I am thinking of going to the Adirondack freestyle canoe festival in July. It is located at Star Lake, not too far from Watertown and Lake Placid.
If I go up I am considering doing a multi-day canoe trip on some of the lakes up there. I understand that the Adirondacks are a canoe paradise with lots of connected lakes that you can paddle and portage for days.
I know absolutely nothing about paddling in this area. Can anyone provide me a starting point / advice so that I can start looking at options.
I would probably want to do about a 3-4 day backwoods trip. I would really want to paddle a secluded area where there were not all kinds of camp grounds, boats, etc.
Thanks
Matt
Northern Forest Canoe Trail
Why not make a start on doing the Northen Forest Canoe Trail. http://northernforestcanoetrail.org/PlanaTrip-2/NFCT-Route-Description-75
Post the question here
http://www.adkforum.com
A wealth of information available at this website. Very helpful folks.
The Oswegatchie River is
down the road from Star Lake…You can go past High Falls (which is about twelve miles in) and get into real backcountry. An out and back trip.
Or you can drive about 45 minutes and do the Whitney area or Lake Like to Lows Lake or Lows Lake access from rt 421 off route 30 just south of Tupper.
Or St. Regis Canoe area about an hour east.
The Adirondack Paddlers Map will give you lots of choices.
http://www.amazon.com/Liberty-Mountain-Adirondack-Paddlers-Map/dp/B000TTNC98
Hope to see you at AFS!
What are the dates?
I’m trying to put together an adirondacks paddle/portage trip for this summer with a couple of folks from Connecticut via the Naugatuck Valley Outdoor Club.
AFS is great.
I learned a ton last year and will be back this Summer. Unfortunately, I don’t have time before or after to explore the Adirondacks. Maybe next year it will work out.
For info on Adirondack trips: besides checking the ADK forum, you should go to www.canoeoutfitters.com and buy Dave Cilley’s book and the map. They are umbelievable resources.
Hope to see you at AFS.
July 19 - 23. NM
Five of the Seven
Carries, from St Regis Lake into St Regis pond is a classic. The last two carries are seldom done.
Acquire Dave Cilley’s book and map at St Regis Outfitters, 518.891. 2525.
ADKs
While I’m a big proponent of Northern Forest Canoe Trail the sections through the Adirondacks generally follow lakes with lots of power boat traffic. It’s still a great paddle but it’s not really very remote.
The best way to avoid boats and people is to do a carry or two so the St Regis area would be a good pick. Lows Lake, and Little Tupper lake are also great.
I agree with the others who suggested getting the map and guidebook by Dave Cilly. It’s a great map and the guide book has lots of excellent suggestions.
take a look here:
http://www.adkforum.com/forumdisplay.php?f=62
Cranberry Lake loop to Low’s
About 15minutes from Star Lake is Cranberry Lake. You can start there, go into a southern bay , carry to Low’s Lake, paddle it, then carry to the Oswegatchie, and paddle down it to High Falls, carry the falls, and paddle to Wanakena, and back across Cranberry Lake to your start point. Glen L. did this loop and more, starting and ending on Low’s Lower Dam. And he did it in ONE day.
Bill
get the map
not everyone is as heroic…that is quite the day paddle
One of the carries is 2.7 miles and the other 3.5 miles.
Its a different animal with camping gear.
I did it
I did the loop mentioned last year,but leaving from Wannakina. i took a leasurly 3 days.It was a great trip but not for those not traveling real lite. If the carry from Cranberry to Lows is not more than the 3.5 mi. they post on the sign at the start-I’ll eat my canoe!
Turtle
Noooo!
Before you eat it I will readopt it!
3.5 miles
That carry does seem like halfway to Albany, but 3.5 is really close. The first time i followed Glen L’s directions from Cranberry to Low’s i thought at 2.5 miles i must have made a wrong turn because the stream below the trail seemed to be going the wrong way. I turned back. The next trip to Low’s i found the trail at the head of Grass Bay and again it looked like the streams i crossed were flowing the wrong way, but we stayed on the trail and soon it looked familiar and we came out at Cranberry. Round trip its a long walk thru the woods.
It is a great way to link the two lakes into one trip without going across to the Oswagatchie and down to Wanakena.
The original poster wanted solitude, and that carry will guarantee it.
Bill
Adirondack Paddles
Appreciate your looking for info. to a really great paddling destination on the planet! Our winters are tooooo long, but the paddling available in the Adirondacks more than makes up for it.
Try to contact the Adirondack Regional Tourism Council@ 1.800.487.6867 or 518.846.8016
Ask for the booklet “Adirondack Waterways” - a guide to paddling routes in the Northeast’s last great wilderness.
web address is: www.visitadirondacks.com
Happy Paddling!
Low’s-Cranberry trail
Distances listed on DEC signs in Adks are notoriously innaccurate. As just an example see this '06 post:
http://www.adkforum.com/showthread.php?t=4836
Completing this loop actually requires 8+ miles of carries. The 2.2m Moore trail along the Oswegatchie between Inlet & Wanakena must be included, but can be reduced to approx 1.5m by running the .5m below Inlet, then a short bit more after a ledge drop