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New York | Delaware and Sullivan Counties / Hancock, Lordville, Long Eddy, and Callicoon

Delaware RiverHancock River Access to Callicoon NY DEC access

A long Upper Delaware access-to-access corridor from the public Hancock River Access through the Lordville and Long Eddy area to the Callicoon NY DEC access. The National Park Service publishes the free-flowing 73.4-mile river, public launch-only rule, access sequence, approximate 27-mile Hancock-to-Callicoon distance, direct Callicoon gauge relationship, and limited primitive-camping posture. This is a planning corridor for a multi-section trip, not a promise that every paddler should complete it in one day.

Route location

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Plan this route

DistanceApproximately 27 river miles between the NPS Hancock and Callicoon access areas
DifficultyModerate
Typical timeAbout 13.5 hours at the NPS planning speed of 2 mph
ShuttleCar shuttle
The Delaware River at the USGS Callicoon monitoring station in the Upper Delaware corridor.
River contextDelaware River at Callicoon; route and 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 distanceApproximately 27 river miles between the NPS Hancock and Callicoon access areasHancock River Access to Callicoon NY DEC access
DifficultymoderateThe NPS describes mild rapids and quiet pools, but the reach is long and remote enough that current, cold water, strainers, eel weirs, weather, limited cell service, private banks, and the distance between legal exits materially raise the planning burden. Treat the 27-mile line as a multi-section corridor for experienced trip planning.
ShuttleCar shuttleUse a staged, multi-vehicle shuttle between Hancock and Callicoon, with Lordville and Long Eddy available as public intermediate exits. The NPS distance table estimates 27 miles and 13.5 hours at 2 mph, so a one-day completion requires strong logistics and daylight discipline; most groups should divide the corridor into shorter access-to-access sections.
PermitsNone notedNo route-specific paddling permit is identified for the public accesses, but follow current NPS, NYSDEC, PFBC, municipal, parking, boating, PFD, fishing, and posted rules. Launch and retrieve only at designated public access sites; do not use private shoreline or private launch areas.
CampingOptions nearbyNPS says most river-valley land is private and shoreline camping is not permitted. The Buckhorn Natural Area primitive water-access camping area near Pond Eddy is downstream of this route and requires a free NPS permit, so use Hancock/Callicoon-area lodging or established campgrounds as the normal basecamp for this corridor and do not claim overnight camping at the launches.
SeasonMay-OctThe Upper Delaware is open for river use year-round, but warm-season daylight, weather, water temperature, and access operations make May–October the practical planning window. November–April has mandatory life-jacket wear and elevated cold-water risk.

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

A long Upper Delaware access-to-access corridor from the public Hancock River Access through the Lordville and Long Eddy area to the Callicoon NY DEC access. The National Park Service publishes the free-flowing 73.4-mile river, public launch-only rule, access sequence, approximate 27-mile Hancock-to-Callicoon distance, direct Callicoon gauge relationship, and limited primitive-camping posture. This is a planning corridor for a multi-section trip, not a promise that every paddler should complete it in one day.

Access map

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Start

Put-in

Hancock River Access / 1070 La Barre Street
Open mapDirections to put-in

Hancock is a current NYSDEC-owned hand launch with a dirt lot and seasonal restroom, but the approach can be muddy and the stored coordinate is a waterline anchor near the address; confirm the exact carry and parking before loading.

Finish

Take-out

Callicoon NY DEC public river access
Open mapDirections to take-out

Lordville and Long Eddy are public intermediate accesses, not a guarantee of a clear landing at every water level. Use them as planned bailouts only after inspecting the carry, river edge, vehicle staging, and current.

Road shuttle

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Access planner

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On-water distance27.0 miMixed access
On-water timeAbout 13.5 hours at the NPS planning speed of 2 mphFull route option
ShuttleCar shuttleChoose a shorter in/out pair for a shorter day.

Hancock River Access / 1070 La Barre Street to Callicoon NY DEC public river access is about 27.0 mi. Use the planner to compare shorter access pairs.

Access notes and hazards

Access caveats

  • Hancock is a current NYSDEC-owned hand launch with a dirt lot and seasonal restroom, but the approach can be muddy and the stored coordinate is a waterline anchor near the address; confirm the exact carry and parking before loading.
  • Lordville and Long Eddy are public intermediate accesses, not a guarantee of a clear landing at every water level. Use them as planned bailouts only after inspecting the carry, river edge, vehicle staging, and current.
  • Callicoon has public access on both the NPS/PFBC and NY DEC/Water Trail systems in the area. This card uses the NY DEC Callicoon access coordinate already documented by the Water Trail; confirm which side and facility is open before taking out.
  • NPS prohibits launching or retrieving from private lands and private accesses. Navigable water, a visible road, or an aerial map does not create a landing or camping right.

Watch for

  • USGS 01427510 unavailable, rising rapidly, or inconsistent with upstream visual conditions; NPS daily hotline and forecast should be checked when operating
  • current, low-water gravel, cold water, strainers, sweepers, eel weirs, bridge and wake exposure, thunderstorms, wind, limited cell coverage, and long distances between exits
  • Hancock, Lordville, Long Eddy, and Callicoon parking/carry status, seasonal restrooms, private-bank signs, crowding, shuttle failure, and the need to split the route into shorter sections

Plan this paddle

Choose your trip times

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Conditions

Water levels, gauge history, and hourly forecast

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Gauge detail

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Gauge

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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.

The Delaware River at the USGS Callicoon monitoring station in the Upper Delaware corridor.
Delaware River at Callicoon; route and 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.

  • NPS public access ruleLaunch and retrieve only at designated NYSDEC/PFBC public accesses

    NPS explicitly warns against using private lands or private accesses and identifies the public access system as the safest way to enter the river.

    Source

  • Hancock public hand launch1070 La Barre Street, approximately 15-vehicle dirt lot, seasonal restroom

    NPS identifies Hancock as public NYSDEC-owned canoe/kayak access with hand carry only and no motorized launch.

    Source

  • Long Eddy public access and corrected location10 Ferry Street; public non-motorized gravel ramp near river mile 315; 41.8497,-75.1352

    NPS identifies the current public Long Eddy launch and distinguishes Kellams Bridge at the old stored point as fishing-only with no boat ramp. The Delaware River Water Trail publishes the coordinate used here; treat it as a site anchor and confirm the exact toe.

    Source

  • Route distance and access sequenceApproximately 27 miles Hancock to Callicoon; Lordville and Long Eddy are intermediate public accesses

    NPS publishes the public access distance table and the estimated 2 mph planning speed; this route uses the Hancock-to-Callicoon row rather than claiming a shorter unsupported distance.

    Source

  • Direct same-river gaugeUSGS 01427510, Delaware River at Callicoon, NY

    NPS identifies Callicoon telemetry for the upstream section, and USGS provides current stage and discharge at the station. Use it with upstream weather and visual checks.

    Source

  • Route-specific safety posturePFD within reach always; wear at 6 ft or higher and November–April; skilled-only at 8–12 ft; no boating recommended at 12 ft+

    NPS publishes the mandatory PFD and river-height recommendations plus strainers, sweepers, eel-weir, cold-water, and changing-condition warnings.

    Source

  • Camping postureNo shoreline camping; nearby basecamp or permit-only Buckhorn primitive site downstream

    NPS says most river-valley land is private and identifies one water-access primitive camping area that requires a free permit.

    Source

  • Callicoon take-out accessPublic cartop/beach/non-motorized access with gravel parking and restrooms

    The Delaware River Water Trail identifies the public Callicoon access and its amenities; the route retains current field checks for landing and parking.

    Source

  • Approved route imageDelaware River USGS Callicoon station context photo

    The image is labeled as same-river gauge context and does not claim to depict every access, rapid, or current condition on the 27-mile route.

    Source

  • Direct live gaugeUSGS 01427510, Delaware River at Callicoon, NY

    USGS 01427510 at Callicoon is the direct same-river stage and discharge station used by NPS for the Upper Delaware section upstream of the Narrowsburg bridge. Use it with trend, upstream weather, and visual checks; the gauge cannot reveal new strainers, eel weirs, wakes, access closures, or private-bank boundaries.

    Source

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

    Upper Delaware Scenic and Recreational River / NYSDEC public access inventory 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

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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.

More in New York

All 282 routes
New York route guideBrowse every tracked New York route.Delaware and Sullivan Counties / Hancock, Lordville, Long Eddy, and CallicoonJump to routes in this region.

More on Delaware River

All 6
Balls Eddy PFBC access to Hancock NYSDEC accessDelaware County / Hancock and Upper DelawareModerate · Approximately 5 planning miles from Balls Eddy through the West Branch confluence to HancockCallicoon NY DEC access to Narrowsburg DEC River Access / De Mauro LaneSullivan County / Upper Delaware Scenic and Recreational RiverModerate · About 14 river miles by the NPS access-distance table (CanWePaddle listing says 9 miles)Hancock NYSDEC access to Lordville NYSDEC accessDelaware County / Hancock and LordvilleModerate · Approximately 9 river miles between the NPS Hancock and Lordville public accessesLordville NYSDEC access to Long Eddy NYSDEC accessDelaware County / Lordville and Long EddyModerate · Approximately 6 river miles between the NPS Lordville and Long Eddy public accesses

Nearby routes within 75 miles

East Branch Delaware RiverFish's Eddy DEC hand launch to Cadosia DEC hand launch / Hancock East–West Branch forks · about 5 straight-line mi awayEasy · 9 river miles to the Hancock forks; use the Cadosia DEC hand launch as the verified public take-out unless the final junction landing is separately confirmedWest Branch Delaware RiverHale Eddy, New York to Balls Eddy, Pennsylvania access · about 7 straight-line mi awayEasy · 6 river milesWest Branch Delaware RiverDeposit Airport Road hand launch to Hale Eddy NYSDEC hand launch · about 11 straight-line mi awayModerate · Approximately 3.9 river miles from the Airport Road upstream access to Hale EddyEast Branch Delaware RiverDownsville managed launch to NYS Parks Shinhopple-area hand launch · about 18 straight-line mi awayEasy · Approximately 6 river miles from the Downsville managed launch to the NYS Parks Shinhopple-area hand launch

Quick answers

Delaware River paddling FAQ

What water level is best for the Hancock River Access to Callicoon NY DEC access route on the Delaware River?

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 Hancock River Access to Callicoon NY DEC access route on the Delaware River start and end?

This route starts at Hancock River Access / 1070 La Barre Street and ends at Callicoon NY DEC public river access, Approximately 27 river miles between the NPS Hancock and Callicoon access areas on the water.

Is the Hancock River Access to Callicoon NY DEC access route on the Delaware River 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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