Paddle TodayFind the best paddle near you today
RequestRequest

Live score, water level, and weather.

See all 6 routes on Chenango River

New York | Broome County / Chenango Forks and Port Crane

Chenango River

Chenango Forks public access to Farm by Beer Tree / Port Crane

Check current paddling conditions for this Chenango River route, including water level, recent gauge trend, weather, and route details.

Route location

Loading the route snapshot. This usually takes a few seconds.

Open access map
Distance5 river miles as published by the local Chenango Forks-to-Port Crane paddle itinerary
DifficultyEasy
Typical timeAbout 2–3 hours depending on stage
ShuttleCar shuttle
The Chenango River beneath Court Street Bridge in Binghamton, New York, used as downstream same-river context for the Chenango Forks-to-Port Crane route.
Route photoChenango River at Court Street; Chenango Forks-to-Port Crane route contextPhoto by Andre Carrotflower via Wikimedia Commons

Need to know

Why this call
Pulling the latest gauge and weather. This usually takes a few seconds.
View Primary Source

Route alerts

Email me when this route improves

We'll email you when this route climbs into Good or Strong. Every email includes an unsubscribe link.

We only email on a new threshold crossing.

Conditions

Gauge history and hourly forecast

The top card is the quick read. This lower section keeps the longer gauge trend, gauge context, and hourly forecast together.

Gauge detail

Gauge history & hourly forecastDetailed view

Gauge

Recent trend

Checking preferred range.

Checking trend.

------------

Weather

Hourly forecast

Checking weather.

Loading today's forecast.

Next 8 hours

Short-route forecast

Checking the next several hours.

Checking the best short-route window.
----Loading--

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

On-water distance5 river miles as published by the local Chenango Forks-to-Port Crane paddle itineraryChenango Forks public access to Farm by Beer Tree / Port Crane
DifficultyeasyTake Adventures Everyday describes the five-mile route as suitable beyond beginner level and mostly tranquil, but shallow water, spring debris, strainers, bridges, private banks, cold water, and limited legal exits remain active hazards.
ShuttleCar shuttleUse the outfitter’s current shuttle arrangement or stage the downstream vehicle at the confirmed Port Crane DOT access, then drive to the Chenango Forks Route 12 hand launch. Confirm the exact launch-side channel and parking before unloading.
PermitsCheck posted rulesThe outfitter may require a current booking for its shuttle or rental service; independent paddlers should follow the current NYSDEC public-access, New York boating/PFD, Clean-Drain-Dry, DOT parking, private-bank, and posted closure rules. Public access does not authorize private landing or camping.
CampingDay tripNo legal on-route camping is documented for the five-mile day trip. Use separate lodging or a currently open managed campground near Chenango Forks, Port Crane, or the wider Binghamton area; do not camp at the DOT sites, bridges, islands, or private Chenango banks.
SeasonApr-OctThe Chenango Forks-to-Port Crane corridor is most practical from spring through fall, but the basin is sensitive to snowmelt and heavy rain and can become shallow in late summer. Check the live Chenango gauge, trend, weather, debris, and local waterline before launch.

Plan ahead

Upcoming outlook

These are early planning reads. Re-check live conditions before you commit to the drive.

TomorrowChecking

Waiting on forecast.

WeekendChecking

Waiting on forecast.

Plan

Plan your trip

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

Route logistics

Access and shuttle

A planning-only five-mile Chenango River moving-water route from the current Chenango Forks public access to the Port Crane/Farm by Beer Tree finish. Take Adventures Everyday publishes this exact self-guided corridor, its shuttle arrangement, two-to-three-hour planning time, and advanced-beginner character; the current NYSDEC Broome County directory identifies the Chenango Forks Route 12 hand launch and Port Crane DOT Park and Ride hand launch. The Chenango Forks point is listed by DEC under the Tioughnioga access row because it is at the fork/confluence; confirm the precise channel and public landing before launch.

DirectionsApple MapsOpenStreetMap

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.

Download GPXAdd to calendar

Start

Put-in

Chenango Forks Route 12 public hand launch / confluence access
Open map

The current NYSDEC directory lists Port Crane as a Chenango River hand launch and the Route 12 Bridge under Tioughnioga. Because the local outfitter names the downstream trip Chenango Forks-to-Port Crane, confirm the confluence-side channel and actual public landing at the upstream start before publishing a trip plan as a simple Chenango-only float.

Finish

Take-out

NYSDEC Port Crane DOT Park and Ride Chenango River hand launch
Open map

The five-mile distance and two-to-three-hour duration come from the current outfitter itinerary and are planning values, not a surveyed GPS trace. Local wood, shallow water, or channel changes can make the route longer or nonviable.

Plan this segment

Pulling access map tiles. Usually under 5 seconds.

Access caveats and watch for

Access caveats

  • The current NYSDEC directory lists Port Crane as a Chenango River hand launch and the Route 12 Bridge under Tioughnioga. Because the local outfitter names the downstream trip Chenango Forks-to-Port Crane, confirm the confluence-side channel and actual public landing at the upstream start before publishing a trip plan as a simple Chenango-only float.
  • The five-mile distance and two-to-three-hour duration come from the current outfitter itinerary and are planning values, not a surveyed GPS trace. Local wood, shallow water, or channel changes can make the route longer or nonviable.
  • Port Crane is a hard boundary before any downstream Chenango/Binghamton route. Do not substitute Farm by Beer Tree parking, a bridge shoulder, private bank, or an unlisted dock for the public take-out.

Watch for

  • USGS 01512500 unavailable, rising rapidly, or inconsistent with local depth; spring debris, muddy water, summer shallows, and thunderstorms
  • confluence/current seams, shallow gravel, strainers, floating wood, bridges, cold-water immersion, urban water-quality concerns, and limited legal exits
  • Chenango Forks channel/parking confirmation, Port Crane DOT traffic and carry, outfitter shuttle timing, private-bank boundaries, daylight, and the mandatory finish

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.

The Chenango River beneath Court Street Bridge in Binghamton, New York, used as downstream same-river context for the Chenango Forks-to-Port Crane route.
Chenango River at Court Street; Chenango Forks-to-Port Crane route contextPhoto by Andre Carrotflower via Wikimedia Commons
Wikimedia Commons: CC BY-SA 4.0; downstream same-river context

Score & sources

Why this score

See the gauge, weather, and source notes behind today's call.

Read quality
Checking live inputs.

Pulling the latest gauge and weather. Usually under 10 seconds.

Gauge inputChecking

Waiting on the gauge read.

Weather inputChecking

Waiting on weather.

Next stepChecking

Waiting on enough data to give the next step.

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.

Why
  • Checking evidence-strength notes.
Data behind the scoreGauge, thresholds, and timing

These are the live readings and threshold notes behind today's score.

Gauge siteChenango River near Chenango Forks, NY
DischargeChecking
Gauge heightChecking
24h trendChecking
24h changeChecking
Current bandChecking
Rain last 24hChecking
Rain last 72hChecking
Air tempChecking
Water tempChecking
WindChecking
GustsChecking
Rain timingChecking
Ideal rangeNeeds paddler reports
Known low-water floorNot calibrated yet
High thresholdNot calibrated yet
Evidence strength behind the rangeOfficial and local sources
Gauge observedChecking
Paddle Today updatedChecking
Main source behind this scoreNo numeric local cutoff published for Chenango Forks to Port Crane; use the direct Chenango Forks gauge with local depth, recent rain, debris, and visual inspection
Gauge sourceChecking
Weather sourceChecking
Rainfall sourceChecking
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.

  • Exact local itineraryChenango Forks to Port Crane; 5 miles; 2–3 hours; advanced-beginner self-guided trip

    Take Adventures Everyday publishes the matching route, approximate duration, skill level, and shuttle logistics, and identifies Farm by Beer Tree as the Port Crane meeting/finish point.

    Source

  • Current public endpoint accessChenango Forks Route 12 hand launch and Port Crane DOT Park and Ride hand launch

    The current NYSDEC Broome County directory lists both access areas; the Route 12 site is categorized under Tioughnioga, so the confluence-side landing requires field confirmation.

    Source

  • Route-specific seasonal guidanceAvoid rising/muddy water and spring debris; expect summer shallow gravel

    The NY Susquehanna Basin Water Trail guidance covers the basin conditions most relevant to this short Chenango corridor.

    Source

  • Direct live gaugeUSGS 01512500, Chenango River near Chenango Forks, NY

    USGS provides current discharge telemetry near the route’s upstream boundary; use it with local visual and depth checks rather than a numeric cutoff.

    Source

  • Camping postureNearby lodging or managed campground basecamp only

    The itinerary and launch directory document day-use access, not shoreline camping authorization.

    Source

  • Approved same-river context imageWikimedia Commons Chenango River at Court Street Bridge, Binghamton

    The licensed same-river image is clearly labeled as downstream urban context and does not depict the Chenango Forks launch, Port Crane landing, or current conditions.

    Source

  • Direct live gaugeUSGS 01512500, Chenango River near Chenango Forks, NY

    USGS 01512500 is a direct Chenango River station near the Chenango Forks boundary. It provides useful upstream trend context but cannot certify the exact Route 12 confluence landing, local Port Crane depth, tributary timing, debris, or bridge conditions.

    Source

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

    Take Adventures Everyday / NYSDEC Broome County launch directory / USGS and its linked safety material warn that conditions change rapidly and require local inspection.

    Source

  • Image decisionApproved same-river context image used for route presentation

    The image is labeled as river-level context when it depicts the named river elsewhere, not 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.

Reports

Paddler reports

See recent photos and notes from people on the route.

Share your trip

Help build the route page

Add photos or send a quick condition report.

Photos

Upload route photos

Add access, hazard, or on-water photos.

No files selected yet.

Keep exploring

More routes to check next

Compare another stretch on this river, or jump to nearby options before you pick a plan.

More in New York

All 296 routes
New York route guideBrowse every tracked New York route.Broome County / Chenango Forks and Port CraneJump to routes in this region.

More on Chenango River

All 6
Chenango Bridge Route 12A hand launch to Port Dickinson Community Park / Wilfley Park hand launchBroome County / Chenango Bridge and Port DickinsonEasy · Approximately 2 planning river miles from Chenango Bridge to Port Dickinson, using the guide’s cumulative mile-8 to mile-10 markersGreene River Access to Chenango Forks Route 12 BridgeChenango and Broome CountiesEasy · 12 river milesNorth Norwich NYSDEC hand launch to Greene Route 41 NYSDEC hand launchChenango County / Southern TierModerate · Approximately 22 river miles (planning estimate)Port Crane DOT Park and Ride to Chenango Bridge Route 12A hand launchBroome County / Fenton and Chenango BridgeEasy · Approximately 3 river miles from the Port Crane alternative launch to the Chenango Bridge Route 12A launch

Nearby routes by distance

Tioughnioga RiverItaska Route 79 hand launch to Chenango Forks Route 12 hand launch · about 4 mi awayModerate · Approximately 5.5 river miles from the Itaska alternate start to Chenango ForksSusquehanna RiverWilliam Hill Park to Grippen Park · about 11 mi awayEasy · 6 river milesOtselic RiverLanders Corners hand launch to Upper Lisle Road Fishing Access near the Otselic/Whitney Point Reservoir transition · about 14 mi awayModerate · Approximately 4.5 planning river miles from Landers Corners to the Upper Lisle Road accessSusquehanna RiverKirkwood Veterans River Park to Sandy Beach Park · about 14 mi awayEasy · 7 river miles

Quick answers

Chenango River paddling FAQ

What water level is good for paddling Chenango River?

Paddle Today watches Chenango River near Chenango 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 Chenango River route start and end?

This route starts at Chenango Forks Route 12 public hand launch / confluence access and ends at NYSDEC Port Crane DOT Park and Ride Chenango River hand launch, about 5 river miles as published by the local Chenango Forks-to-Port Crane paddle itinerary on the water.

Is this Chenango River route good for beginners?

This is listed as an easy route, but conditions still matter. Check today's score, water level, weather, and access notes before you go.

Flag a change

See something outdated?

Access, hazards, wood, and shuttle details change. Send a quick correction if something looks off.

Report a changeEmail update