The
Adirondack Park contains more than 3,000 lakes and ponds and 6,000
miles of rivers and streams; the largest lake being beautiful Lake
Champlain. Adirondack paddling fun ranges from
whitewater chutes to glassy shiny ponds. The Adirondacks
remain one of the world's great destination of wilderness canoeing &
kayaking. The acquisitions of the Park continue to increase,
so we welcome your contribution (or paddling story) of your tall
tale experience while visiting our Park.
The newest fun is
Geo caching
spots.
Go find one, or make one, and have a nice treasure hunt while
paddling our beautiful Adirondack scenery.
Below are many enjoyable
waterways to start enjoying! The America's Byways suggests
checking out our
of the
Champlain Heritage Locks Passage Tour.
Before you go out on H2O waterways, please be sure to check your Paddling Guidebooks and
Maps (see resources below).
Please keep safety in mind at all times. Other resources that
you may find helpful are our
Guide Services or
Pack &
Paddle Directory for more details!
By sharing, we better our world. Put a smile on a new friend's
face! Share your water adventure stories and
publish your special story. Patronized our businesses.
Thank you.
(some Class I riffles)
- Rt. 73 bridge, or 1.5 miles down Riverside Dr., Ausable
Boquet River, Willsboro
below the fish ladder
Chubb River
good bird watching too, may need to lift over
beaver dams
Lake Champlain
sea
kayak. Westport to Split Rock Point to Essex
Newcomb Lake/Camp Santanoni Preserve
Rich Lake & Harris Lake
public beach
Newcomb
Saranac Lakes' Chain, Saranac Lake
(also Oseetah Lake)
Saranac River
Class II water before Franklin Falls Pond.
Franklin Falls Road provides access
Schroon River, North Hudson to Schroon Lake, scenic 15
mile trip
Cascade Lakes at the public forest
The Chateaugay Lakes
(2 wide lakes
connected by channel, 10.5 miles, summer resort, check out Bluff Point)
Lincoln Pond
Elizabethtown
Putnam Pond
Putnam
Eagle Lake
Ticonderoga
West Branch Ausable River
(8 miles of
tranquil water w/dense woods, Class I riffles & 1 carry, spring is best)
Raquette River
(17 miles from Pearcefield
to Carry Falls Reservoir, offers exciting whitewater, 2 waterfalls, borders
state land, water level is critical)
North Branch Grass River
(16.5 miles w/mix of rapids and flatwater, Class II & IV to moderate size
double hydraulics before Harpers Falls, carry is required)
Sacandaga River
(empties into Hudson River
@ Hadley Lake. Dam is 3 miles w/Class II)
Hudson River*
(N. River to N. Creek, 5 miles
for Class II rapids then 18 miles to Schroon River for exciting Class III)
Lower Schroon River
(27
miles with mix of long flatwater to some exciting Class III-IV, scout before
running)
* Hudson River Trivia: Mt. Marcy's Lake Tear of the Clouds, is the highest pond source
for the mighty
Hudson River. From humble beginnings, the Hudson flows 275 miles into New
York City to the Atlantic Ocean.
carries at Hull's Falls, fish
dam at Upper Jay and waterfalls at Jay
Boquet River in the Spring
at Elizabethtown to I-87
overpass becomes Class III drop & rapids. 25 mile stretch
thereafter to Lake Champlain (waterfalls at Wadham)
Boreas River
(, paddlers
in closed boats) remove
Upper Hudson River
(Class III-IV rapids) guide service
available
Hudson River Gorge
no open canoes, Class V rapids
w/hydraulics, souse holes and high standing waves at N. River
Lower Moose River
(Old Forge Region - 17
miles demanding Class V+ Rapids)
Saranac River
(starting out as slow moving flatwater up to Class
III at Permanent Rapids before Franklin Falls, .4 mile carry)
"Silver
Staircase"
(7 mile run of whitewater, advance,
Class IV)
Middle
Branch Moose River
(Old Forge Region - float down
w/gradual picks up to some exciting Class II rapids)
Little River
(lower 6
miles technical Class III, upper is quiet Class I, 2 short carries)
Middle Branch Oswegatchie River
(spectacular branch plunges over waterfalls thru gorge,
drop 90 ' in 1st 2 miles, adrenalin with Class III rapids.
Scouting necessary. 2nd half 12 mile run is calm Class I)
Lampson Falls Area
(spectacular stretch requiring different paddling skills,
flatwater to falls, to abrupt changes, drops, cascades and up to Class
V. Only experts should try the lower section)
Upper Hudson River & Hudson River Gorge
(12 miles from Newcomb to Indian River, beautiful remote w/Class III rapids at
Ord Falls, blends into the turbulent Hudson River Gorge w/difficult Class V
w/hydraulics, souse holes & high standing water. Experts only!)
Lower West Branch Sacandaga
River (8 miles w/up to Class II rapids, spring is best,
steep gradient of 55' per mile)
Sacandaga River
(from Rt. 30, slalom of almost continuous fast whitewater, up to Class
III. Lake Alqonguin 4 miles to run. Best done at high water)
Adirondack Guides have been helping visitors
since Thomas Jefferson once ventured here in the Adirondacks. Call upon the services of a
guide for your canoe or kayak outing. Adirondack earliest guides were
trappers, loggers and native Americans leading pioneers and explorers.
Today's guides are still strong showing tourist through the woods. Many
guides share tall tales and are truly enjoyable. (Visit our
"Guide"
Section.) Call Adirondack Regional
Tourism Council for your Visitors Guide (800-487-6867).
Little Tupper Lake & Rock Pond
(William C.
Whitney Area, 9 bodies of water, 30
campsites, moderate wind advisory, anglers catch & release)
Santa Clara Tract
(along the St.
Regis River, above Everton Falls & Deer River Meadows)
Croghan Tract
(include Mud Pond, Sand Pond
& Gregg Lake in the western ADK)
Toley Pond
Tract
mixture of flatwater & whitewater on the S. Branch Grass
River. Scenic waterfalls.)
(Old Forge Region - part of the Croghan tract, .2 mile
carry in, marshy shores, narrow corridor streams)
Cranberry Lake
(bays & flows, great hiking
too, 46 campsites) Outlet starts 1.8 miles downstream from bridge, windy
flat water to Newton Falls Reservoir
Francis Lake
(Old
Forge Region - 120 acre lake, primitive campsites)
(Old Forge Region, 9
mile long reservoir surrounded by state campsites)
Oswegatchie River
(virgin pines, scenic
river 40 mile round trip)
Moss Lake
(Old Forge
Region - small lake at foot of steep mtn, 7 campsites)
Big Moose Lake
(Old
Forge Region, borders state land, bays/marsh & trails leading to Pigeon Lk
Wilderness w/campsites)
Tupper Lake
(shallow marsh connects Tupper,
Simon & Raquette ponds, western shore w/campsites, Bog River Falls for 2 miles
stillwater)
Black River
(Old Forge Region - Lyons Falls
to Carthage Dam, 44 miles of interrupted flatwater)
N. Branch Moose River
(Old Forge Region - slow moving stretch of river,
11 miles, isolated)
Raquette River
(Long Lake to Tupper Lake -
3- miles) meanders and campsites at intervals, outlet to Stony Creek Pond
provides access to Upper Saranac Lake)
Forked Lake
(Blue Mtn. Lake Region -
privately owed, borders state land, 7 mile lake, downstream to Long Lake is mix
of flat & fast water)
Fulton Chain of Lakes
(Old Forge Region -
famous 16 mile chain of lakes from 1st to 5th lake)
Lows Lake/Bog River Flow (Cranberry Lake
Region - 11 mile paddle w/shore carry at upper dam, marshes w/backdrop of rugged
mtns, islands and 39 campsites. Ambitious 3 mile carry on west end leads
to Upper Oswegatchie River)
Lake Lilia
(Tupper Lake Region - 7 islands,
17 campsites, sandy beaches, climb Frederica Mtn. too)
Raquette Lake
(many bays, great camps, and
2 mile channel at S. Inlet & Browns, connects to 8th Lake on Fulton
Chain)
Long Lake
(prevailing winds, 14 mile lake,
campsites available)
Blue Mountain Lake
(10 islands, mtn. ringed
lake, 1/2 mile carry at west end leads to Marion River)
Big Brook
(Long Lake Region - 4.7 mile
cruise thru scenic corridor w/fast water sections - pest in spring)
Madawaska Flow-Quebec Brook
(Santa Clara
Tract - accessible Rt 458, remote & scenic, some portaging)
St. Regis River
(16 mile winding flatwater,
up & down stream)
Lower Osgood River
(sm. river meanders thru
forest/marsh, starting at Meacham Lake outlet, huge Eagle's nest)
Lake Kushaqua to Osgood Pond
(12 mile trip
w/interesting group of lakes, channels & one .75 mile carry)
St. Regis Falls Flow/East Branch
(quiet
flatwater, 6 miles above dam. Everton Falls is passable at high
water levels with challenging white water w/rapids, some scouting)
St. Regis Wilderness Canoe Area
(pond-hopper's paradise, many short carries, traverse 10 kales & ponds)
(just off
Blue Mtn Road, some fast water, short carry, windy backwater)
Everton Falls Preserve - E. Branch St. Regis River
(waterfalls winding 9 miles flatwater, marsh, short portage trail
over wetlands)
Hatch Brook
(9 mile flatwater cruise thru
marsh & scenery)
Deer River Flow
(2.7 mile backwater, mtn.
views, lots of birds)
Deer River
(above High Falls, 10 mile
flatwater, below High Falls drops rapidly w/mix of moving water, access Deer
River State Forest)
Lower Oswegatchie River (starts at
Gouveneur, 65 miles to Osdenburg which flows into St. Lawrence River, slow
moving, marshes & pasture & Rapids that can be portaged or run by experienced
paddlers)
Black Lake
(anglers dream, rocky points,
weedbeds)
Raquette River Reservoirs
(27 mile stretch
w/setting of largest inland hydroelectric in Northern NY, picnic areas, ramps,
beaches & campgrounds)
Indian Lake
(14 mile waterway, island
camping, Snowy Mtn. cliffs, fire tower, hike Baldface)
South Branch Grass River
(part of Tooley
Pond Tract, upper section to Rainbow Falls for canoeing, carry trails & around
waterfalls. Rainbow Falls suitable for expert kayakers)
Lower Raquette River
(14. miles between
Raymondville to Raquette River Village, paddle when water levels are adequate,
several sets of rapids)
Piseco Lake Area
(interesting side trips,
Fall Stream to Fall Lake, beaver dams, remote Vly Lake)
Sacandaga Lake Area
(2 lg. headwater lakes
connected by sm. navigable channel, paddle up to Mud Lake or carry to beautiful
Fawn Lk., several campsites)
Jessup River
(while at Indian Lake,
meandering stream 4 mile cruise, picnic, trail to waterfall)
Cedar River Flow/Moose River Plains
(tucked
in the mtns., isolated wilderness - brochure at DEC)
Upper West Branch Sacandaga River
(Class I
flatwater, either direction. Both Chub & Trout Lake have navigable outlets
for side trips)
Kunjamuk Creek
(7 mile round trip windy
river, paddle to Elm Lake)
Rich Lake & Harris Lake
(public beach for
scenic 7.5 mile round trip)
Schroon River
(15 mile from N. Hudson to
Schroon Lake, easy Class I flat water, with carry at Schroon Falls, wildlife
sightings and empties into Schroon Lake)
Lower Schroon River
(27 miles with mix of
long flatwater to some exciting Class III-IV, scout before running)
Great Chazy River
(20 miles section of a 40
mile river, downstream float at Mooers and extend into Kings Bay, some motor
boat traffic)
Chazy Lake
(4 mile lake nestled at Lyon,
Johnson & Ellenburg Mtn., beach & park, firetower at Lyon Mtn.)
Silver Lake & Taylor Pond (secluded lakes,
dense woods, short hike to top of Silver Lake Mountain)
Ausable Point Wildlife Mgt. Area
(interesting 5 mile circuit w/meanders of Ausable Delta & marshes, many species
of waterfowl)
Trivia: New York State has over 800 public and private commercial marinas
along its coastal zone and connected waterways
(BTW, visit NY water
byway historical locks
tour).
Underwater Historical
Preserves - All underwater historic sites in Lake Champlain
belong in public trust to the people of the respective states in whose
water they lie. The States of Vermont and New York have established the
Lake Champlain Underwater Historic Preserve to provide public access for
divers to some of the Lake's historic shipwrecks. To learn more
about shipwreck dive areas on Lake Champlain (click
here).
I-87 X28 N on Rt 9, cross Schroon
River, immediate Right on River Road
Northwest Bay Brook/Warren
Cty.
Bolton Landing, North on Rt
9N for 6 miles, Park @ Northwest Bay Fishing Access Parking, cross road
and walk 1/10 mile, look for Tongue Mtn. Range-Clay Meadow on right side
of rd., trails to falls are on left side of rd across from sign
Snook Kill/Saratoga Cty.
North on Rt 9 until readh Rt 36,
turn left on Greenfield Rd. and travel .04 miles, pull off area on left (the
start of Sankos Rd is on right), see foot path to falls
Beecher Falls/Saratoga Cty.
(wheelchair accessible viewing)
From intersection of Cty. R9 and 4
in Edinburgh, travel .04 miles down North Shore Road/CR 4 to parking on right
Raquette Falls - Hamilton County
(9
miles, RT, easy) DEC outpost, canoe carry trail to upper end of rapids
Jamestown Falls & Moody Falls (easy hike)
north of Childwood, 1.5 miles N of Intersection Rte 3 & 56
Olmstead Pond Loop
(4.6 miles, RT easy trail), east of Wanakena, greenish-blue color water due to
minerals
High Falls Loop (15.1 miles, RT, moderate trail),
traverses beaver dams and waterfalls, camping area on Oswegatchie River.
South of Wanakena
High Falls Gorge, (admission
fee), Wilmington, 518-946-2278
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