Hey everyone!
I’m looking for some info on paddling in New Paltz. I just went there this weekend and loved the area. I couldn’t find much info on the river though.
Try these guys
Atlantic Kayak Tours is a very good outfit - check this page of tours - the Wallkill tour at the bottom is in New Paltz. There’s plenty in the immediate area, and AKT knows a lot about it.
http://atlantickayaktours.com/pages/tours/Beginner.shtml
A Nice College Town and
the river is called the Wallkill.
From New Paltz to Rifton, is a good uninterrupted paddle of like 11 miles.
There are plenty of public launches and the paddle is mainly woods, farms, occasional houses and a visible road. If you want to do a paddle of it sometime this spring/summer, send me an email as I might be game to paddle it again. (We can also post it as a daytrip on the “Getting Together” forum for other local P-Netters who might feel like joining us.)
Climbing up the Mohonks (those mountains outside of town)you’ll also find Lake Minnewaska.
Plus there’s also a ton of whitewater in the surrounding region, if you’re at all interested and manage to hit it at the right time.
Cool!
Sounds great. I’ll def be heading back up there in the summer. It’s only about an hour away from me. I want to get to know that place. I’ll def post it when I go.
Walkill
Yup, the paddle to Rifton is really nice.
There is the public boat launch with lots of parking on Water street, which you can get to by the NYS thruway to exit 18, to Rt 299West, just before you cross the walkill on the green bridge, make the left and go straight til you see the launch which is signed. From there it’s about 10-11 miles to the NY S thruway and to the park and covered bridge. However, you can’t go much further than the covered bridge cause of the falls (that is also signed). However, you can launch from the covered bridge on the right or do an end to end, or just paddle back upstream towards new paltz.
The Wallkill Valley railTrail is right by the launch I gave you directions too…
Jay
woogiebear
I notice your profile says Sussex County, NJ as
your location. The Wallkill begins there. It flows into Orange County, NY and then into Ulster. So why not just skip driving the NYS Thruway altogether and paddle the 90 miles northwards up to New Paltz?
(Think of all the $$ in gas you’ll save, not to mention the great exercise and benefit to the environment!)
Hometown.
Wallkill River as mentioned, also starting from Gardiner, NY to New Paltz is fun. Rondout Creek, other side of the Shwangunks (west) is a nice paddle upriver of the High Falls dam, down river from the dam is a CL II-IV run depending on waterlevels.
Other paddles in the area, Lake Minnewaska (req. Taconic Regions NYS Parks permit), Lake Awosting (same permit but quite a long portage - need bike & boat cart), Black Creek & Chodikee Lake - Highland, NY (just east of town)
For more details try Shari Aber’s book A Kayaker’s Guide to the Hudson River Valley - The Quieter Waters, Rivers, Creeks, Lakes & Ponds.
Or
When you’re in the area, stop by the Showroom and I’ll give you a map of paddle places.
See you on the water,
Marshall
The River Connection, Inc.
Hyde Park, NY
www.the-river-connection.com
hrwa.org
hudson river water trail guide is another resource for put-ins w/charts an descriptions an such fer the WHOLE river .
Marshall probably has a copy .
Have fun be safe .
M
Ditto!
I have been quite impressed with HRWA and the HRWTG, the book is really excellent source of everything pertaining to things to do, where to launch, miles between campsites, launched, historical information, kayaking tips and trips, all in a nice package. Probably my only grip is the book is pretty big to pack into one’s kayak on a trip but it has everything from where to launch, how to get there, charts for the hudson. And it breaks up the information with really interesting short blurbs on things like the lighthouses, bannerman’s castle, etc.
It’s a greatly designed book that really makes planning a trip on the hudson really easy.
gee, do you think I like the book? 
Jay (No connection with the HRWA, except as a happy user of the guide)