New York | Clinton County / Keeseville and Ausable
Ausable River
Ausable Chasm to US Route 9
Route planning details, access notes, and local verification guidance.
Route location
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Need to know
Why this call
Conditions
Gauge history and hourly forecast
Use the gauge context and hourly forecast to verify local conditions before launching.
Gauge detail
Gauge history & hourly forecastDetailed view
Gauge
Recent trend
Checking preferred range.
Checking trend.
Gauge source
--Checking timestampMN DNR provides the current paddling level here, but not chart-ready recent samples.
Weather
Hourly forecast
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Next 8 hours
Short-route forecast
Checking the next several hours.
Route overview
Quick facts and what's next
Distance, difficulty, shuttle basics, and the near-term outlook before you commit to the drive.
Quick facts
Plan ahead
Upcoming outlook
These are early planning reads. Re-check live conditions before you commit to the drive.
Waiting on forecast.
Waiting on forecast.
Plan
Plan your trip
Launch points, shuttle details, distance, and access notes.
Route logistics
Access and shuttle
A planning-only 3.3-mile Class IV+ Ausable River reach through the committing Ausable Chasm from the designated NYSEG whitewater put-in context to the designated US Route 9 take-out. American Whitewater publishes the named canyon, feature sequence, low-water context, and hazards; NYSEG publishes the seasonal gate, parking, trail, and powerhouse-stair access. This is advanced water with no on-route camping claim and a same-system upstream proxy gauge.
Prepare this trip
Take the plan with you
Download the canonical route, add a calendar hold, or send a simple float plan to your group.
Put-in
NYSEG Rainbow Falls whitewater access / powerhouse stairsNYSEG’s current page publishes a four-car parking area, pedestrian gate, access-road trail, and powerhouse stairs, but the gate can be restricted for safety, construction, or emergencies. Verify current status and signs in the field.
Take-out
US Route 9 designated public take-outAmerican Whitewater’s designated public access update supersedes informal historic practices: use the NYSEG put-in and Route 9 take-out only; do not park in the bar lot or use the Ausable Chasm Company rope, walkway, or private landing.
Plan this segment
Pulling access map tiles. Usually under 5 seconds.
Access caveats and watch for
Access caveats
- NYSEG’s current page publishes a four-car parking area, pedestrian gate, access-road trail, and powerhouse stairs, but the gate can be restricted for safety, construction, or emergencies. Verify current status and signs in the field.
- American Whitewater’s designated public access update supersedes informal historic practices: use the NYSEG put-in and Route 9 take-out only; do not park in the bar lot or use the Ausable Chasm Company rope, walkway, or private landing.
- The stored endpoints are route-source water/access anchors, not surveyed ramps. Confirm the carry, stairs, landing, bridge traffic, debris, and a safe exit before committing to the canyon.
Watch for
- 04275500 proxy trend, recent rain, low water, sudden rise, cold water, metal/wood debris, and a local visual that does not match the proxy gauge
- Committing vertical walls, Class IV rapids, Horseshoe Falls, Mike’s Hole, Pinch, bridge/exit hydraulics, and limited rescue or portage options
- NYSEG gate hours/closures, four-car parking, Route 9 traffic and landing, private/utility boundaries, and the mandatory Route 9 take-out
Route gallery
See this route on the water
Photos help show what the access looks like and what the route actually feels like on the water.
Score & sources
Data and sources
See the gauge, weather, and source notes behind today's call.
Why this scoreToday's evidence strength is checking
Evidence strength mostly comes down to three things: how direct the active gauge is, how clear the range is, and how fresh the data is.
- Checking evidence-strength notes.
- Checking evidence cautions.
Data behind the scoreGauge, thresholds, and timing
These are the live readings and threshold notes behind today's score.
| Gauge site | Ausable River Near Au Sable Forks, NY |
| Discharge | Checking |
| Gauge height | Checking |
| 24h trend | Checking |
| 24h change | Checking |
| Current band | Checking |
| Rain last 24h | Checking |
| Rain last 72h | Checking |
| Air temp | Checking |
| Water temp | Checking |
| Wind | Checking |
| Gusts | Checking |
| Rain timing | Checking |
| Ideal range | Needs paddler reports |
| Known low-water floor | Not calibrated yet |
| High threshold | Not calibrated yet |
| Evidence strength behind the range | Official and local sources |
| Gauge observed | Checking |
| Paddle Today updated | Checking |
| Main source behind this score | American Whitewater reports approximately 244 cfs as low runnable context for the named reach, but no universal minimum is asserted here. Metal/wood debris, canyon hydraulics, current rain, local depth, and the NYSEG access window control the go/no-go decision. |
| Gauge source | Checking |
| Weather source | Checking |
| Rainfall source | Checking |
NotesWhat to know before you go
These notes cover the access details, route quirks, and source caveats most likely to matter once you get there.
- Named moving-water corridorAusable Chasm to US Route 9; 3.3 miles; Class IV+
American Whitewater publishes the distinct reach, distance, Class IV+ rating, feature sequence, and boundary to the Route 9 take-out.
- Official public put-inNYSEG Rainbow Falls whitewater access gate, parking, trail, and powerhouse stairs
NYSEG publishes the seasonal gate hours and designated access facilities; closures and current signs control.
- Designated public take-outUS Route 9 bridge landing
American Whitewater’s access update identifies Route 9 as the public take-out and warns against the Ausable Chasm Company rope, walkways, and private landings.
- Same-system proxy gaugeUSGS 04275500 Ausable River Near Au Sable Forks, NY
The upstream station is useful for trend and rainfall context but is not route-local; inspect the downstream Chasm in person.
- Route-specific flow and hazard guidanceLow-runnable context around 244 cfs; metal/wood debris and Mike’s Hole
American Whitewater observations and feature descriptions are planning context, not a safety certification or universal threshold.
- Route imageAmerican Whitewater Ausable Chasm image used as route-specific feature context
The image is sourced from the named reach and presented as route context; it does not certify current flow, debris, access, or a runnable line.
- Same-river proxy gaugeUSGS 04275500, Ausable River Near Au Sable Forks, NY
USGS 04275500 is an upstream same-system proxy near Au Sable Forks rather than a route-local gauge for the downstream Chasm reach. Use its live trend with recent rain and local visual inspection; canyon flow, debris, and depth can differ materially at the route.
- Safety and river conditionsCheck live gauge, recent rainfall, trend, debris, bridges, and access conditions before launch
American Whitewater / NYSEG Ausable River whitewater access and its linked safety material warn that conditions change rapidly and require local inspection.
- Image decisionApproved watershed/proxy-gauge context image used for route presentation
The image is clearly labeled as watershed/proxy-gauge context and does not claim to depict this exact reach.
Verify it yourselfCheck the source links
Use these links to double-check the gauge, route details, and access notes before you head out.
- American Whitewater / NYSEG Ausable River whitewater access route record
- NYSEG Rainbow Falls whitewater access and Route 9 take-out context
- American Whitewater Ausable Chasm flow and hazard guidance
- American Whitewater Ausable River public-access and safety update
- USGS 04275500 monitoring location
- USGS 04275500 current conditions
- Ausable River context image
Paddler reports
Recent notes from paddlers
A few quick notes from people who were on this route recently.
Reports
Paddler reports
See recent photos and notes from people on the route.
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Quick answers
Ausable River paddling FAQ
What water level is good for paddling Ausable River?
Paddle Today watches Ausable River Near Au Sable Forks, NY and uses Not calibrated yet as the conservative low-water floor for this route. The ideal range still needs more paddler reports.
Where does this Ausable River route start and end?
This route starts at NYSEG Rainbow Falls whitewater access / powerhouse stairs and ends at US Route 9 designated public take-out, about 3.3 whitewater river miles on the water.
Is this Ausable River route good for beginners?
This is listed as a hard route. Treat the live score as a planning aid, then confirm conditions, hazards, access, and group skill before launching.
Flag a change
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Access, hazards, wood, and shuttle details change. Send a quick correction if something looks off.