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See all 6 routes on Middle Branch St. Regis River

New York | Franklin County / Santa Clara

Middle Branch St. Regis RiverIndian Rock Hand Launch to Four Mile Road Hand Launch

An advanced planning-only Middle Branch St. Regis River section from the Indian Rock access through the downstream moving-water continuation to Four Mile Road. NYSDEC describes a 12-mile flatwater opportunity at Indian Rock, then approximately five miles dropping more than 150 feet with whitewater/moving-water sections and four marked carries before the lower launch. This route uses the distinct Indian Rock-to-Four Mile section and excludes the upstream flatwater mileage and any continuation below Four Mile Road.

Route location

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Plan this route

DistanceAbout 7 planning river miles from Indian Rock Hand Launch to Four Mile Road Hand Launch, including approximately 5 miles of moving water and four marked carries
DifficultyHard
Typical timeFull daylight day for an advanced group
ShuttleCar shuttle
The West Branch St. Regis River at the USGS monitoring station near Parishville, New York.
River contextSt. Regis River near Parishville; Silver Staircase route context river-level context — not necessarily this exact reach.Photo by U.S. Geological Survey

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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 7 planning river miles from Indian Rock Hand Launch to Four Mile Road Hand Launch, including approximately 5 miles of moving water and four marked carriesIndian Rock Hand Launch to Four Mile Road Hand Launch
DifficultyhardNYSDEC says the route continuation drops more than 150 feet over roughly five miles, includes moving water and whitewater, and has four marked carries. The Indian Rock 0.6-mile access carry, rough seasonal roads, private leased camps, active logging, cold water, and remote rescue make this an advanced route.
ShuttleCar shuttleStage the downstream vehicle at the confirmed Four Mile Road Hand Launch, then drive to Indian Rock Parking. Allow full daylight for the 0.6-mile put-in carry, scouting, four marked carries, and a turnaround before the downstream boundary; confirm an alternate extraction if the seasonal road or landing is closed.
PermitsCheck posted rulesConfirm current DEC conservation-easement and Forest Preserve rules, seasonal roads and gates, logging closures, designated carry/parking status, camping reservations, boating/PFD requirements, and private-lease exclusions before departure.
CampingOptions nearbyThe Santa Clara tract’s designated primitive sites are at Long Pond and Clark’s Landing, not on this Middle Branch section. Nearby Meacham Lake and St. Regis Falls campgrounds provide separate basecamp options. Do not camp at Indian Rock, Four Mile Road, carries, leased camps, or unmarked riverbank; use only a confirmed legal campground or designated site under current DEC rules.
SeasonApr-OctNYSDEC describes a mostly flatwater Middle Branch system but identifies the Indian Rock-to-Four Mile continuation as moving water with a drop of more than 150 feet and four marked carries. Treat spring and rainfall as planning windows only; cold water, wood, rapid changes, road closures, and portage conditions require local inspection.

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Plan

Plan your trip

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

Route logistics

Access and shuttle

An advanced planning-only Middle Branch St. Regis River section from the Indian Rock access through the downstream moving-water continuation to Four Mile Road. NYSDEC describes a 12-mile flatwater opportunity at Indian Rock, then approximately five miles dropping more than 150 feet with whitewater/moving-water sections and four marked carries before the lower launch. This route uses the distinct Indian Rock-to-Four Mile section and excludes the upstream flatwater mileage and any continuation below Four Mile Road.

Access map

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Start

Put-in

Indian Rock Hand Launch Parking
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Indian Rock is a DEC parking anchor with a documented 0.6-mile carry; Four Mile is a rough seasonal-road parking anchor. Neither coordinate is presented as an exact dock or waterline point.

Finish

Take-out

Four Mile Road Hand Launch Parking Area
Open mapDirections to take-out

The route’s approximately seven miles is a planning value derived from DEC’s two-mile downstream flatwater plus approximately five miles of moving water; the four carries and exact river trace may change the total time and distance.

Road shuttle

Driving shuttle routeShuttle in Apple MapsOpenStreetMap
Access notes and hazards

Access caveats

  • Indian Rock is a DEC parking anchor with a documented 0.6-mile carry; Four Mile is a rough seasonal-road parking anchor. Neither coordinate is presented as an exact dock or waterline point.
  • The route’s approximately seven miles is a planning value derived from DEC’s two-mile downstream flatwater plus approximately five miles of moving water; the four carries and exact river trace may change the total time and distance.
  • The route is bounded at Four Mile Road and does not include the Santa Clara Flow continuation. Current land classification, public-use rules, road gates, logging, and leased camps must be checked on site.

Watch for

  • USGS 04268800 unavailable or inconsistent with local Middle Branch conditions
  • 0.6-mile Indian Rock carry, four marked carries, rapid rise, low-water rock, cold water, wood, strainers, bridge hydraulics, and remote rescue
  • seasonal road and gate status, active logging, leased camps, private banks, Four Mile exact landing, and the mandatory downstream boundary

Plan this paddle

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Conditions

Water levels, gauge history, and hourly forecast

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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.

The West Branch St. Regis River at the USGS monitoring station near Parishville, New York.
St. Regis River near Parishville; Silver Staircase route context river-level context — not necessarily this exact reach.Photo by U.S. Geological Survey
USGS 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.

  • Current public endpoint chainIndian Rock Hand Launch Parking and Four Mile Road Hand Launch Parking Area

    NYSDEC lists both access areas, the 0.6-mile Indian Rock carry, the rough seasonal Four Mile Road access, and the Middle Branch paddling sequence.

    Source

  • Moving-water and portage guidanceApproximately 5 miles downstream with more than 150 feet of drop, moving water/whitewater, and four marked carries

    DEC describes this exact continuation after the Indian Rock flatwater section and identifies the Four Mile Road Hand Launch below the carries.

    Source

  • Access and land-use safetyRough seasonal roads, private easement, logging, leased camps, and current gate restrictions

    DEC’s rules require designated-road use, gate compliance, logging awareness, and respect for private leased camps.

    Source

  • Proxy flow contextUSGS 04268800 West Branch St. Regis River near Parishville

    The station supplies same-watershed live telemetry only; it is not a local Middle Branch reading and no numeric runnable band is claimed.

    Source

  • Route imageUSGS West Branch St. Regis photograph used as clearly labeled same-river proxy context

    The presentation image is St. Regis River context and does not claim to depict the Indian Rock carries, rapids, or Four Mile landing.

    Source

  • Same-river proxy gaugeUSGS 04268800, West Branch St. Regis River near Parishville, NY

    USGS 04268800 at the West Branch near Parishville is a live same-watershed St. Regis proxy, not a local Middle Branch waterline. Branch inflow, rainfall, dam/flow changes, wood, temperature, and bedrock features can diverge materially; no numeric threshold is asserted.

    Source

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

    NYSDEC Santa Clara Conservation Easement Tract 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 in New York

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New York route guideBrowse every tracked New York route.Franklin County / Santa ClaraJump to routes in this region.

More on Middle Branch St. Regis River

All 6
Five Mile Hand Launch Parking Area #4 to Hand Launch Parking Area #1 on the West Branch St. Regis RiverSt. Lawrence County / Five Mile Conservation EasementModerate · Approximately 5 planning river miles from Five Mile Hand Launch Parking Area #4 to Hand Launch Parking Area #1, with #3 and #2 retained as intermediate access or bailout contextsRoute 458 / Santa Clara Flow to St. Regis Falls Scenic CampsiteFranklin County / Santa Clara and St. Regis FallsHard · Approximately 4.1 river miles from the Route 458/Santa Clara Flow access to the St. Regis Falls Scenic Campsite finishSt. Regis Falls to Fort Jackson (Silver Staircase)Franklin County / St. Lawrence County North CountryHard · 11.1 river miles from St. Regis Falls to Fort JacksonVanderwalker Road Hand Launch to Everton Falls Hand LaunchFranklin County / Santa ClaraModerate · About 9 planning river miles between Vanderwalker Road and Everton Falls hand launches

Nearby routes within 75 miles

Osgood RiverDEC Osgood Pond Hand Launch through Osgood Pond to the Osgood River lower-reach turnaround objective and back · about 10 straight-line mi awayModerate · Approximately 13.5 miles round trip, planning estimate for the published Osgood Pond approach and roughly 2.75-mile Osgood River reachNorth Branch Saranac RiverNYSDEC North Branch Road hand launch through the North Branch Saranac River toward the Lake Kushaqua approach and back · about 14 straight-line mi awayModerate · Approximately 6 miles round trip, planning estimate from the North Branch Road hand launch to the Lake Kushaqua approach and backJordan RiverLassiter Main Haul Road bridge to Carry Falls Reservoir canoe carry · about 16 straight-line mi awayHard · About 3.1 river miles from the Jordan River canoe-carry landing below the Lassiter bridge to the Carry Falls Reservoir canoe-carry landing, plus a 1.5-mile access carrySaranac RiverNYSDEC Saranac Lake Hand Launch to Moose Pond Road Bridge / Saranac River footbridge · about 19 straight-line mi awayEasy · Approximately 5 one-way river miles from the Saranac Lake hand launch to the Moose Pond footbridge/hand-launch area

Quick answers

Middle Branch St. Regis River paddling FAQ

What water level is best for the Indian Rock Hand Launch to Four Mile Road Hand Launch route on the Middle Branch St. Regis 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 Indian Rock Hand Launch to Four Mile Road Hand Launch route on the Middle Branch St. Regis River start and end?

This route starts at Indian Rock Hand Launch Parking and ends at Four Mile Road Hand Launch Parking Area, about 7 planning river miles from Indian Rock Hand Launch to Four Mile Road Hand Launch, including approximately 5 miles of moving water and four marked carries on the water.

Is the Indian Rock Hand Launch to Four Mile Road Hand Launch route on the Middle Branch St. Regis River suitable for beginners?

This is listed as a hard 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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