Leaf peepers delight! Discover the magic of simpler living at this unique and tranquil waterfront retreat on Upper Saranac Lake. This secluded boat access camp was once the guide house for a neighboring great camp and is brimming with Adirondack history. The two primary cabins offer plenty of room for a small family, couple or a group of friends. The bunk house just down the trail is great for kids or overflow guests. Miles of trails, boat included, WI-FI - a modern adventurer’s paradise!
The space
**LEAF PEEPER SPECIAL: Check out our September & October discounts just in time for enjoying the fall colors! The foliage is expected to be the best the last week of September!**
Located on a remote cove directly behind historic Chapel Island, one of Upper Saranac Lake’s most beloved landmarks, this property is a traditional Adirondack camp. That means it is made up of several buildings each serving a unique purpose.
The main cabin is a 1BR 1BA with a queen memory foam bed with a ceiling fan and a stand up shower and Toto bidet toilet in the bathroom. There is a rustic “country kitchen” with a gas oven & stove, Jura coffee & espresso maker, a large pantry and a large chef’s sink. The cabinetry in the kitchen was made by hand by the home’s original owner, adding to the cabin’s rustic charm. Off the back of the kitchen leading to the back door there is a mud room with a full HE washer dryer. Outside you’ll find a Big Green Egg charcoal grill, perfect for steaks or burgers!
In the front of the main cabin is a dining table nook that seats 4 surrounded by windows and views of the forest and lake, perfect for breakfast on chilly summer mornings. The cozy living room has a working cast iron stove and a reading nook with books, board games and toys for children. Off of the living room there is a huge screened in porch with a luxe mohair sofa, a queen sized swinging bed that provides hours of lounging while listening to the loons and the lake lapping at the shore. It’s one of the most magical places to sleep in the home although we do not count this bed as a bedroom in our total counts. There is also a dining table that seats 8 on the screened in porch. Persian rugs, vintage stick work furniture, a checkers end table between two cozy chairs, and of course a western facing view of the lake means cocktail hour will be your favorite part of the day!
Steps off the back door from the main cabin is the second cabin, also known as the “sleeping cabin.” This cabin also has a porch with a rocking chair for enjoying lake views and reading a book. In the cabin, there is a small mud room upon entry with hooks for jackets, hats, etc. One side of the cabin is the primary bedroom with a beautiful twig work canopy bed with a queen memory foam mattress that will make you feel like you are sleeping in the forest — which, surrounded by pristine forever wild wilderness, you are. There is also an antelope hide reading chair and a small desk facing a window with stunning Lake views that will make your remote work fly by! In the other bedroom in this cabin there is a twin bunk bed with whimsical floral linens and a twig work crib. There’s plenty of storage here for luggage and clothes as well as a lake view out this room as well. Each room has an in wall heater in case it is chilly on those cooler summer nights as well as ceiling fans for the rare time it is warm at night.
Down the trail about 500 feet is the third cabin, the bunk house that has a total of 6 twin beds with linens and a seating area. This is perfect for overflow guests, or older teens who don’t mind a short hike to their accommodations and like the idea of a cool hangout in the woods! There is a ceiling fan in this cabin but no heater. There is also an outhouse a few steps away from this cabin.
Outdoors are where the magic continues. Just off the back of the mud room is a trail system that offers miles of well-marked trails throughout the property. Along the trails, you’ll cross through stunning hemlock forests, mossy paths, fern clearings, and wet weather creeks. One of the trails will also lead you to state trails that go all the way to Indian Carry, a unique footbridge and the location where the Chapel Island ferry picks up.
Down by the lake, you’ll find a fire pit area with Adirondack chairs perfect for s’mores as well as a picnic table. The boathouse is stocked with fishing gear (tackle & fly), floaties, paddling/sailing items, and life vests for the whole family (even some for your four legged friends!). The cove is an excellent place to fish for small mouth (when in season) and blue gills. The dock areas are a great place for morning coffee as the fog rises from the lake, with a gorgeous view of Chapel Island. Evening cocktails are even more special when enjoyed at the top of the boathouse deck, where a 180-degree western facing panorama view of Upper Saranac Lake opens up. You’ll see loons, mergansers, bald eagles, otters, deer, beavers — all sorts of wildlife crosses along this waterway. Additionally, the Northern Forest Canoe Trail passes in front of the home, so you’ll often see paddlers headed from Bartlett to Indian Carry going by.
If you have any questions about the space, please don’t hesitate to ask!
House Rules:
Property is boat access.
Only 2 cars allowed at the designated parking area at any time
No parking down by the dock (loading and unloading only)
No departures or arrivals on the land side during stay are allowed before 6 am or after 10 pm due to deed restrictions.
Mail and other deliveries must be arranged, please let the host know if that is needed.
Check in and check out must be scheduled with host to hand off boat and go over rules & safety. Flexible check in/out times based on cleaning & availability, please let us know if you have unique needs.
