Paddle TodayFind the best paddle near you today

Live score, water level, and weather.

New York | Richmond County / Staten Island

Lemon CreekBayview Avenue hand launch toward the Raritan Bay mouth and same-launch return

A planning-only approximately 2-mile high-tide Lemon Creek out-and-back from the current NYSDEC Richmond County hand launch near Bayview Avenue toward the creek mouth at Raritan Bay and back. NYSDEC identifies Lemon Creek as a tidal wetland connected to Raritan Bay and explicitly says paddling is only possible at high tide. This card uses the public launch as both start and finish and does not claim a second public take-out, permission to land at the marinas or bay shoreline, or overnight use.

Route location

Loading the route map.

Open access map

Plan this route

DistanceApproximately 2 round-trip planning miles from the DEC Bayview hand launch toward the Lemon Creek mouth at Raritan Bay and back; distance is a conservative mapped channel estimate, not a surveyed mileage
DifficultyModerate
Typical timeAbout 1–3 hours depending on tide/current
ShuttleNo shuttle
Lemon Creek tidal channel on Staten Island, New York.
Route photoLemon Creek tidal channel contextPhoto by Jim.henderson via Wikimedia Commons

Need to know

Why this call
This route is documented for planning, but does not receive a Paddle Today score.
View Primary Source
Embed this route

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.

Route overview

Trip details

Access rules, camping, seasonal conditions and trip length.

Distance, difficulty, rules and camping
On-water distanceApproximately 2 round-trip planning miles from the DEC Bayview hand launch toward the Lemon Creek mouth at Raritan Bay and back; distance is a conservative mapped channel estimate, not a surveyed mileageBayview Avenue hand launch toward the Raritan Bay mouth and same-launch return
DifficultymoderateLemon Creek is a tide-dependent wetland with shallow mud, vegetation, changing current, limited legal exits, and an exposed Raritan Bay mouth. Treat it as moderate tidal flatwater planning water, not a casual protected-pond paddle.
ShuttleNo shuttleNo shuttle is required. Launch and return at the NYSDEC Lemon Creek hand launch, with the Raritan Bay mouth serving as a conservative turnaround objective. Confirm street parking, carry, waterline, high-tide window, and daylight return margin; keep an alternate withdrawal plan without assuming private or marina access.
PermitsCheck posted rulesFollow current NYSDEC Lemon Creek and Richmond County launch rules, New York boating/PFD and Clean.Drain.Dry requirements, posted wildlife, shellfish, water-quality, tide, parking, and park rules, and all private and marina boundaries. No open-bay, private-shoreline, marina, or overnight permission is inferred.
CampingDay tripNo camping. NYSDEC identifies Lemon Creek as a carry-in/carry-out state property and prohibits camping; use separately managed Staten Island lodging or a legal campground and do not overnight at the launch, marsh, creek bank, marina, or Raritan Bay shoreline.
SeasonApr-OctNYSDEC keeps Lemon Creek open year-round, but its paddling guidance says the creek is only paddleable at high tide. Cold water, wind, shallow mud, changing tide/current, limited legal exits, shellfish and urban-water-quality concerns, and the unformalized street-parking access require a conservative daylight plan and local visual check.

Plan ahead

Tomorrow and the weekend

Forecasts can change. Check current conditions again before leaving.

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 approximately 2-mile high-tide Lemon Creek out-and-back from the current NYSDEC Richmond County hand launch near Bayview Avenue toward the creek mouth at Raritan Bay and back. NYSDEC identifies Lemon Creek as a tidal wetland connected to Raritan Bay and explicitly says paddling is only possible at high tide. This card uses the public launch as both start and finish and does not claim a second public take-out, permission to land at the marinas or bay shoreline, or overnight use.

Access map

Skip map

Pulling access map tiles. Usually under 5 seconds.

End of map
Start

Put-in

NYSDEC Lemon Creek hand launch near Bayview Avenue
Open mapDirections to put-in

NYSDEC currently lists the Lemon Creek hand launch at 40.518715, -74.203329 and describes street-shoulder parking rather than a formal designated lot. Treat the DEC coordinate as the authoritative launch-area water-entry anchor, then verify legal parking, carry, waterline, signs, and any day-of closure.

Finish

Take-out

NYSDEC Lemon Creek hand launch near Bayview Avenue — same-launch return
Open mapDirections to take-out

NYSDEC says Lemon Creek paddling is only possible at high tide and describes the mouth at Raritan Bay, but it does not establish a second public take-out or authorize landing at the marinas, private shoreline, or bay beach. This card therefore returns to Bayview.

Road shuttle

Driving shuttle routeShuttle in Apple MapsOpenStreetMap
Access notes and hazards

Access caveats

  • NYSDEC currently lists the Lemon Creek hand launch at 40.518715, -74.203329 and describes street-shoulder parking rather than a formal designated lot. Treat the DEC coordinate as the authoritative launch-area water-entry anchor, then verify legal parking, carry, waterline, signs, and any day-of closure.
  • NYSDEC says Lemon Creek paddling is only possible at high tide and describes the mouth at Raritan Bay, but it does not establish a second public take-out or authorize landing at the marinas, private shoreline, or bay beach. This card therefore returns to Bayview.
  • Do not use the road shoulder, bridge, private docks, marina property, marsh platforms, or Raritan Bay shore as alternate launch, landing, camping, or emergency access without current authorization.

Watch for

  • NOAA Bergen Point tide prediction, USGS 01396060 connected-estuary proxy, local depth, current, wind, visibility, recent weather, water quality, and daylight return margin
  • shallow mud, vegetation, debris, bridge approaches, limited legal exits, private/marina boundaries, shellfish notices, and cold-water immersion
  • Bayview street parking and hand carry, actual high-tide launch window, Raritan Bay wind/wake exposure, mouth current, and no-camping rule

Plan this paddle

Choose your trip times

No account needed. Check the selected access points above, then choose both dates and times. For an overnight paddle, set take-out to the following date.

Trip schedule

Times use the selected time zone. Check it against the river’s location before saving or sharing.

Browser plans

Browser plans stay on this device. Sharing opens your device’s share tools or gives you text to copy.

Download GPX Route geometry only; no schedule required.

Conditions

Water levels, gauge history, and hourly forecast

Check the forecast and local water levels before launching.

Gauge detail

Water-level history and 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 gallery

Photos

Check each caption: some photos show the surrounding area rather than this exact trip.

Lemon Creek tidal channel on Staten Island, New York.
Lemon Creek tidal channel contextPhoto by Jim.henderson via Wikimedia Commons
Wikimedia Commons: 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.

  • Named tidal-wetland corridorLemon Creek hand launch toward the Raritan Bay mouth and same-launch return; approximately 2 planning miles round trip

    NYSDEC describes Lemon Creek as a 41.8-acre tidal wetland connected to Raritan Bay and says canoeing is only possible at high tide. The route is intentionally bounded as a same-launch return rather than an open-bay trip.

    Source

  • Current public water accessNYSDEC Lemon Creek hand launch, 40.518715, -74.203329; street parking and hand launch

    The current Richmond County launch directory lists the Lemon Creek hand launch and coordinate, with street parking and no accessibility designation. Verify the exact carry, waterline, legal shoulder parking, and operating conditions on site.

    Source

  • Route-specific high-tide guidancePaddle only during a suitable high-tide window; plan NOAA Bergen Point tide/current with local depth, wind, visibility, water quality, and a same-launch return

    NYSDEC explicitly says Lemon Creek is only paddleable at high tide. NOAA provides nearby Bergen Point tide predictions, but neither the prediction nor the connected-estuary gauge replaces local inspection or a conservative return window.

    Source

  • Connected-estuary proxyUSGS 01396060 Arthur Kill at Perth Amboy, NJ

    The current station supplies broad connected-estuary tidal-elevation context. It is not a local Lemon Creek gauge and cannot certify wetland depth, mouth current, access, traffic, or safe conditions.

    Source

  • Camping postureNo camping; day use only

    NYSDEC’s Lemon Creek rules identify the property as carry-in/carry-out state land and prohibit camping.

    Source

  • Approved route imageLemon Creek tidal channel context

    Jim.henderson’s Wikimedia Commons photograph is marked public domain and depicts Lemon Creek channel context; it does not certify current tide, launch operation, traffic, water quality, or safe conditions.

    Source

  • Same-river proxy gaugeUSGS 01396060, Arthur Kill at Perth Amboy, NJ

    USGS 01396060 is a current Arthur Kill estuary station in New Jersey with tidal-elevation and water-temperature data. It is retained as broad connected-estuary context only; it does not measure Lemon Creek, local wetland depth, the launch, the mouth, or a safe tide/current window.

    Source

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

    NYSDEC Lemon Creek / Richmond County Boat Launch Sites / NOAA 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.

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 explore different rivers within 75 straight-line miles.

More in New York

All 282 routes
New York route guideBrowse every tracked New York route.Richmond County / Staten IslandJump to routes in this region.

Nearby routes within 75 miles

Old Place CreekGulf Avenue hand launch to the Arthur Kill connection and same-launch return · about 8 straight-line mi awayModerate · Approximately 4 round-trip planning miles from the Gulf Avenue hand launch to the Arthur Kill connection and back; DEC describes the one-way creek connection as about 2 milesMillstone RiverLincoln Avenue Park primitive boat launch lower Millstone same-access out-and-back · about 20 straight-line mi awayModerate · Approximately 4 river miles round tripPassaic RiverDundee Island Canoe Launch to Garfield Boat Ramp · about 24 straight-line mi awayHard · Approximately 3 Lower Passaic River milesPassaic RiverSuchorsky Canoe Launch to Pennington Park Canoe Launch · about 26 straight-line mi awayHard · Approximately 8 river miles including the Great Falls portage context

Quick answers

Lemon Creek paddling FAQ

What water level is best for the Bayview Avenue hand launch toward the Raritan Bay mouth and same-launch return route on the Lemon 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 Bayview Avenue hand launch toward the Raritan Bay mouth and same-launch return route on the Lemon Creek start and end?

This route starts at NYSDEC Lemon Creek hand launch near Bayview Avenue and ends at NYSDEC Lemon Creek hand launch near Bayview Avenue — same-launch return, Approximately 2 round-trip planning miles from the DEC Bayview hand launch toward the Lemon Creek mouth at Raritan Bay and back; distance is a conservative mapped channel estimate, not a surveyed mileage on the water.

Is the Bayview Avenue hand launch toward the Raritan Bay mouth and same-launch return route on the Lemon Creek 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.

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