Schroon River in New York

Trip Overview

The 4-mile section of the Schroon River below Schroon Lake is a wonderful day trip. The current is less than one knot (except in early spring) and can easily be paddled in either direction; the 8-mile round trip makes for a good day's paddling, canoe or kayak. Excellent for a family trip with small children.

This section of the river ends at a small, well marked, dam, which of course is why this section of the river is so nice. This can be portaged around easily, but you will find some pretty serious white water farther down stream.

Along the banks of the Schroon are several large embankments, especially Jenks Swamp, where wildlife abounds. Have seen many herons and an occasional otter.

From the excellent put-in at the south end of Schroon Lake you can go in either direction; north takes you along the lake, south down the river. As you leave the lake headed south there are numerous side channels to explore.

Schroon Lake is just a few miles northwest of Lake George, a very popular summer resort. Lake George also offers some excellent paddling, but you will have to be tolerant of the powerboat / personal water craft (lake lice) crowd.

Accommodations:

This location is about a half hour north of Warrensburg, where gas, food etc. are available. Just to the east is Lake George; restaurants and lodging are available in either Lake George Village or Bolton Landing.

Directions:

Take I87 (Northway) to exit 26. Take Rte 9 north for about 3/4 mile and then a right on Schroon River Road. The lake and put-in are only a 1/4 mile.

Launches:

This put-in is run by the state's Department of Environmental Conservation. There is only a moderate amount of parking available, so arrive early on weekends! You can launch from the boat ramp or just across the highway from an excellent sandy beach.