The trail to 9 Corner Lake is a short hike and leads to a remote lake with beautiful rocky beaches and swimming spots.
9 Corner Lake
1 mile (2 miles round-trip)
Caroga, Fulton County
Ferris Lake Wild Forest
Hiking, Snowshoeing, Cross-Country Skiing
Level of Difficulty: Easy
Hike to 9 Corner Lake
9 Corner Lake is a popular 1-mile-long trail in the southern Adirondacks that leads hikers through a mature forest to a beautiful lake and wetland stream. The trail is on public Forest Preserve in the Ferris Lake Wild Forest, located in the Town of Caroga in Fulton County. Roadside parking areas is on both sides of Route 29A, just west of the inlet of Pine Lake. This is a popular trail and tends to be crowded in the summer, especially on weekends. This a great pond to carry a lightweight canoe.
The hike is a fairly constant climb from the trailhead but never rises too steeply. 9 Corner Lake itself is a popular swimming destination, making this the perfect short hike for many families looking to cool off in the sun or just enjoy a forest stroll.
The route follows red snowmobile trail markers into the woods on the north side of the road. The path passes the trail register and through a gate immediately before shortly crossing over the first of many old wooden bridges. The climb is shallow for a few hundred yards before beginning to climb a bit steeper after merging with another trail from the left. The trail is smooth and in good condition apart from a number of exposed tree roots and a few muddy patches.
After a quarter of a mile, the trail flattens out and widens as it reaches a shallow woodland stream to the left. From here, the trail splits briefly before flattening out over another old bridge-crossing, this one next to a quaint small waterfall rushing through a pine forest. The trail then continues to wind for another quarter of a mile before reaching a fork at 0.9 miles. The route to the left continues along the snowmobile trail toward the Spectacle Lake trail, while the trail to the right leads 0.1 miles to the shore of 9 Corner Lake.
9 Corner Lake
Soon after the junction, the trail emerges onto the cliffs of the lake, which extends straight ahead below the clouds. Opposite the lake, a pleasant and wide wetland stream offers an interesting spot for a lunch away from the more popular lake. Down and to the right, a large rock nestled within one of the lake’s many bays provides a perfect jumping spot for swimmers. The winding shoreline also has many rocky beaches, accessible by following a path to the right over a brief rocky passage. This trail runs around the lake, passing a number of campsites and a popular bouldering site tucked a few hundred yards away in the woods.
The return hike is the same as the hike in.
Click here to download a map and trail directions for 9 Corner Lake.
When You Hike Make Sure to Practice “Leave No Trace” to be Prepared and to Protect the Forest Preserve
Please follow “carry in, carry out” rules for all trash and follow other Leave No Trace principles when hiking in the public Forest Preserve and other wild areas. The seven Leave No Trace principles are: 1) Plan ahead and prepare; 2) Stay on hiking trails and camp at designated areas; 3) Dispose of human waste and trash properly; 4) Leave what you find; 5) Minimize campfires; 6) Respect wildlife; 7) Respect other hikers.
Educated hikers do not damage the environment. Prepared hikers do not need search and rescue unless injured.
Winter Use: The trails around 9 Corner Lake are parts of popular snowmobile trails and can also be used by cross-country skiing and snowshoeing in the winter.
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