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New York | Delaware County / Hancock and Lordville

Delaware RiverHancock NYSDEC access to Lordville NYSDEC access

A planning-only Upper Delaware access-to-access section from the public Hancock NYSDEC hand launch to the Lordville NYSDEC hand launch. The NPS publishes the public canoe/kayak access rule, the approximately 9-mile Hancock-to-Lordville distance, direct safety guidance, and both endpoint access systems. This shorter section makes the northern part of the existing Upper Delaware corridor separately discoverable without implying private-bank access or a one-day commitment.

Route location

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Plan this route

DistanceApproximately 9 river miles between the NPS Hancock and Lordville public accesses
DifficultyModerate
Typical timeAbout 4.5 hours at the NPS planning speed of 2 mph
ShuttleCar shuttle
The Delaware River at the USGS Callicoon monitoring station, used as same-river proxy context for the Hancock-to-Lordville route in New York.
Route photoUpper Delaware River at Callicoon; Hancock-to-Lordville proxy-gauge contextPhoto 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 9 river miles between the NPS Hancock and Lordville public accessesHancock NYSDEC access to Lordville NYSDEC access
DifficultymoderateThe NPS describes mild rapids and quiet pools, but current, cold water, strainers, changing channels, wakes, limited cell service, and the need to reach a small hand-launch exit make this more than a flatwater park paddle.
ShuttleCar shuttleStage the vehicle at Lordville, then drive to Hancock. Confirm both small access lots, hand carries, seasonal road conditions, and parking signs; keep the shuttle clear of private drives and bridge approaches.
PermitsCheck posted rulesFollow current NPS, NYSDEC, boating, PFD, parking, access, and posted rules. Launch and retrieve only at the designated public accesses; no route-specific paddling permit is identified.
CampingOptions nearbyNPS says shoreline camping is generally not permitted because most river-valley land is private. Use Hancock/Lordville lodging or a managed campground as a nearby basecamp; no endpoint camping is claimed.
SeasonMay-OctMay through October is the practical planning window; late fall through spring increases cold-water and low-daylight consequences, while every season remains subject to current, weather, debris, and access checks.

Plan ahead

Tomorrow and the weekend

Forecasts can change. Check current conditions again before leaving.

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Plan

Plan your trip

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

Route logistics

Access and shuttle

A planning-only Upper Delaware access-to-access section from the public Hancock NYSDEC hand launch to the Lordville NYSDEC hand launch. The NPS publishes the public canoe/kayak access rule, the approximately 9-mile Hancock-to-Lordville distance, direct safety guidance, and both endpoint access systems. This shorter section makes the northern part of the existing Upper Delaware corridor separately discoverable without implying private-bank access or a one-day commitment.

Access map

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Start

Put-in

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

Hancock is hand-launch-only public access; confirm the current carry, dirt-lot condition, seasonal restroom, and exact river entry.

Finish

Take-out

Lordville NYSDEC hand launch
Open mapDirections to take-out

Lordville is a public hand launch with limited parking and no trailer ramp. Confirm the landing, bank footing, parking, and current signs before relying on it as the finish.

Road shuttle

Driving shuttle routeShuttle in Apple MapsOpenStreetMap
Access notes and hazards

Access caveats

  • Hancock is hand-launch-only public access; confirm the current carry, dirt-lot condition, seasonal restroom, and exact river entry.
  • Lordville is a public hand launch with limited parking and no trailer ramp. Confirm the landing, bank footing, parking, and current signs before relying on it as the finish.
  • Navigable water does not create a right to land, scout, or camp on private banks. Use only the named public access system.

Watch for

  • USGS 01427510 unavailable, rapidly rising, or inconsistent with upstream conditions; it is a downstream proxy here
  • current, cold water, low-water gravel, strainers, sweepers, eel weirs, bridge and wake exposure, thunderstorms, and limited cell coverage
  • Hancock and Lordville lot/carry/water-entry status, seasonal restroom, private-bank signs, and the daylight margin for the small Lordville landing

Plan this paddle

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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

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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, used as same-river proxy context for the Hancock-to-Lordville route in New York.
Upper Delaware River at Callicoon; Hancock-to-Lordville proxy-gauge contextPhoto by U.S. Geological Survey
USGS public domain; clearly labeled proxy-gauge context

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.

  • Public endpoint chainHancock and Lordville are designated public NYSDEC canoe/kayak accesses

    NPS and NYSDEC identify both endpoint access systems and restrict hand launching to the public access sites.

    Source

  • Named section distanceApproximately 9 paddling miles Hancock to Lordville

    The NPS paddling-distance table publishes the access-to-access distance and a 2 mph planning speed.

    Source

  • Same-river proxy gaugeUSGS 01427510 Delaware River at Callicoon, NY

    NPS identifies Callicoon telemetry for the upstream Upper Delaware; for this shorter upper section it is retained as downstream trend context, not a local cutoff.

    Source

  • Route-specific safetyPFD, cold-water, strainers, wakes, eel-weir, weather, and changing-condition controls

    NPS publishes the height-based PFD posture and Upper Delaware river-safety warnings.

    Source

  • Camping postureNearby lodging or managed campground only; no general shoreline camping

    NPS identifies private river-valley land and limited permitted camping rather than open shoreline camping.

    Source

  • Approved route imageUSGS Callicoon Delaware River station context photo

    The public-domain same-river image is clearly labeled as proxy-gauge context and does not certify this exact reach or current conditions.

    Source

  • Same-river proxy gaugeUSGS 01427510, Delaware River at Callicoon, NY

    USGS 01427510 is a downstream same-river proxy at Callicoon for this Hancock-to-Lordville section. Use it with upstream weather and visual checks; it cannot show local strainers, wakes, water temperature, access closures, or landing conditions.

    Source

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

    National Park Service / NYSDEC / USGS 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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New York route guideBrowse every tracked New York route.Delaware County / Hancock and LordvilleJump 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 River Access to Callicoon NY DEC accessDelaware and Sullivan Counties / Hancock, Lordville, Long Eddy, and CallicoonModerate · Approximately 27 river miles between the NPS Hancock and Callicoon access areasLordville 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 NYSDEC access to Lordville NYSDEC 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 NYSDEC access to Lordville NYSDEC access route on the Delaware River start and end?

This route starts at Hancock River Access / 1070 La Barre Street and ends at Lordville NYSDEC hand launch, Approximately 9 river miles between the NPS Hancock and Lordville public accesses on the water.

Is the Hancock NYSDEC access to Lordville NYSDEC 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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