Raquette River - Forked Lake Campground to Deerland lean-to / Long Lake
PaddleToday route plan. Put-in: NYSDEC Forked Lake Campground and Day Use Area hand launch. Take-out: Deerland lean-to / Raquette River take-out.
PaddleToday route

NYSDEC Forked Lake Campground and Day Use Area hand launch
NYSDEC publishes the Forked Lake Campground and Day Use Area hand launch with parking for 40 cars and trailers, a shallow gravel launch for small boats/canoes, and seasonal campground operation. Confirm opening status, day-use fee, parking, carry, water level, and any current campground restriction before unloading.

NYSDEC Forked Lake Campground and Day Use Area hand launch

NYSDEC Raquette River hand launch / Forked Lake Road
NYSDEC’s current Sargent Ponds inventory identifies a Raquette River hand launch at this water-adjacent road anchor. Treat it as an intermediate bailout or alternate access only after checking the carry, parking, gate, and route-side landing; it is not a substitute for the Forked Lake campground start or Deerland finish.

Buttermilk Falls carry / North Point Road access
American Whitewater identifies the marked river-right portage and a North Point Road area where the falls can be viewed or accessed. Buttermilk Falls is a mandatory portage; confirm the trail, legal landing, boat carry, and re-entry point from public land. Do not run the falls.

Deerland lean-to / Raquette River take-out
American Whitewater identifies the Deerland lean-to shelter, a small North Point Road parking area behind a yellow gate, and an approximately 100-yard walk to the river. This is a public state-land access-area anchor, not a maintained trailer ramp; verify gate, parking, carry, landing, lean-to availability, and the Long Lake boundary before staging the shuttle.

Deerland lean-to / Raquette River take-out

Raquette River - Forked Lake Campground to Deerland lean-to / Long Lake