New York | Onondaga County / Camillus and Geddes

Nine Mile CreekPumphouse Road / Honeywell Canoe and Kayak Launch to Onondaga Lake Park outlet kayak launch

A planning-only approximately 2.5-mile lower Nine Mile Creek continuation from the documented Pumphouse Road / Honeywell Canoe and Kayak Launch area to the seasonal free kayak launch on the Onondaga Lake outlet. Onondaga County Parks currently describes the outlet launch as a public seasonal kayak facility, while DEC and local paddling sources corroborate the upstream Pumphouse area. This bounded card does not claim the Amboy-to-lake through-route, the closed marina launch, or a permanent unrestricted endpoint.

Route location

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Plan this route

DistanceApproximately 2.5 planning water miles from the Pumphouse Road launch to the seasonal Onondaga Lake outlet kayak launch
DifficultyModerate
Typical timeAbout 1.5–3 hours depending on current
ShuttleCar shuttle
The restored Nine Mile Creek Aqueduct arches at Camillus Erie Canal Park in New York, used as same-creek route context.
Route photoNine Mile Creek Aqueduct; same-creek lower-watershed contextPhoto by Lvklock via 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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Trip details

Access rules, camping, seasonal conditions and trip length.

Distance, difficulty, rules and camping
DifficultymoderateThe short distance hides a consequential urban creek-to-lake transition with possible shallow water, wood, structures, wakes, wind, current changes, water-quality advisories, and limited legal exits. Treat it as moderate planning-only moving water until the full corridor and both access areas are checked.
PermitsCheck posted rulesFollow current Onondaga County Parks, Village/Town park, NYSDEC, Honeywell/landowner, boating, PFD, water-quality, parking, and seasonal-launch rules. The County kayak launch does not authorize overnight parking, private-dock landings, or use of the closed marina facility.
CampingDay tripNo on-route or endpoint camping is claimed. Camillus and Onondaga Lake Park are treated as day-use access areas; use nearby managed lodging or a campground and follow current park and landowner rules.
SeasonMay-OctThe lower continuation is most practical during the warm-season county launch window, but the outlet launch is seasonal and the route crosses an urban creek-to-lake transition. Local depth, recent rain, debris, water quality, lake wind, boat wakes, and daylight control the decision.

Tomorrow and the weekend

Forecasts can change. Check current conditions again before leaving.

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Plan your trip

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

Access and shuttle

A planning-only approximately 2.5-mile lower Nine Mile Creek continuation from the documented Pumphouse Road / Honeywell Canoe and Kayak Launch area to the seasonal free kayak launch on the Onondaga Lake outlet. Onondaga County Parks currently describes the outlet launch as a public seasonal kayak facility, while DEC and local paddling sources corroborate the upstream Pumphouse area. This bounded card does not claim the Amboy-to-lake through-route, the closed marina launch, or a permanent unrestricted endpoint.

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Put-in

Nine Mile Creek Pumphouse Road / Honeywell Canoe and Kayak Launch

The Pumphouse launch is corroborated by DEC emergency-response material and local public paddling events, but those sources do not guarantee unrestricted daily use. Confirm current permission, gate, parking, landing, and water entry.

Finish

Take-out

Onondaga Lake Park seasonal free kayak launch at the outlet

Onondaga County describes the outlet kayak launch as seasonal. The stored coordinate is an access-area anchor derived from current map context, not a surveyed dock point; verify the launch is open and usable on the day of travel.

Road shuttle

Access notes and hazards

Access caveats

  • The Pumphouse launch is corroborated by DEC emergency-response material and local public paddling events, but those sources do not guarantee unrestricted daily use. Confirm current permission, gate, parking, landing, and water entry.
  • Onondaga County describes the outlet kayak launch as seasonal. The stored coordinate is an access-area anchor derived from current map context, not a surveyed dock point; verify the launch is open and usable on the day of travel.
  • This route ends at the outlet kayak launch and does not claim a through-route from Amboy, the closed marina launch, or any downstream Onondaga Lake shoreline. Do not infer a lawful continuation from the lake’s navigability.

Watch for

  • historical USGS 04240200 record only; no current telemetry or numeric cutoff
  • local depth, recent rain, fast rise, wood, strainers, culverts, industrial/rail structures, water quality, outlet current, lake wind, wakes, and cold water
  • Pumphouse gate/permission, Onondaga outlet seasonal opening, gravel/ADA approach, parking, marina construction notices, daylight, and the hard outlet-launch take-out boundary

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

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Water levels, gauge history, and hourly forecast

Check the forecast and local water levels before launching.

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Data and sources

Read the access and hazard notes and check the linked guides. We do not issue a daily score for this trip.

What 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 lower-creek continuationPumphouse Road / Honeywell launch to the Onondaga Lake Park outlet kayak launch; approximately 2.5 planning miles

    The route bounds the lower continuation with a documented upstream launch area and the County’s separate seasonal outlet kayak facility; it does not merge the held Amboy-to-lake through-route.

    Source

  • Upstream public water-entry contextNine Mile Creek Pumphouse Road / Honeywell Canoe and Kayak Launch

    DEC emergency-response material identifies the creek kayak/boat launch and local public paddling events corroborate the launch area; current daily permission remains a field check.

    Source

  • Downstream public seasonal water entryFree seasonal kayak launch just north of the Syracuse Chargers boathouse on the Onondaga Lake outlet

    Onondaga County Parks describes the gravel/ADA kayak launch and nearby parking. The stored coordinate is an access-area anchor and must be checked for seasonal opening and current landing condition.

    Source

  • Historical same-creek stationUSGS 04240200 Ninemile Creek at Camillus; no current data

    The station has historical continuous, daily, and field records but no current telemetry. No flow number or runnable threshold is asserted.

    Source

  • Route-specific flow and lake guidanceUse local depth, recent rain, outlet current, lake wind, wakes, water quality, and daylight; no numeric cutoff

    The County launch source establishes the seasonal outlet access, while DEC and the watershed sources require ordinary paddling, access, and water-condition checks.

    Source

  • Camping postureNearby managed basecamp only; no endpoint camping claim

    Both endpoints are urban/park access facilities and do not establish a riverbank or launch-site camping right.

    Source

  • Approved route imageNine Mile Creek Aqueduct restoration at Camillus Erie Canal Park

    The CC BY-SA image is a clearly labeled same-creek route-feature context image and does not depict current launch, lake, or water conditions.

    Source

  • Same-river proxy gaugeUSGS 04240200, Ninemile Creek at Camillus, NY

    USGS 04240200 is a historical same-creek station at Camillus with continuous data only through 1998, daily data through 2007, and field measurements through 2009. It is retained to document historical creek context, not as live telemetry or a runnable threshold; lake level, outlet current, weather, and local inspection control this route.

    Source

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

    Onondaga County Parks / NYSDEC Ninemile Creek / Nine Mile Creek Conservation Council 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

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Nine Mile Creek paddling FAQ

What water level is best for the Pumphouse Road / Honeywell Canoe and Kayak Launch to Onondaga Lake Park outlet kayak launch route on the Nine Mile 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 Pumphouse Road / Honeywell Canoe and Kayak Launch to Onondaga Lake Park outlet kayak launch route on the Nine Mile Creek start and end?

This route starts at Nine Mile Creek Pumphouse Road / Honeywell Canoe and Kayak Launch and ends at Onondaga Lake Park seasonal free kayak launch at the outlet, Approximately 2.5 planning water miles from the Pumphouse Road launch to the seasonal Onondaga Lake outlet kayak launch on the water.

Is the Pumphouse Road / Honeywell Canoe and Kayak Launch to Onondaga Lake Park outlet kayak launch route on the Nine Mile 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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