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Mirror Lake

North Elba, New York — Essex County.

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125Surface acres
1Public access sites
0.4 miShoreline trails

Surface area: The USGS National Hydrography Dataset outline (NHD Permanent ID 115353807).

Location & fast facts

Where Mirror Lake is in New York

The red circle marks Mirror Lake.

Fast facts

About Mirror Lake

  • County: Essex
  • Town: North Elba
  • Mapped as: Lake or pond (USGS National Hydrography Dataset)
  • Distance: about 114 mi from Albany and 138 mi from Syracuse, straight-line (not driving distance)

Towns and counties: U.S. Census Bureau boundaries overlaid on the USGS lake outline.

Fishing in New York

Official NYSDEC pages. Rules and fees change; check before you go.

Good for & watch for

Good for

  • Paddling. 1 public access site, no trailer ramp listed
  • Fishing. Smallmouth bass, Lake trout, Rainbow trout and Yellow perch
  • Swimming. 1 public beach or swim spot on the map (details)
  • Walking. 0.4 mi of trail near the shore (trails)
  • Camping. 24 campgrounds within 15 mi (list)

Watch for

  • Non-native/invasive species. Curly-leaf pondweed recorded. Clean, drain and dry your boat and gear.
  • No lifeguard listed. None of our sources lists a staffed lifeguard. Swim at your own risk and watch children closely.
  • Cold water. Water stays cold well into late spring and turns cold again in fall. Wear a life jacket when paddling in the shoulder seasons.

Built only from the data on this page: official access lists, OpenStreetMap beaches and trails, campground listings, state and USGS invasive-species records. We don't rate crowds or water quality.

Official fishing data (NYSDEC)

Fish species listed by NYSDEC for this recommended fishing water: Rainbow trout, Lake trout, Smallmouth bass, Yellow perch.

Stocked by the state: Lake trout, Landlocked salmon, Rainbow trout (2011–2025, 15 years; 38,435 fish in all, fry included)

Source: New York State Department of Environmental Conservation: Recommended Fishing Lakes and Ponds and Fish Stocking Lists (2011 on) on data.ny.gov, records for Mirror Lake (Essex County). NYSDEC page.

Lake map

Mirror Lake shoreline, boat launches & beaches

Mirror Lake DEC boat launch (Cartop / walk-in)1Lake Placid Public Beach (Beach)2¼ mileN

Numbers on the map match the list at rightbelow.

Cartop / walk-inBeachShoreline trail
  1. 1Mirror Lake DEC boat launch
    Cartop / walk-in · North Elba
  2. 2Lake Placid Public Beach
    Beach

Shoreline: USGS National Hydrography Dataset (NHD Waterbody, Permanent ID 115353807), public domain. State outline: U.S. Census Bureau TIGERweb. Points: NYSDEC boat launch sites (data.ny.gov). Dashed trails: © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL). Interactive map: Leaflet with © OpenStreetMap contributors. Not for navigation.

Shoreline trails

0.4 miTrail within 100 m of shore
About 25%Of the shoreline
NoLoops the whole lake
South shoreWhere

OpenStreetMap shows about 0.4 mi of public hiking and walking trail within about 100 m (330 ft) of the Mirror Lake shoreline, mostly along the south shore.

Trails along the shore

Getting to the trails

No trailhead is mapped for these trails. The closest public access site is Mirror Lake DEC boat launch, right on a shoreline trail (NYSDEC boat launch data).

The dashed brown line on the lake map shows these trails. We include paths, footways and marked trails that OpenStreetMap doesn't mark as private, and leave out roads, sidewalks and snowmobile corridors. Mapped trails can still cross private land or close for the season, and not every trail is mapped, so follow posted signs.

Trails: © OpenStreetMap contributors, available under the Open Database License (ODbL). Map data as of Oct 9, 2026. Trail lengths count only the parts within about 100 m of the USGS NHD lake outline.

Campgrounds near Mirror Lake

We found 24 campgrounds and RV parks within 15 miles of Mirror Lake, 1 of them within 5 miles. Distances are straight-line from the nearest point on the shoreline, so driving distance is longer.

14 more within 15 miles

All campgrounds & RV parks in New York

Green tent icons on the lake map mark campgrounds near the shore, and the interactive map shows the closest 12. Amenities are listed only where a source records them; call or check the campground's website before you go, since seasons and rates change every year.

Campground data: OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL). Pulled Oct 12, 2026.

Conditions right now

Air temperature & conditions (nearest NWS station)Loading…
Fetching the latest National Weather Service observation…

Live from the National Weather Service API for the lake's coordinates (44.2903, -73.9821). The nearest station may be several miles away. NWS forecast for Mirror Lake. No live water-temperature sensor is shown because we haven't found a public one for this lake.

Sun, moon & best fishing times

Sun & moon at Mirror Lake

Best fishing times

Major periodMinor periodDaylight

    Based on solunar theory, an estimate. Major periods (about 2 hours) center on when the moon is directly overhead or underfoot; minor periods (about 1 hour) center on moonrise and moonset. The 0–100 activity score rises during those periods and gets a boost near sunrise and sunset and around the new and full moon. Weather, water temperature and pressure often matter more. Sun and moon times are calculated in your browser from the lake's coordinates with standard astronomy formulas, shown in ET (America/New_York), and accurate to within a few minutes.

    Boat launches & access sites

    1 public access site listed.

    SiteTownOwnerTypeParkingFeeUsesMap
    Mirror Lake DEC boat launchNorth ElbaNYSDECHand Launch5 car—Boating44.2962, -73.9776

    NYSDEC boat launch sites (data.ny.gov)

    Fees, hours and rules change; confirm with the site owner before you go.

    Public beaches

    On OpenStreetMap: 1 beach or swimming spot on the shore of Mirror Lake not marked private, residents-only or members-only.

    BeachTypeAccessDirections
    Lake Placid Public BeachBeachAccess not tagged; check posted rulesGet directions

    Beaches: © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL), within about 150 m (500 ft) of the lake outline. A mapped beach is not a guarantee that swimming is allowed, supervised or safe; some town beaches need a resident sticker even when the map doesn't say so. Check posted rules and water-quality advisories before you swim.

    Non-native/invasive species

    Reported on or near Mirror Lake

    Clean, Drain, Dry. Remove plants and mud, drain all water, and dry your boat, trailer and gear before moving to another water.

    USGS Nonindigenous Aquatic Species database

    USGS records matched to this water by location (within about 150 m of the outline) or by the place name in the record. A record shows a sighting was reported; it doesn't prove the species is still there. As of Oct 10, 2026.

    Contact & official info

    Questions about Mirror Lake

    How big is Mirror Lake?

    Mirror Lake covers about 125 acres in North Elba, New York (Essex County).

    What fish are in Mirror Lake?

    NYSDEC fishing and stocking data lists Smallmouth bass, Lake trout, Rainbow trout and Yellow perch.

    Is there a public boat launch on Mirror Lake?

    No trailer ramp is listed, but there is 1 public access site for car-top boats or shore access.

    Can you swim in Mirror Lake?

    OpenStreetMap shows 1 public beach or swimming spot on the shore. None of our sources lists a lifeguard, so swim at your own risk and follow posted rules.

    Are there campgrounds near Mirror Lake?

    Yes. We list 24 campgrounds and RV parks within 15 miles, 1 of them within 5 miles.

    What towns are on Mirror Lake?

    Mirror Lake touches North Elba in Essex County, New York.

    Share a tip or fishing report

    Know Mirror Lake? Tell us about the launch, parking, where they're biting or anything a first-time visitor should know. Tips go privately to the LakeRipple editor; nothing is posted automatically. Helpful tips may be featured on this page (we'll use your first name only if you give one).

    Lakes & ponds nearby

    Straight-line distance between lake centers. All New York lakes & ponds · All waters in North Elba