Great Patterson Swamp in New York

Trip Overview

I started at the Green Chimney's School Access and paddled upstream towards Patterson. The swamp has an immediate feeling of wildness from this southern starting point. There was almost no traffic noise for the first couple miles and no houses or buildings after the first bend.

The stream had a good paddling depth in almost all places with a light, but discernible current that was of no consequence for paddling. There are some downed trees and beaver dams to get over, but nothing was particularly difficult.

Wildlife - turtles, bull frogs, great blue herons, green-backed herons, kingfishers, deer, beaver lodges and dams.

I went upstream to within about a mile of the Patterson launch at Marble Quarry Rd. There were no route finding difficulties, the main channel is obvious.
It is a spectacular area.

Accommodations:

Parking lot. It is signed for no public parking during weekdays. The lot is open on weekends and there is signage for public access to the river... about 75 yards from the lot.

Fees:

No

Directions:

Launch:

Across the road from the Green Chimneys School, 400 Doansburg Rd. Putnam Lake, NY

Resources:

My blog for this trip, with photos, is here -

http://canoepost.blogspot.com/2013/07/the-great-swamp.html