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New York | Saratoga County / Champlain Valley

Champlain CanalAlfred Z. Solomon Launch at Lock C5 to Stillwater Hudson Riverfront Park

An 8.94-mile one-way Champlain Canal Water Trail float from the Alfred Z. Solomon gravel-beach launch below Lock C5 in Schuylerville to Stillwater Hudson Riverfront Park. The official Canalway day-trip inventory describes a zero-lock float past Saratoga Battlefield with stops at Fort Hardy Park and the Schuyler House. The guidebook and NYSDEC identify public water-entry anchors, but the route is planning-only because it uses the canalized Hudson, has high-traffic sections, changing current and wind, and must end above the Stillwater dam/Lock C4 complex.

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Plan this route

DistanceAbout 8.94 one-way Canalway miles from Alfred Z. Solomon Launch to Stillwater Riverfront Park
DifficultyModerate
Typical timeAbout 3–5 hours depending on wind
ShuttleCar shuttle
Hudson Crossing Park on Lock C5 Island beside the Champlain Canal and Hudson River in Schuylerville, New York.
Route photoLock C5 to Stillwater Champlain Canal route contextPhoto by Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor

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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 8.94 one-way Canalway miles from Alfred Z. Solomon Launch to Stillwater Riverfront ParkAlfred Z. Solomon Launch at Lock C5 to Stillwater Hudson Riverfront Park
DifficultymoderateThe Canalway day-trip description is recreational, but wind and current on the canalized Hudson, high-traffic sections, bridge routing, limited vertical-wall exits, and the hard Stillwater dam/Lock C4 boundary require route discipline.
ShuttleCar shuttleStage the downstream vehicle at the confirmed Stillwater Riverfront Park, then drive to Hudson Crossing Park’s Alfred Z. Solomon launch. Keep Fort Hardy and Saratoga as conditional bailouts only after confirming current public access and vehicle logistics.
PermitsNone notedNo route-specific paddling permit is identified by the Canalway guide. Confirm current Canal Corporation navigation notices, NYSDEC and municipal launch rules, park hours, parking, and any seasonal closures before departure.
CampingDay tripNo on-route camping is claimed. Use nearby managed Saratoga-area campground or lodging options as a separate basecamp, and do not camp at Hudson Crossing, Fort Hardy, Saratoga Boat Launch, or Stillwater Riverfront Park unless current site rules explicitly allow it.
SeasonMay-OctThis one-way river-and-canal float is seasonal and sensitive to river regulation, wind, navigation traffic, storms, debris, and the Stillwater dam/lock boundary. Check current conditions and every access before departure.

Plan ahead

Tomorrow and the weekend

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Plan

Plan your trip

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

Route logistics

Access and shuttle

An 8.94-mile one-way Champlain Canal Water Trail float from the Alfred Z. Solomon gravel-beach launch below Lock C5 in Schuylerville to Stillwater Hudson Riverfront Park. The official Canalway day-trip inventory describes a zero-lock float past Saratoga Battlefield with stops at Fort Hardy Park and the Schuyler House. The guidebook and NYSDEC identify public water-entry anchors, but the route is planning-only because it uses the canalized Hudson, has high-traffic sections, changing current and wind, and must end above the Stillwater dam/Lock C4 complex.

Access map

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Start

Put-in

Alfred Z. Solomon Launch, Hudson Crossing Park
Open mapDirections to put-in

The stored endpoints follow the Canalway guide’s public launch-area coordinates; docks, beaches, gates, parking, and park access remain subject to current local conditions.

Finish

Take-out

Stillwater Riverfront Park
Open mapDirections to take-out

The route uses public and private waterfronts with vertical walls. Do not improvise landings, shoreline scouting, or camping without explicit current permission.

Road shuttle

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Access planner

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On-water distance8.9 miMixed access
On-water timeAbout 3–5 hours depending on windFull route option
ShuttleCar shuttleChoose a shorter in/out pair for a shorter day.

Alfred Z. Solomon Launch, Hudson Crossing Park to Stillwater Riverfront Park is about 8.9 mi. Use the planner to compare shorter access pairs.

Access notes and hazards

Access caveats

  • The stored endpoints follow the Canalway guide’s public launch-area coordinates; docks, beaches, gates, parking, and park access remain subject to current local conditions.
  • The route uses public and private waterfronts with vertical walls. Do not improvise landings, shoreline scouting, or camping without explicit current permission.
  • Stillwater Riverfront Park is the hard downstream boundary. Do not continue toward the fixed-crest dam, hydroelectric plant, or Lock C4 without a separate hazard, portage, and access review.
  • High traffic, wind, current, and dam operations can change the route’s practical difficulty independently of the proxy gauge.

Watch for

  • USGS 01327750 unavailable, rapidly changing, or inconsistent with the local Hudson/Champlain Canal conditions
  • Motorized traffic, wind, current, bridge routing, cold water, strainers, vertical walls, private banks, and the Stillwater fixed-crest dam/Lock C4 complex
  • Hudson Crossing, Fort Hardy, Saratoga, and Stillwater parking, beach/dock conditions, park hours, seasonal restrictions, and the hard take-out 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.

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Conditions

Water levels, gauge history, and hourly forecast

Check the forecast and local water levels before launching.

Gauge detail

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Gauge

Recent trend

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Weather

Hourly forecast

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Route gallery

Photos

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

Hudson Crossing Park on Lock C5 Island beside the Champlain Canal and Hudson River in Schuylerville, New York.
Lock C5 to Stillwater Champlain Canal route contextPhoto by Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor
Official Erie Canalway destination photograph

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 Canalway day tripAlfred Z. Solomon Launch to Stillwater Riverfront Park; 8.94 miles; zero locks

    The official Erie Canalway day-trip page publishes the route endpoints, mileage, lock count, and Saratoga Battlefield description.

    Source

  • Public endpoint coordinatesAlfred Z. Solomon 43.11306, -73.57694; Stillwater Riverfront Park 42.99409, -73.60928

    The Canalway guide identifies the gravel beach and park launches, facilities, and route landmarks; NYSDEC independently lists the Stillwater access.

    Source

  • Bridge and dam boundaryUse the Stillwater channel bridge segment and exit before the fixed-crest dam/Lock C4

    The official guidebook supplies the route-specific bridge instruction and downstream dam warning.

    Source

  • Proxy live gaugeUSGS 01327750 Hudson River at Fort Edward

    USGS provides current stage/discharge as regional context; it is not a direct measurement of this downstream reach.

    Source

  • Camping postureNearby managed basecamp only; no on-route camping claim

    Arrange separate overnight lodging or a current managed campground outside the route access sites.

    Source

  • Same-river proxy gaugeUSGS 01327750, Hudson River at Fort Edward, NY

    USGS 01327750 is a current Hudson River station upstream near Fort Edward and is used as a regional proxy for the Champlain/Hudson corridor. It does not measure the launch or take-out reach directly; local regulation, wind, canal operations, and the Stillwater dam can dominate conditions.

    Source

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

    Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor Champlain Canal Water Trail 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

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Keep exploring

More routes to check next

Compare another stretch on this river, or explore different rivers within 75 straight-line miles.

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All 7
Feeder Dam / Queensbury to Martindale Boat Basin / Hudson FallsWarren and Washington Counties / Queensbury, Glens Falls, and Hudson FallsModerate · About 5.0 paddlable miles from Feeder Dam/Overlook Park in Queensbury to Martindale Boat Basin in Hudson FallsFort Ann Landing to Fort Edward DockWashington County / Champlain ValleyModerate · About 12 miles from Fort Ann Landing to the Fort Edward DockMechanicville Terminal to Waterford Point / Erie–Champlain Canal confluenceSaratoga and Rensselaer Counties / Capital RegionModerate · About 9 one-way Canalway miles from Mechanicville to the Waterford confluenceMoreau Boat Launch / Rogers Island Pool to Lock C5/Upper Launch, SchuylervilleWashington and Saratoga Counties / Champlain ValleyModerate · About 10.51 one-way Canalway miles from Moreau Boat Launch to Lock C5/Upper Launch

Nearby routes within 75 miles

Batten KillGreenwich Rock Street Park to Schuylerville Fort Hardy Park via the Batten Kill mouth · about 4 straight-line mi awayHard · Approximately 7.3 Batten Kill miles to the Hudson mouth plus about 1.2 Hudson miles to Fort Hardy ParkBatten KillBattenville NY Route 61 access to Clarks Mills / Rexleigh lower-falls access · about 8 straight-line mi awayEasy · 8 river miles (route source estimates 6 mi; endpoint anchors span 7.4 mi straight-line)Hudson RiverSpier Falls Road public launch to same-launch Hudson River exploration return · about 12 straight-line mi awayModerate · Approximately 5 planning miles round trip, varying with the turnaround and windHoosic RiverBuskirk Covered Bridge to Johnsonville Dam take-out · about 13 straight-line mi awayEasy · 5.1 river miles

Quick answers

Champlain Canal paddling FAQ

What water level is best for the Alfred Z. Solomon Launch at Lock C5 to Stillwater Hudson Riverfront Park route on the Champlain Canal?

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 Alfred Z. Solomon Launch at Lock C5 to Stillwater Hudson Riverfront Park route on the Champlain Canal start and end?

This route starts at Alfred Z. Solomon Launch, Hudson Crossing Park and ends at Stillwater Riverfront Park, about 8.94 one-way Canalway miles from Alfred Z. Solomon Launch to Stillwater Riverfront Park on the water.

Is the Alfred Z. Solomon Launch at Lock C5 to Stillwater Hudson Riverfront Park route on the Champlain Canal suitable for beginners?

This is listed as a moderate 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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