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New York | Finger Lakes / Ontario and Wayne Counties

Canandaigua OutletLittleville to Manchester (Shortsville Run)

A bounded 2.3-mile Class II–III Canandaigua Outlet run from the Littleville launch area through the Shortsville Run to the Jones-Blunt Park / Manchester take-out area. American Whitewater documents the 5-foot Old Mill waterfall, strainers, and controlled-release character; the Finger Lakes blueway and event sources corroborate the public riverfront launch and park-side take-out context, while USGS 04235000 provides same-river telemetry upstream of the reach.

Route location

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Plan this route

DistanceAbout 2.3 river miles from Littleville to Manchester
DifficultyHard
Typical timeAbout 1–2 hours depending on release
ShuttleCar shuttle
The Canandaigua Outlet at the USGS Chapin monitoring station in New York.
River contextCanandaigua Outlet at Chapin; same-river gauge context river-level context — not necessarily this exact reach.Photo by U.S. Geological Survey

Need to know

Why this call
This route is documented for planning, but does not receive a Paddle Today score.
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Route overview

Trip details

Access rules, camping, seasonal conditions and trip length.

Distance, difficulty, rules and camping
On-water distanceAbout 2.3 river miles from Littleville to ManchesterLittleville to Manchester (Shortsville Run)
DifficultyhardAmerican Whitewater rates the reach Class II–III, but the Old Mill has a 5-foot vertical waterfall, the outlet is controlled by releases, and the creek has strainers and changing channel conditions. Treat it as advanced whitewater unless the current line and portages have been verified by a competent local team.
ShuttleCar shuttleStage the downstream vehicle at the confirmed Jones-Blunt Park / Manchester landing, then drive to the Littleville access area. Verify park hours, parking, both carries, the Old Mill portage, and the downstream boundary in daylight before launching.
PermitsNone notedNo route-specific paddling permit is identified. The Village of Shortsville/Manchester event and park context may impose separate event-day, parking, or staging rules; confirm current municipal and landowner permissions before launch.
CampingDay tripNo on-route camping is claimed. Shortsville and Manchester provide road-access lodging and event-area services; use only a separately permitted campground or lodging facility and do not infer shoreline camping permission from Jones-Blunt Park or the Canandaigua Outlet blueway.
SeasonMar-NovThe Shortsville Run depends on controlled releases from the Canandaigua Outlet system and is most dependable during spring or rain events. Check the Chapin telemetry, recent lake-release status, trend, debris, and the actual channel before every launch; the upstream proxy can differ from the Littleville-to-Manchester reach.

Plan ahead

Tomorrow and the weekend

Forecasts can change. Check current conditions again before leaving.

TomorrowChecking

Waiting on forecast.

WeekendChecking

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Plan

Plan your trip

Launch points, shuttle details, distance, and access notes.

Route logistics

Access and shuttle

A bounded 2.3-mile Class II–III Canandaigua Outlet run from the Littleville launch area through the Shortsville Run to the Jones-Blunt Park / Manchester take-out area. American Whitewater documents the 5-foot Old Mill waterfall, strainers, and controlled-release character; the Finger Lakes blueway and event sources corroborate the public riverfront launch and park-side take-out context, while USGS 04235000 provides same-river telemetry upstream of the reach.

Access map

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Start

Put-in

Littleville / Route 19 Canandaigua Outlet launch area
Open mapDirections to put-in

The stored endpoints are published route-map and blueway access-area anchors, not surveyed ramps. Confirm current legal public access, parking, carry, and water entry at both ends.

Finish

Take-out

Jones-Blunt Park / Manchester riverfront take-out
Open mapDirections to take-out

The 2026 Wild Water Derby was cancelled for unsafe conditions, illustrating that event tradition does not guarantee current runnable or safe conditions. Use the event source as access context only, not as a go decision.

Road shuttle

Driving shuttle routeShuttle in Apple MapsOpenStreetMap
Access notes and hazards

Access caveats

  • The stored endpoints are published route-map and blueway access-area anchors, not surveyed ramps. Confirm current legal public access, parking, carry, and water entry at both ends.
  • The 2026 Wild Water Derby was cancelled for unsafe conditions, illustrating that event tradition does not guarantee current runnable or safe conditions. Use the event source as access context only, not as a go decision.
  • The route ends at Jones-Blunt Park / Manchester. Do not continue through downstream outlet dams, the Erie Canal, or additional park/private parcels without a separate route and access review.
  • The Chapin gauge is upstream of the route and release-controlled. A readable gauge value is not a substitute for release confirmation, local scouting, or a conservative decision by the group leader.

Watch for

  • USGS 04235000 unavailable, rapidly changing, inconsistent with the local channel, or not paired with current Canandaigua Lake/outlet release information
  • Old Mill waterfall, hidden hydraulics, controlled releases, strainers, shallow rock, cold water, bridge approaches, and changing park/landing conditions
  • Littleville and Jones-Blunt Park permission, parking, carry, traffic, event-day restrictions, private mill frontage, and the downstream boundary

Plan this paddle

Choose your trip times

No account needed. Check the selected access points above, then choose both dates and times. For an overnight paddle, set take-out to the following date.

Trip schedule

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Conditions

Water levels, gauge history, and hourly forecast

Check the forecast and local water levels before launching.

Gauge detail

Water-level history and forecastDetailed view

Gauge

Recent trend

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Weather

Hourly forecast

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Short-route forecast

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Route gallery

Photos

Check each caption: some photos show the surrounding area rather than this exact trip.

The Canandaigua Outlet at the USGS Chapin monitoring station in New York.
Canandaigua Outlet at Chapin; same-river gauge context river-level context — not necessarily this exact reach.Photo by U.S. Geological Survey
USGS public domain

Sources

Data and sources

Read the access and hazard notes and check the linked guides. We do not issue a daily score for this trip.

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 New York corridorLittleville to Manchester / Shortsville Run; about 2.3 miles; Class II–III

    American Whitewater publishes the named reach, class, mileage, gradient, Old Mill waterfall, strainers, and controlled-release context.

    Source

  • Route endpoint coordinatesLittleville 42.93947, -77.22207; Jones-Blunt Park / Manchester 42.95964, -77.22616

    Riverfacts publishes the matching coordinate pair, and Finger Lakes blueway material corroborates the Shortsville Run and Jones-Blunt Park take-out context. These remain access-area anchors requiring current verification.

    Source

  • Public paddling contextLittleville launch and Jones-Blunt Park riverfront event corridor

    The Wild Water Derby describes public canoe/raft launching at Littleville and the route through Budd/Jones-Blunt Park to Manchester; event and park conditions must be confirmed independently.

    Source

  • Same-river proxy gaugeUSGS 04235000 Canandaigua Outlet at Chapin, NY

    USGS provides continuous telemetry at Chapin upstream of the route and identifies the site as operated with the New York State Canal Corporation. Use it as a release-system proxy, not an exact route gauge.

    Source

  • Camping contextNearby Shortsville/Manchester services; no on-route camping claim

    The route uses park and event access context only. Any overnight stay must be separately permitted at a current campground or lodging facility.

    Source

  • Same-river proxy gaugeUSGS 04235000, Canandaigua Outlet at Chapin, NY

    USGS 04235000 provides continuous same-river telemetry at Chapin upstream of the Littleville-to-Manchester reach. Canandaigua Outlet levels are controlled by the lake/outlet system, so use the proxy with current release status, trend, recent rainfall, and direct visual confirmation; no fixed universal cfs threshold is claimed.

    Source

  • Safety and river conditionsCheck live gauge, recent rainfall, trend, debris, bridges, and access conditions before launch

    American Whitewater Shortsville Run / Finger Lakes blueway sources and its linked safety material warn that conditions change rapidly and require local inspection.

    Source

  • 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.

    Source

Verify it yourselfCheck the source links

Use these links to double-check the gauge, route details, and access notes before you head out.

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Keep exploring

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Quick answers

Canandaigua Outlet paddling FAQ

What water level is best for the Littleville to Manchester (Shortsville Run) route on the Canandaigua Outlet?

This planning route has no live Paddle Today score. Review the linked water-level sources, current access notices and route-specific hazards before travel.

Where does the Littleville to Manchester (Shortsville Run) route on the Canandaigua Outlet start and end?

This route starts at Littleville / Route 19 Canandaigua Outlet launch area and ends at Jones-Blunt Park / Manchester riverfront take-out, about 2.3 river miles from Littleville to Manchester on the water.

Is the Littleville to Manchester (Shortsville Run) route on the Canandaigua Outlet suitable for beginners?

This is listed as a hard route. Review the difficulty notes, hazards and current access conditions against your group's skills. No live score assesses this trip.

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