I’m thinking about spending a night or 2 camped (away from the parking area) on Cedar River Flow. I’ve been to the leanto way back on the inlet stream (along the N-P Trail) but have never camped along the shore. The Quite Water Canoe Guide for NY shows 3 sites in addition to the leanto.
Any confirmation that these are real (or attractive) sites? I may get a late start and paddling time limited before dark the day I go.
Any recommendations on exploring the area (by boat or foot) appreciated. I’ve paddled to the rocky section of the inlet and have also scaled Wakely Mtn. on my previous trip.
Some campsites on CRF
If you are getting in late, when you paddle out into the flow, look to you left (east side), a sandy beach, nice but well used campsite.
If you have time, I like the campsite with the huge dead pines up along the river. To get to it, paddle away from the put in, keeping to the left(east) side of the flow. At the end of the flow (lake), you have to keep left and watch the weeds and grass below the surface to find the entrance to the river. Don’t paddle to the end of the flow or you’ll end up in a swamp with a maze of beaver dams. You’ll know the river as it guickly forms into a bunch of switch backs with alder lined banks, a few beaver lodges and some log jams with a small opening for a canoe. Once on the river, it’s about a 20 min. paddle to an island on the left with a couple of huge dead pines. It’s a great spot, with a nice view upstream.
I like to paddle upstream of this campsite, then enter the swamp on the right side of the river via a small stream. I was able to get back into the flow with a few pull overs, nice place to explore. Also the paddle up to the lean to and beyond is very nice.
CRF
absolutely nice sites on the left shore as you paddle up the flow! Many people don’t know that there is a short flat water creek, about half way up the flow to explore, Buell brook. Real nice!
Buell brook
– Last Updated: Mar-03-05 12:43 PM EST –
We always lunch up there. Rock-hop on upstream and you come to a small waterfall (VERY slippery) but a great place for a fresh water (and very cold) jacuzzi.
As you exit Buell brook, look directly across the lake, then up a few hundred feet - campsite there (opposite shore of the others). Can hike/bushwack back from this site and hop on the Northville-Lake Placid trail. Not a very sunny site, but gets little use.
In addition to the sandy beach (overused) campsite on the left side of the flow, continue heading up the flow, also on the left - look for the next beachy-area, and around the corner is a large campsite (also used a lot - tough place to find wood, but great campsite if you're bringing kids)- nice shallows around, plenty of trails to investigte (hunting trails, I believe) and a path back to the beachy area you passed around the corner. This is a great site, but DOES get a lot of hunting use, and it shows.
Further on up the flow (towards Buell Brook) and also on the left, is a pine point, with a great site as well. Gets nice breezes off the lake, so good in bug season. Directly offshore from this site is the large rock in the middle-ish of the flow. WIsh people would stop cutting down the standing trees though. Sheesh.
Been camping on Cedar River Flow for (oh my gosh) 30+ years (folks used to take all 5 of us up when we were kids) - now we all take our kids up. Not as pristine (by a LONG shot) as it used to be, but know it like the back of my hand, and the water is so still at times it looks like a mirage. "Weather" almost ALWAYS comes directly (ok, from 11 o'clock position) across the lake from the last site mentioned, so you have time to be prepared/batten the hatches for it. That's also where the sun sets. Beautiful.
There are 2 other sites I know of - one JUST prior to entering the river from the flow - but its more just a large clearing - overgrown - and up a ways from the lake. Good to know about thought, as the sites on the flow sometimes fill up. Can't tell from the landing area that the site is up the hill a bit. Had a run-in with a crazed rabbit there once, but that's a story for a different forum.
Also, there is another a ways up the river from where it meets the flow (but prior to the Pine Point described in the post above - got a crazy rabbit story from there as well (tee-hee)) - you've got to kick off to the left off the river, it also sits on a jut of land (with some pines) and its rather small, but also good to know about in inclimate weather. Don't try to head directly for it though - you'll get bogged in. Anticipate it, and head off river to the left shore, then the water will open up and you'll head straight for it.
Hope this helps.
Leave No Trace.