The western slopes and north end of MacNaughton Mountain drain into Preston Ponds and Duck Hole pond, the source of the Cold River, which drains into the Raquette River, the Saint Lawrence River in Canada, and into the Gulf of Saint Lawrence.

drain into the southern Indian Pass Brook, thence into Henderson Lake, the source of the Hudson River, and into New York Bay.

MacNaughton Mountain is within the High Peaks Wilderness Area of New York's Adirondack Park.

According to the 1953 survey, the mountain did reach that height, while four of the 46 peaks on the list fell short.

Because it is not one of the officially recognized Adirondack High Peaks and it does not offer notable views, MacNaughton is not climbed as frequently as many other mountains.