Alger Island

Closed — Closed for the season. Opens May 15 through September 7. Reservations available through ReserveAmerica.

About

Alger Island Campground provides a distinctive camping experience on Fourth Lake in the Fulton Chain of Lakes, accessible only by boat. Campers must register at the Fourth Lake Day Use Area headquarters located at 303 Petrie Road in Old Forge, where car-top boat launching is available. The island features 15 lean-to sites, each equipped with a fireplace, hibachi, picnic table, and pit privy, plus 2 tent sites with pit privies, fireplaces, and hibachis. The campground combines island seclusion with convenient access to the amenities of nearby Old Forge. A short hiking trail circles the island, providing opportunities for exploration. Fourth Lake offers excellent fishing for lake trout, brook trout, rainbow trout, and landlocked Atlantic salmon. Motor boats, rowboats, and canoes are permitted on the lake. Alger Island was purchased by New York State in 1950, and the lean-tos were constructed during the 1960s. The island was historically known as Deer Island in the late 1700s before being called Big Island, and eventually named after the Alger family who were longtime owners. The Fulton Chain of Lakes itself is named after steamboat inventor Robert Fulton, who advocated for an Adirondack canal connecting these waters in the early 1800s.

Directions

From NYS Thruway Exit 31 at Utica, take Route 12 North to Alder Creek, then Route 28 to Old Forge. Turn right at the Post Office onto Gilbert Street, left onto Park Avenue, right onto South Shore Road to Petrie Road. Continue 3/4 mile to the Fourth Lake Picnic Area. From Route 28 in Inlet, take South Shore Road to Petrie Road, then one mile to Fourth Lake Picnic Area. Register for Alger Island at this location. Boat access only to the island campground.

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