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New York | Warren County
Hudson River
North River / Thirteenth Brook to Riparius Bridge
Check current paddling conditions for this Hudson River route, including water level, recent gauge trend, weather, and route details.
Route location
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Need to know
Why this call
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.
Gauge source
--Checking timestampMN DNR provides the current paddling level here, but not chart-ready recent samples.
Weather
Hourly forecast
Checking weather.
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Next 8 hours
Short-route forecast
Checking the next several hours.
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
Plan ahead
Upcoming outlook
These are early planning reads. Re-check live conditions before you commit to the drive.
Waiting on forecast.
Waiting on forecast.
Plan
Plan your trip
Launch points, shuttle details, distance, and access notes.
Route logistics
Access and shuttle
A distinct 13-mile Hudson River moving-water route from the North River/Thirteenth Brook access corridor to the public Bridge at Riparius hand launch and take-out area. American Whitewater rates the section Class II–III and describes a quieter but committed reach below the Hudson Gorge, with boulder rapids near the start, limited bailout options through the North Creek-to-Riparius section, and a final ledge before the bridge. NYSDEC supplies the public Riparius launch listing and North River access context.
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.
Put-in
North River / Thirteenth Brook Hudson River trail accessThe North River start is described by American Whitewater as a steep trail across from the outfitters, not as a DEC-maintained launch. Confirm lawful current use, safe carry, parking, and the exact river landing before advertising or staging the trip.
Take-out
Bridge at Riparius Canoe Launch and Hudson River take-outNYSDEC lists Riparius as a hand launch, while American Whitewater places the take-out immediately after the bridge. Confirm the river-right landing, vehicle staging, bridge visibility, and any seasonal or local restrictions.
Plan this segment
Pulling access map tiles. Usually under 5 seconds.
Access caveats and watch for
Access caveats
- The North River start is described by American Whitewater as a steep trail across from the outfitters, not as a DEC-maintained launch. Confirm lawful current use, safe carry, parking, and the exact river landing before advertising or staging the trip.
- NYSDEC lists Riparius as a hand launch, while American Whitewater places the take-out immediately after the bridge. Confirm the river-right landing, vehicle staging, bridge visibility, and any seasonal or local restrictions.
- River Road, railroad-side banks, private shorelines, and outfitter facilities are not automatic public exits. Keep the route bounded by the named endpoints and use only permission-backed bailouts.
Watch for
- USGS 01315500 stage and trend, recent rain, tributary inflow, dam-release timing, low-water rock exposure, and debris
- Mouse/Mousetail Rapids, Perry Ehlers Rapids, boulder lines, wood, undercuts, cold water, and limited exits below North Creek
- North River start permission and carry, outfitters coordination, Route 28 traffic, railroad/private-bank boundaries, and River Road access assumptions
- Riparius Bridge traffic, final ledge, public hand-launch parking, take-out landing, daylight, and downstream boundary
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.
Score & sources
Why this score
See the gauge, weather, and source notes behind today's call.
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.
- Checking evidence-strength notes.
- Checking evidence cautions.
Data behind the scoreGauge, thresholds, and timing
These are the live readings and threshold notes behind today's score.
| Gauge site | Hudson River at North Creek, NY |
| Gauge height | Checking |
| Discharge | Checking |
| 24h trend | Checking |
| 24h change | Checking |
| Current band | Checking |
| Rain last 24h | Checking |
| Rain last 72h | Checking |
| Air temp | Checking |
| Water temp | Checking |
| Wind | Checking |
| Gusts | Checking |
| Rain timing | Checking |
| Ideal range | Needs paddler reports |
| Known low-water floor | Not calibrated yet |
| High threshold | Not calibrated yet |
| Evidence strength behind the range | Official and local sources |
| Gauge observed | Checking |
| Paddle Today updated | Checking |
| Main source behind this score | No universal numeric threshold published for the North River–Riparius Class II–III section; use North Creek stage, recent reports, rainfall, release timing, and visual scouting together |
| Gauge source | Checking |
| Weather source | Checking |
| Rainfall source | Checking |
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.
- Distinct New York corridorNorth River to Riparius; 13 miles; Class II–III
American Whitewater publishes this as a separate Hudson reach below the gorge, with its own access sequence, named rapids, commitment notes, and take-out.
- Public downstream hand launchBridge at Riparius on Route 8
NYSDEC’s current Boat Launching Sites Directory lists the Bridge at Riparius as a canoe/kayak hand launch; the stored point follows the river-side take-out corridor described by American Whitewater.
- North River access contextNYSDEC North River take-out/landing area and local outfitter access corridor
NYSDEC publishes a public North River take-out/landing coordinate in the adjacent Hudson Gorge access chain; American Whitewater separately describes the below-gorge start across from the outfitters. The start remains conditional pending current permission and field verification.
- Live gauge contextUSGS 01315500, Hudson River at North Creek
American Whitewater names the North Creek gauge for this reach. Use its live stage as context with recent reports, rainfall, releases, and visual scouting rather than a universal numeric rule.
- Route imageHudson River at North Creek; same-river route and gauge context
The public-domain USGS station image is labeled as river context and does not claim to depict the North River–Riparius endpoint or current conditions.
- Direct live gaugeUSGS 01315500, Hudson River at North Creek, NY
USGS 01315500 is the route source's named Hudson gauge and provides useful live stage context. Dam releases, local tributary inflow, boulder exposure, and the downstream Riparius reach can diverge from the reading, so it is not a standalone go/no-go decision.
- Safety and river conditionsCheck live gauge, recent rainfall, trend, debris, bridges, and access conditions before launch
American Whitewater / NYSDEC Boat Launching Sites Directory / Hudson Gorge Wilderness and its linked safety material warn that conditions change rapidly and require local inspection.
- 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.
Verify it yourselfCheck the source links
Use these links to double-check the gauge, route details, and access notes before you head out.
- American Whitewater / NYSDEC Boat Launching Sites Directory / Hudson Gorge Wilderness route record
- NYSDEC Hudson Gorge Wilderness and Boat Launching Sites Directory
- American Whitewater North River to Riparius reach and flow context
- NYSDEC Hudson River access and outdoor safety guidance
- USGS 01315500 monitoring location
- USGS 01315500 current conditions
- Hudson River context image
Paddler reports
Recent notes from paddlers
A few quick notes from people who were on this route recently.
Reports
Paddler reports
See recent photos and notes from people on the route.
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Keep exploring
More routes to check next
Compare another stretch on this river, or jump to nearby options before you pick a plan.
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Quick answers
Hudson River paddling FAQ
What water level is good for paddling Hudson River?
Paddle Today watches Hudson River at North Creek, 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 Hudson River route start and end?
This route starts at North River / Thirteenth Brook Hudson River trail access and ends at Bridge at Riparius Canoe Launch and Hudson River take-out, about About 13 Hudson River miles on the water.
Is this Hudson River route good for beginners?
This is listed as a hard route. Treat the live score as a planning aid, then confirm conditions, hazards, access, and group skill before launching.
Flag a change
See something outdated?
Access, hazards, wood, and shuttle details change. Send a quick correction if something looks off.