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New York | Monroe County / Rochester and Penfield

Irondequoit CreekEllison Park Circle Shelter to LaSalle’s Landing Park

A short, flatwater-to-wetland Irondequoit Creek route from Monroe County’s current Ellison Park non-motorized launch by Circle Shelter to the public LaSalle’s Landing Park hand launch at the creek mouth. The Town of Penfield waterway map identifies the canoe/kayak trail from Ellison Park to LaSalle’s Landing, while the USGS Fishers station is retained only as historical watershed context because it has no current continuous data. Plan for a narrow wetland channel, strainers and mud, urban runoff and water-quality checks, and wind or motorboat exposure where the creek enters Irondequoit Bay.

Route location

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Plan this route

DistanceAbout 3.85 waterway miles
DifficultyEasy
Typical timeAbout 2–3 hours depending on wetlands
ShuttleCar shuttle
Irondequoit Creek winding through Ellison Park in Penfield, New York.
Route photoIrondequoit Creek at Ellison ParkPhoto by Wikimedia Commons

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 distanceAbout 3.85 waterway milesEllison Park Circle Shelter to LaSalle’s Landing Park
DifficultyeasyThe mapped waterway is a short, generally flatwater canoe/kayak route, but narrow wetland turns, shallow or muddy sections, strainers, changing water level, limited bailout points, and the exposed Irondequoit Bay mouth make local conditions more important than the easy label.
ShuttleCar shuttleLeave the downstream vehicle at LaSalle’s Landing Park only after confirming current parking and hand-launch rules, then stage at Ellison Park Circle Shelter. Allow extra time for the narrow wetland channel, weather, seasonal park hours, and a possible early turnaround.
PermitsNone notedNo route-specific paddling permit is identified. Follow current Monroe County and Penfield park hours, seasonal launch rules, parking restrictions, New York boating/PFD requirements, clean-drain-dry requirements, and any posted wetland or bay restrictions. Do not land on private shoreline or enter the creek outside the public park and launch areas.
CampingDay tripNo on-route or endpoint camping is documented. Ellison Park and LaSalle’s Landing are day-use access contexts; use separately verified lodging or a legal campground elsewhere in Monroe County and do not overnight vehicles or camp on the creek banks, wetlands, or launch properties.
SeasonMay-OctThe county and town identify this as a seasonal non-motorized canoe/kayak waterway. Summer through early fall offers the most forgiving wetland and bay conditions, but recent rain, debris, aquatic growth, water quality, and wind at the Irondequoit Bay mouth can change the trip quickly.

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 short, flatwater-to-wetland Irondequoit Creek route from Monroe County’s current Ellison Park non-motorized launch by Circle Shelter to the public LaSalle’s Landing Park hand launch at the creek mouth. The Town of Penfield waterway map identifies the canoe/kayak trail from Ellison Park to LaSalle’s Landing, while the USGS Fishers station is retained only as historical watershed context because it has no current continuous data. Plan for a narrow wetland channel, strainers and mud, urban runoff and water-quality checks, and wind or motorboat exposure where the creek enters Irondequoit Bay.

Access map

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Start

Put-in

Ellison Park Circle Shelter non-motorized boat launch
Open mapDirections to put-in

Ellison Park’s current county page identifies the Circle Shelter launch, but it does not publish a surveyed waterline coordinate. The stored point is an access-area anchor near the park’s mapped creek launch and requires field confirmation.

Finish

Take-out

LaSalle’s Landing Park Irondequoit Creek hand launch
Open mapDirections to take-out

LaSalle’s Landing is a current NYSDEC-listed hand launch, but the listing provides a park/launch coordinate rather than a surveyed creek-bank landing. Confirm the exact carry and landing, especially when bay levels or vegetation change.

Road shuttle

Driving shuttle routeShuttle in Apple MapsOpenStreetMap
Access notes and hazards

Access caveats

  • Ellison Park’s current county page identifies the Circle Shelter launch, but it does not publish a surveyed waterline coordinate. The stored point is an access-area anchor near the park’s mapped creek launch and requires field confirmation.
  • LaSalle’s Landing is a current NYSDEC-listed hand launch, but the listing provides a park/launch coordinate rather than a surveyed creek-bank landing. Confirm the exact carry and landing, especially when bay levels or vegetation change.
  • The Town of Penfield map is a waterway/trail map, not a guarantee that every narrow channel, crossing, or wetland segment is navigable on a given day. Keep the trip planning-only and carry out when the channel is blocked.
  • Do not treat the downstream bay as a protected creek extension. Stop at LaSalle’s Landing unless a separate Irondequoit Bay route has its own weather, traffic, launch, and shuttle plan.

Watch for

  • No current USGS telemetry at 04232030; recent rain, local depth, visible current, wind, bay chop, water quality, and debris control the day-of decision
  • fallen trees, strainers, footbridges, culverts, muddy banks, aquatic growth, narrow wetland turns, private shorelines, and limited bailout points
  • Ellison Park seasonal hours, Circle Shelter parking/carry, LaSalle’s Landing six-car capacity, bay traffic, wakes, and the exact current 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.

Irondequoit Creek winding through Ellison Park in Penfield, New York.
Irondequoit Creek at Ellison ParkPhoto by Wikimedia Commons
Wikimedia Commons: public image

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 public waterwayEllison Park to LaSalle’s Landing; about 3.85 miles

    The Town of Penfield map labels Irondequoit Creek as a canoe/kayak waterway flowing north from Ellison Park to LaSalle’s Landing Park.

    Source

  • Public upstream accessEllison Park Circle Shelter non-motorized/car-top launch

    Monroe County currently documents a non-motorized/car-top boat launch by Circle Shelter for boating in Irondequoit Creek.

    Source

  • Public downstream accessLaSalle’s Landing Park hand launch

    NYSDEC lists LaSalle’s Landing Park in Penfield as a public hand launch with six-car parking; the launch is at the creek mouth and should be treated as a bay-influenced take-out.

    Source

  • Flow postureNo numeric threshold; historical USGS 04232030 context only

    The USGS station record identifies Irondequoit Creek at Fishers but currently reports no continuous, daily, or field measurement data. Use local depth, rain, debris, and weather checks instead of an invented cfs band.

    Source

  • Wetland and bay safetyNarrow channel, strainers, mud, wakes, and wind at the creek mouth

    The Penfield waterway map establishes the canoe/kayak corridor; the route card keeps the wetland and Irondequoit Bay transition as separate day-of safety decisions.

    Source

  • Camping postureNearby basecamp only; public parks are day-use access points

    Monroe County park information documents seasonal launch and park recreation services, while no route-specific overnight camping is published for Ellison or LaSalle’s Landing.

    Source

  • Approved route imageIrondequoit Creek at Ellison Park

    The Wikimedia Commons image depicts the named creek in Ellison Park and is used as route context, not as a current water-condition report.

    Source

  • Canonical river geometryCurated OpenStreetMap creek trace between Ellison Park and LaSalle’s Landing access anchors

    The visualization follows the named Irondequoit Creek OSM ways 1329232865, 75756225, and 67287205, then snaps the endpoints to the published public access-area coordinates. Verify wetland channel and landing conditions in the field.

    Source

  • Same-river proxy gaugeUSGS 04232030, Irondequoit Creek at Fishers, NY

    USGS 04232030 is a historical Irondequoit Creek station record with no continuous, daily, or field measurement data currently available. Treat it as watershed context only; there is no route-local live gauge or defensible numeric runnable threshold for this flatwater/wetland route.

    Source

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

    Monroe County Parks / Town of Penfield / NYSDEC 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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Quick answers

Irondequoit Creek paddling FAQ

What water level is best for the Ellison Park Circle Shelter to LaSalle’s Landing Park route on the Irondequoit Creek?

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 Ellison Park Circle Shelter to LaSalle’s Landing Park route on the Irondequoit Creek start and end?

This route starts at Ellison Park Circle Shelter non-motorized boat launch and ends at LaSalle’s Landing Park Irondequoit Creek hand launch, about 3.85 waterway miles on the water.

Is the Ellison Park Circle Shelter to LaSalle’s Landing Park route on the Irondequoit Creek suitable for beginners?

This is listed as a easy 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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