Lake Clear is a hamlet and a lake in Franklin County, New York, United States. The area is named for 940-acre Lake Clear, part of the original Seven Carries canoe route. It is located in the town of Harrietstown.In the late 19th century, Lake Clear was near the center of a thriving tourist industry; Upper Saint Regis Lake, three miles to the north is home to some of the earliest and most elite of the Adirondack Great Camps, and famous Paul Smith's Hotel was only five miles to the north. Saranac Inn, on the shore of Upper Saranac Lake, is four miles to the west, and the village of Saranac Lake is six miles to the southeast.In 1893, the Mohawk and Malone Railway reached Lake Clear, and in 1906, Paul Smith built an electric railroad that ran from Lake Clear to his hotel. Lake Clear was served by New York Central trains from Montreal in the north and New York City to the south. From Lake Clear passengers would transfer to Lake Saranac and Lake Placid to the east.