SHALLOW LAKE canoe camping, Adirondack Park

Apr 29&30, 2012 - SHALLOW LAKE & SUCKER BROOK canoe camping.  Pigeon Lake Wilderness Area.  1.3 mile carry from Lower Browns Tract Pond.  Trail rough at first then got worse as it got wet & muddy passing thru swamp on either side of Beaver Brook.  Bridge over the latter has bouncy 3 log stringers at water level.  Paddled down the brook half mile to large boggy area.  Last 0.9 miles of trail better but not without its muddy spots.  Aluminum canoe at the end of the trail (not seen in 2017 visit).  Very windy with waves over 1'.  Paddled around E end & settled into an excellent campsite amongst white pines with a long rocky point & commanding view of the lake.  4 hours from the start.  There are at least 3 other campsites on the lake (did not like 2 of those).  Great wilderness feel, very quiet.  Wind finally died down in the evening - the next day was much calmer - temp dropped into the 20s overnight.  Paddled down Sucker Brook, the outlet, for half an hour portaging around one downed tree & turned around when I saw 3 more blockages ahead.  Paddled up Sucker Brook, the inlet, for half an hour sliding over a couple of small beaver dams, could have gone further.  Loon, mallard & gull pairs; kingfisher, white-throated sparrows, pileated woodpecker, yellowlegs, barred owl, grouse, beaver.  No bad bugs






Adirondack Park, Adirondacks, Shallow Lake, canoeing, camping

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