Located in the central-western part of the Adirondack region, Big Moose Lake covers 1,242 acres (5.03 km2) in surface area.

[5] Located southwest of the lake is the hamlet of Big Moose; other nearby communities include Eagle Bay, Inlet, Old Forge, and Thendara.

The lake and its surrounding region are a popular spot for tourists year-round; boating, water-skiing, hiking and train rides from Thendara are available in the summer, and cross-country skiing and snowmobiling take place in the winter.

Wealthy businessmen built large, private summer homes and their families lived here for the season, in the style of the Great Camps of the Vanderbilts and Morgans.

The Big Moose Lake area is historically significant for its palisade architectural style, which used vertical half-log construction in lodges and cabins.

He based his book on the historic events of the drowning murder of Grace Brown in the South Bay of Big Moose Lake in the early part of the 20th century.