Balsam Pond

  Paddling MAP

Location:                             Town of McDonough, Chenango County
Directions:                           From Norwich, head west on County Road 10 passing through Preston and East Pharsalia (pass County Road 8). Take the next left (S) onto Tyler Road (there is no sign at this junction). Take the first right onto Balsam Pond Road. Pass seasonal Harrington Road and take the next right toward Balsam Pond, marked by a brown DEC sign “Balsam Pond Fishing Access.”
Launch Site #1:                   You can park near water’s edge where there’s a flat gravel area for hand launching only.
Best Season to Visit:           Spring, summer and fall
Paddling Distance:              Balsam Pond is approximately 0.9 mile long
Estimated Time to Paddle: 1 to 2 hours
Difficulty:                            1 paddle
Other Activities:                  Fish, camp
Amenities:                            outhouse
Dogs:                                    OK
Admission:                            Free
Contact:                                DEC, Region 7, 615 Erie Blvd. West, Syracuse, NY 13204-2400  (315) 426-7403  www.dec.state.ny.us

The drive in to this remote, pristine lake was part of the fun. Go slowly and keep a watch for animals. We saw coyote, a large flock of turkeys and a pheasant. Then we arrived at the pond and found primitive camping sites nestled in the woods along the access road. Not a cottage in sight! The south end has a grass-covered dike. The rest of the shoreline is forested, with a tree stump marsh on the east side. There’s even a small island to paddle around.
Enjoy the sounds of nature on this 149-acre pond. If fishing’s your thing, you’ll find rainbow trout and small mouth bass. We’d love to go back in fall when the leaves would be ablaze and we’d have the area to ourselves.

Paddling Directions:
• Explore at will.
Date visited:
Notes:

Paddling Map         

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