCC. These stands are easily identified by noting the large slender cones (3 to 4 inches in length) that litter the ground in large numbers. If the trees dropping the cones have short needles (to differentiate them from White Pines), then they are Norway Spruce. 

Along the trail.

Along the trail.

Directions: Head south on Route 30 from the junction of routes 30 and 28 in Indian Lake. Half a mile south of the intersection, turn right onto Big Brook Road. Follow Big Brook Road for 3.5 miles to Starbuck Road. Turn left onto Startbuck Road. Starbuck Road morphs into Lakeview Drive and you follow the combination for one mile. This brings you to a T intersection with Wilderness Lane. Turn right and park along the road, or in the parking area at at the end (in the winter you'll have to leave this clear for the snowplow turn around). The trail to Clear Pond leaves the road near this intersection and the John Pond trail leaves from the parking area. There are signs at both locations.