As of March, 2024, this trailhead is closed to the public. If access changes, this listing will be updated. 

Along the shoulder of Bullhead Mountain, follows wetlands, a large brook, and down to the shore of Puffer Pond in the Siamese Ponds Wilderness Area. Continue on the old carriage road to the view over Kings Flow and back to the trailhead.

Key takeaways

• Distance: 5.3 miles round trip
• Elevation gain: 725 feet
• Hike includes trail junctions

Hiking to Puffer Pond

From the trailhead heading in a clockwise direction, you will start by hiking through a beautiful forest. The terrain starts out flat, crosses a sizable brook, and follows along the shore of a wetland area. Not long after the wetland the trail begins to climb moderately to an intersection with the John Pond Trail that comes in on your left. Continue straight and climb to a high saddle on the shoulder of Bullhead Mountain.

Past the saddle the trail will descend quickly to the shore of Puffer Pond, halfway through the hike, and where there is a lean-to very close to the trail junction. Once at the pond the trail splits, left leads over to Thirteenth Lake; take a right and follow the pond. As you pass by the pond you will begin to follow Puffer Pond Brook on an old carriage road, a delightful section of trail. The trail stays fairly level as it sweeps hard north and comes out to a view out over Kings Flow. The remainder of this is relatively flat and quite scenic as Kings Flow keeps coming into view. You will exit the trail out onto a grassy field and come out at the trailhead parking where you started.

Puffer Pond in the winter

This is an excellent snowshoe, but a rather challenging cross-country ski for most people. It doesn't get a ton of winter use, so the trail would be in a typical untouched condition, making travel a bit slower and more difficult. Being prepared is necessary for any winter hike.

Experience more trails in Hamilton County

Looking to find some more trails to hike in Hamilton County? With hundreds of miles of trails, we can help you find more amazing hikes in the big outdoors.

Birding

The abundant ponds support a wide variety of waterfowl, upland birds, wild turkey, and a great many song birds. This hike mixes boreal and bog habitats.

Camping

There are two Puffer Pond lean-tos along the trail from the John Pond trailhead via the John Pond, John Pond Crossover, and West Puffer Pond Trails.

Alternately, use the Kings Flow trailhead via the West Puffer Pond Trail and Old Clearing Farm trailhead via the East Branch Trail and East Puffer Pond Trail.

How to get there

From the intersection of Routes 28 and 30 in Indian Lake follow Route 30 toward Lake Pleasant. Continue for just under 0.5 miles to Big Brook Road. Follow that for 7.8 miles to King's Flow Parking Area. This is the trailhead for Chimney Mountain, Johns Pond, and Puffer Pond.

*King's Flow Trailhead is a pay-to-use parking lot — pay the $2 fee at the small kiosk to access the Puffer Pond loop. Also note that King's Flow is bordered by privately owned cabins, so there is no public paddling access to the waterbody.