Lake Eaton is known for fine fishing all year long and great paddling in summer. Motorboat access is only from the campground, via day use fee.

Getting there

From the intersection of Route 30 and Route 28N in Long Lake follow Route 30 toward Tupper Lake. Continue out of town for about a mile to the state campground on the left; access is within the campground. A day use fee will be required when the campground is open, roughly mid-May through mid-October each year.

Fishing

There is a ton of shoreline fishing which is open until ice-in. A day use fee will be required even for walk-ins if you want to fish from within the campground. However there is a trail that accesses the lake from the Owl's Head Mountain trail or along a snowmobile trail off Route 30 that will give you shoreline fishing at different spots along most of the western shore of the lake. It will just be required that you do some hiking to access that part of the lake. If the campground is open, you will not be able to fish from campsites that are occupied. The campground is open from mid-May through mid-October each year.

The only motorboat access is from the Lake Eaton State Campground and that is only while the campground is open for the season, otherwise the gate will be closed. Fish the deep portions of the lake and fish deep for good smallmouth bass. The eastern shallows of a small bay near Beacher Park are a great location for rainbow trout.

Fish species present: Lake trout, landlocked salmon, smallmouth bass, rainbow trout, brown trout

Ice Fishing

The great fishing continues into the winter, with access largely from the snowmobile trail that runs near the lake shore. 

Paddling

Lake Eaton is one of the most popular waterbodies in the Long Lake region, and there are a few reasons for this. For one, it has a wonderful state campground on the northeast shore. Two, it has some outstanding fishing that anglers just rave about. Three, the paddling on this jagged lake is very relaxing and it's an outstanding place to watch the sunset and listen to the loons. There are other reasons for this lake's popularity, but you should go find out for yourself. Here's a hint — wildlife!

It's a shoreline beach launch with shallow water and easy access. This is a fairly well sheltered lake, with many bays and jagged edges. However, when out in the middle this lake can feel very big and whitecaps can occur if the weather patterns agree.

Swimming

There's a swimming beach at the campground.