Cranberry Lake

Wilderness Tripping
#1

My husband and I will be staying in Cranberry Lake for a week in Sept and are looking for day trips with our canoes. We have a couple ultra light Hornbeck boats, so carrying won’t be a problem; I prefer not to carry thru swampy areas.

We plan on the Oswegatche for 2 separate day trips, but would like to hear comments about other great day paddles up there.

Thanks


#2

Wind Up or Wind down
makes a difference in my recommendations since you are using Hornbeck boats. On a calm day explore Cranberry Lake and the south shoreline. Also on a calm day try Carry Falls Reservoir, some of the whitest sand beaches you will see in the Adirondack.

On a windy day try Massawepie Scout Camp, about 15 minutes North on Rt 3. After Labor Day the camp is open to the public and it has a beautiful lake with no cottage boat traffic and 6 smaller ponds which would be lakes in the Poconos. Good carry trails from lake to ponds and pond to pond. Sign in by the Rangers shop at the kiosk, and please add your comments on the way out. Jay puts in a lot of his time to keep the place visitor friendly.

Bill

#3

Massawepie
I would agree that with such boats, there is no better place to sample half a dozen or so small gorgeous ponds than Massawepie. Massawepie, the lake itself, is large, and can be rough.

#4

CL area paddling
Osweagtchie above Inlet is premier local destination although non-swampy trail on river left skirts the 1.5m of shallow raps between there & Wanakena so you can connect w/ CL. For the lake, Wanakena launch just past Pine Cone Restauant is much better put-in than in CL village. NW bay holds most of lake’s development. Dead creek (from Janacks landing hike to spectacular Cat Mt)& Brandy Brook Flows are most scenic. If you’re really into carrying you can even reach Low’s L from Chair Rock Flow.

Agree w/ Plaid that Massawepie & Carry falls Res. are very worthwhile.

You can launch off Tooley Pond rd into lower Osw. & paddle to Newton Falls dam. There are also a number of magnificent falls on S branch of Grass(e) R visible from this rd. Nice flatwater section of it from Massawepie Rd thru GR Flow w/ short carry out to SR3. Below SR3 there’s .5m of raps then 8m of flatwater to Deer Lick raps. Take out is just below on signed Spruce Mt Rd.

Also some very nice paddling on Raquette R above CFR

Enjoy !

#5

All of Cranberry Lake …
… except the northwest arm is very cool and a great place to paddle.The Brandy Brook flow NE behind Bear Mt. is interesting all the way up to Bear Mt. Swamp. Also some neat hiking off the SW at Chair Rock Flow and it’s pretty quiet, too. Best part of the whole deal, tho, is probably the river above Inlet.

JH Bahn

#6

thanks
Thanks for all you input. I’m printing out your suggestions and will try to poke around as many as possible.



Thanks again.