Wallkill River... New Paltz to the NYS Thruway->Sturgeon Pool

[Jay H]

If you look at Google Maps...

http://maps.google.com/maps?q=new+paltz

It looks like you can paddle the wallkill pretty far north barring any falls and stuff from the Water street launch to perhaps Rifton and Sturgeon Pool as you can see on the map.

As I have no guide on the Wallkill, I'm wondering if this is feasible. I know it's might be too long for a day trip but is it possible to go up there from New Paltz?

Jay

 

[Mark Schaefer]

It should be possible, however, I have no first hand knowledge.

There are two additional boat launches (by hand) north of New Paltz:

• Springtown Road, CR 7, 4.5 miles north of New Paltz on the west side of the Wallkill.
• NY Route 213, at Perrines Covered Bridge, just west of the NYS Thruway overpass.

You can paddle a bit further downstream from the covered bridge, however, there is a waterfall near Dashville where there is a old, fenced-in Central Hudson hydroelectric substation. Central Hudson (the local electric company) also owns much of the land at Sturgeon Pond. You might need to get permission from Central Hudson. I seem to recall reading an account (perhaps in the Poughkeepsie Journal) several years back of someone kayaking all the way down the Wallkill from New Paltz to the Rondout, and from there to the Hudson. There are a number of waterfalls and rapids on the Rondout also, the largest at Eddyville, and a lot of private land access needed for portages.

 

[Jay H]

Well the Rondout goes over some pretty big falls in the town of High Falls! I might check it out if I am around this weekend, see how far i can go.. I'm going to estimate the mileage from NP to the NYS Thruway soon..

I have noted that little choke point by Dashville but Google Maps doesn't list the landmarks like a Topo map would so thanks, I didn't think about checking topozone for the layout. I was hopeing that Google Maps would have detailed imagery of the river but unfortunately, it doesn't have much detail outside downtown New Paltz...

Jay

 

[AMF]

If I recall its about 9, no more than 10, miles to the thruway & road just beyond. The two dams below that point have (or had - I ran this from Walden down in college some 30+ yrs ago!) pretty rugged carries. Above New Platz typically needs spring waters to run, & I would not recommend a touring kayak. We did it in canoes.

 

[CrisisBill]

You can go from New Paltz on the Wallkill, but need to pullout before the Dashville Dam just below the covered bridge, then put back in below the dam and continue on to Sturgeon Pool.
At the end of Sturgeon Pool you would need to do a Rough carry down the hill through the woods to the Rondout Creek and then out to the Hudson.
I have done this in years past without incident, of course I've been known to kayak places only suitible for a wet sponge.

 

[Jay H]

Thanks! I should be trying to explore this tomorrow. I'll either launch from Water Street or I'll launch from Springtown Road... Anybody know how far from the Bridge on 299 is the launch on Springtown, I have a friend who lives on that road but haven't driven that road further from his place that much.

I'll try to go as far as the covered bridge and back, hope the water is flowing.

[edit] Aha, found it is about 4.5 miles north of NP, and I printed out a google maps of Springtown, looks like there can only be a couple logical spots for a hand launch...

Off I go, if anybody sees a yellow Impex wallowing in the wallkill as you go by the Thruway, wave!

Jay

 

[Mark Schaefer]

Anybody know how far from the Bridge on 299 is the launch on Springtown

It is perhaps 4 miles north on Springtown Road from the junction with Mountain Rest Road (just a bit more from Route 299). The last time I was there (about 5 years ago) there was a hanging, wooden, DEC sign along Springtown Road. There is a parking area for about 6-8 cars not far off the road. It is a very short walk down the embankment to the river.

 

[Jay H]

Found it, although I had to do a detour using Rt 32 to River road since the DOT was working on Springtown road and they had it closed when I got there in the morning.

There is a brown DEP Wallkill River sign at the launch site and it has a dirt parking lot for about 12 cars since it's a hand launch only. There is a concrete ramp to the river but there is a narrow metal dock to launch from...

Jay