Utowana is a beautiful lake that is about as peaceful as they come, despite allowing motorboats.

How to get there

From the intersection of Route 28 and Route 30 follow Route 28 toward Raquette Lake. Continue for over 6-miles to a small dirt pull-off on the right hand side, look for a large boulder set back in the woods near the shore. Here, you can launch a canoe or kayak. This launch requires going down a rather steep embarkment; please be cautious.

Otherwise, you will need to come in from Blue Mountain through Eagle Lake and into the lake from the east. Launching from Blue Mountain Lake will require an invasive species inspection.

Fishing

Fish for bass in the deeper portion of the lake on the eastern end. The bays and inlets provide cooler water for bullhead fishing and brook trout. Most of the shore is private property so you need to keep the shoreline fishing to near the area of the launch. There is also state land near the lean-to that is best accessed from Route 28. It can be fished from shore here.

Fish species in the lake include: brook trout, bullhead, panfish, perch, and smallmouth bass

Paddling

This is a peaceful paddle with a lean-to on the opposite shore, for lunch or a weekend of camping. A short paddle downstream before the dam becomes too narrow, but there is a portage around this spot that will get you to better waters to paddle into Raquette Lake. If you head upstream you can easily go into Eagle Lake and then Blue Mountain Lake. The shallow nature of Utowana Lake gives it a feel unlike many other lakes in the Adirondacks.

The shoreline is 4.7 miles long, the lake is 300 acres in size, and has a mean depth of 12 feet. This is a fairly well sheltered pond where wind is not much of an issue. While motorboats are not forbidden the chances of seeing one are very small.

Camping

There are primitive sites and lean-tos in the area, including one on the lake, directly across from the hand launch off Route 28.