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New York | Suffolk County / North Fork Long Island

Mattituck CreekMattituck Creek Waterway Access Site to Route 48 / Love Lane head of Mattituck Inlet

A planning-only approximately 2.8-mile Mattituck Creek tidal-inlet section from the current NYSDEC Mattituck Creek Waterway Access Site near the Sound to the permit-governed Route 48 / Love Lane head-of-inlet ramp. The current DEC directory provides the large public canoe/kayak launch and waterway access site, Southold identifies the Route 48 ramp as available by permit, Mattituck Park District describes the head-of-inlet kayak setting and changing tide depth, and Long Island Paddlers documents paddling the shoreline between the Sound and Route 48.

Route location

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Plan this route

DistanceApproximately 2.8 planning water miles from the DEC Mattituck Creek Waterway Access Site to the Route 48 / Love Lane head-of-inlet ramp
DifficultyModerate
Typical timeAbout 2–4 hours depending on tide
ShuttleCar shuttle
Aerial Mattituck Inlet and Long Island Sound context in New York.
Route photoMattituck Inlet; aerial route contextPhoto 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 distanceApproximately 2.8 planning water miles from the DEC Mattituck Creek Waterway Access Site to the Route 48 / Love Lane head-of-inlet rampMattituck Creek Waterway Access Site to Route 48 / Love Lane head of Mattituck Inlet
DifficultymoderateThe inlet is sheltered in places but remains tidal moving water with changing depth, mud, channel edges, marinas, wakes, commercial/recreational traffic, wind, Sound exposure, and permit-dependent access. Treat it as moderate sea-kayak/flatwater planning water rather than a novice freshwater creek.
ShuttleCar shuttleStage the take-out vehicle only after obtaining the current Route 48 permit and confirming legal parking and the tide-dependent landing, then drive to the DEC Naugles Road site. Allow daylight for the one-way shuttle and preserve a same-launch return option if the head-of-inlet access or conditions are not usable.
PermitsCheck posted rulesObtain and follow current Southold/Mattituck Route 48 permit and parking rules, NYSDEC launch rules, New York boating/PFD and invasive-species requirements, marina/channel notices, and any seasonal or construction restriction. The DEC site is public; the Route 48 ramp is not a free-standing permission to park or camp.
CampingDay tripNo on-route or endpoint camping is claimed. Use nearby managed lodging or a campground; the launch facilities, inlet shoreline, and private waterfront do not establish overnight permission.
SeasonMay-OctThis is a tidal inlet and Long Island Sound transition. Plan for daylight, favorable tide/current, low wind, suitable visibility, and current launch conditions rather than assuming a freshwater creek season or a calm protected harbor.

Plan ahead

Tomorrow and the weekend

Forecasts can change. Check current conditions again before leaving.

TomorrowChecking

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WeekendChecking

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Plan

Plan your trip

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

Route logistics

Access and shuttle

A planning-only approximately 2.8-mile Mattituck Creek tidal-inlet section from the current NYSDEC Mattituck Creek Waterway Access Site near the Sound to the permit-governed Route 48 / Love Lane head-of-inlet ramp. The current DEC directory provides the large public canoe/kayak launch and waterway access site, Southold identifies the Route 48 ramp as available by permit, Mattituck Park District describes the head-of-inlet kayak setting and changing tide depth, and Long Island Paddlers documents paddling the shoreline between the Sound and Route 48.

Access map

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Start

Put-in

NYSDEC Mattituck Creek Waterway Access Site / Naugles Road
Open mapDirections to put-in

NYSDEC currently describes the Naugles Road site as a large public waterway access facility with canoe/kayak use. Confirm the exact carry, parking, waterline, channel opening, and current notices before launching.

Finish

Take-out

Southold/Mattituck Creek Route 48 / Love Lane permitted ramp
Open mapDirections to take-out

Southold’s Route 48 ramp is permit-governed, and the Mattituck Park District warns that head-of-inlet depth varies with tide. Obtain the current permit and verify the water entry rather than relying on a map pin or visible shoreline.

Road shuttle

Driving shuttle routeShuttle in Apple MapsOpenStreetMap
Access notes and hazards

Access caveats

  • NYSDEC currently describes the Naugles Road site as a large public waterway access facility with canoe/kayak use. Confirm the exact carry, parking, waterline, channel opening, and current notices before launching.
  • Southold’s Route 48 ramp is permit-governed, and the Mattituck Park District warns that head-of-inlet depth varies with tide. Obtain the current permit and verify the water entry rather than relying on a map pin or visible shoreline.
  • The route is bounded at Route 48 and does not claim a safe open-Sound extension, a private dock, or any shoreline landing between the named endpoints.

Watch for

  • Peconic River 01304500 regional proxy only; tide/current, wind, Sound swell, visibility, recent weather, and channel depth control the day
  • mud/shallow edges, wakes, marinas, moorings, fishing and workboat traffic, private shoreline, cold water, and water-quality notices
  • DEC Naugles Road launch hours/parking, Southold Route 48 permit, Love Lane head-of-inlet water depth, shuttle timing, daylight, and the hard Route 48 take-out boundary

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

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Route gallery

Photos

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

Aerial Mattituck Inlet and Long Island Sound context in New York.
Mattituck Inlet; aerial route contextPhoto by Wikimedia Commons
Wikimedia Commons; license as listed on source page

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-inlet paddling corridorMattituck Creek shoreline from Long Island Sound to Route 48; approximately 2.8 planning miles

    Long Island Paddlers documents paddling the whole shoreline from the Sound to Route 48, while the current DEC and municipal sources establish the endpoint access areas.

    Source

  • Current public DEC water accessMattituck Creek Waterway Access Site, 41.011552, -72.555860

    NYSDEC lists the hard-surface facility with canoe/kayak launch, 60 cars/trailers, fishing pier, washdown, pumpout, and access to Long Island Sound.

    Source

  • Current Route 48 head-of-inlet accessSouthold/Mattituck Creek Route 48 ramp, 40.993121, -72.537629

    Southold identifies the facility as available to residents and nonresidents by permit; Mattituck Park District describes the head-of-inlet kayak setting and tide-dependent depth.

    Source

  • Tidal and dredged-channel contextMattituck Inlet is a maintained federal channel and harbor-of-refuge setting with recreational boating and changing depth

    Mattituck Park District describes the inlet, channel, maintenance dredging, marinas, and Sound access; treat channel, tide, wind, wakes, and workboat activity as route controls.

    Source

  • Regional estuary proxyUSGS 01304500 Peconic River at Riverhead

    Use only as broad regional stage context; it is not a Mattituck Creek gauge and cannot replace tide/current and local observation.

    Source

  • Camping postureNearby managed basecamp only; no launch or inlet shoreline camping claim

    The endpoint sources establish water access and day-use/boating facilities, not overnight permissions.

    Source

  • Approved route imageAerial Mattituck Inlet context

    The Wikimedia Commons image is labeled as inlet context and does not certify current channel depth, launch operation, tide, wind, or Sound conditions.

    Source

  • Same-river proxy gaugeUSGS 01304500, Peconic River at Riverhead, NY

    There is no route-local USGS Mattituck Creek station in the current package. USGS 01304500 on the Peconic River is retained only as a regional estuary/stage proxy; tide/current, wind, Sound conditions, channel depth, traffic, and the actual launches control this tidal route.

    Source

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

    NYSDEC / Town of Southold / Mattituck Park District / Long Island Paddlers 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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More routes to check next

Compare another stretch on this river, or explore different rivers within 75 straight-line miles.

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Quick answers

Mattituck Creek paddling FAQ

What water level is best for the Mattituck Creek Waterway Access Site to Route 48 / Love Lane head of Mattituck Inlet route on the Mattituck 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 Mattituck Creek Waterway Access Site to Route 48 / Love Lane head of Mattituck Inlet route on the Mattituck Creek start and end?

This route starts at NYSDEC Mattituck Creek Waterway Access Site / Naugles Road and ends at Southold/Mattituck Creek Route 48 / Love Lane permitted ramp, Approximately 2.8 planning water miles from the DEC Mattituck Creek Waterway Access Site to the Route 48 / Love Lane head-of-inlet ramp on the water.

Is the Mattituck Creek Waterway Access Site to Route 48 / Love Lane head of Mattituck Inlet route on the Mattituck 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.

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